OS and strategic planning

[kerry napuk]

Dear Jaime Fitzgerald

Of course, Open Space can be used in strategic planning.  Ignore
those negative comments about the planning process, it just reflects
individual experiences probably with a poor planning model.

If people want to look at the future and call it strategic or
corporate planning, that's their business.  What matters is that they
are willing to look at future issues and actions, the heart of Open
Space.  The really important issue is how many people will be
involved in the process of agreeing THEIR organization's future?
And, as we know, OST is a great process to involve lots of people
from all parts of an organization (and outsiders too) on an equal
basis.

Open Futures has used OST in two recent and successful strategic
planning applications:

1. Scottish Further Education Funding Council, September 2002, with
45 principals or 98% of the total system in Scotland with Council
members and staff.  The theme was "what are the issues and actions
for the Funding Council to consider in its 2003-06 corporate plan?"
This was the first time that college principals participated in the
planning process by raising their burning issues and proposed actions
for consideration.

So, OST can be used effectively as a front end input on issues and
actions to be considered by a smaller planning group.  Conversely,
another event can be used after a planning group establishes a
planning framework, e.g. direction, objectives and goals, by asking
participants to devise strategies and make detailed action plans for
implementation.  In this way, plans do not have to be cascaded
through an organization, because they are agreed and owned during the
OST event.

2. Scottish Arts Council, December 2002, with 31 senior managers to
review key parts of the corporate plan in open space, revising the
plan in accordance with the agreed outputs of all participants.

If you would like to review a tested and effective planning model,
please see my book THE STRATEGY LED BUSINESS (McGraw-Hill 1996, ISBN
0-07-709285-6.)  Although it was presented as a step-by-step process
for small and medium sized businesses, it is a universal model for
all sectors.  I have used it in government and voluntary
organizations.  Our large group processes - Vision Search and
Strategy Search - are based on this model, allowing the planning
process for up to 120 people in teams of eight.  For more
information, please visit our website, www.openfutures.com.

Good luck on your project.  You are doing ground breaking work!  It
can be done with the right design, using Open Space for front end
inputs, back end detailed planning for implementation or review of
specific parts of an existing plan.

Cheers

Kerry Napuk
Open Futures Ltd.
Edinburgh, UK
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