Print this pagePlanning to Close the Gap
The applying science stage develops the solutions to achieve the idealized design and plans the implementation of these solutions. The title of this stage reflects the formulaic and analytical nature of this stage. The techniques used in this stage to solve problems, design solutions, define objectives, and align the organization to achieve those objectives are well established.
Planning to Close the Gap
The applying sciences stage begins with "the gap". Knowing the gap between the idealized design and the current state with its projection of where the business is headed, the problem solvers are turned loose to do what they do best. They design the means to close the gaps in order to achieve the idealized design.
Gaps are rarely closed all at once. Some constraints to closing the gap are more easily removed than others. Some initiatives will take longer than others. Some gap closure requires concerted program management over several years. A strong idealized design will have a strong vision and strategic intent, some of which will require inventions and innovations years hence to close the gap.
The immediate cycle of planning and deployment will address the portions of the gap that can be closed with the deployment in this cycle of the strategic management process. The objective will reflect the gap closure to be accomplished during that time-frame. Resource and deployment plans are developed to allocate and align the resources to execute the plans to implement a portion of the idealized design. Plans for learning and control are established prior to the deployment to insure plans are adhered to and learning comes from the results achieved.
Aligning Objectives, Initiatives, Operations, and Resources
Once the problems are solved as to how to close the gap, the next major segment of work involves defining the activities needed to close the gap, integration and alignment of the objectives related to these activities, the resource planning to perform the activities and meet the objectives, and the incorporation of the activities and objectives into the operations of the business. One common set of tools to do this are described by Kaplan and Norton in their balanced scorecard approach. This method translates the strategy into strategy maps with the objectives defined by strategic themes expressed in the construct of the balanced scorecard. This approach insures completeness, alignment, and synergy of the strategic objectives. The strategy maps and scorecards are cascaded from the corporate level down through the business units, into the departments, and ultimately to the individual. This provides each individual with their line of sight to the strategy. Other methods might be employed, but they all need to meet the same fundamental requirements as demonstrated by the balanced scorecard approach.
Plan Control and Learning
Plans are of little value unless the organization performs to execute the plan. This requires putting the controls and individual performance measures in place to insure that the plan happens. This includes linking management incentives to the plan, in the time-frames relevant to the strategic objectives of the plan.
With the proper controls in place to measure progress in achieving the plan, the basis for learning exists. Learning comes about from deviations from plan and the related course corrections. The strategic management process is a learning process. This learning is what makes the organization adaptable. Thus it is critical for the overall health of the strategic management process and the organization to have effective controls in place prior to the strategy execution.
