Section 5: Proposed Core Team of Change Champions
In Week 4, you examined the benefits of stakeholder involvement and the negative consequences that may arise if this is not sufficiently addressed during strategic planning.
This week you have been considering how to leverage the influence of change champions and facilitate team building to promote the successful implementation of a proposed change.
How would you create a core team of change champions for the change you are proposing through your Course Project?
To prepare:
Reflect on the results of your SWOT analysis (submitted in Week 7) and other elements of your strategic plan.
Think about how effective stakeholder involvement would promote the successful adoption and implementation of your proposed change.
Consider the following:
What strategies would help you to develop a core team to generate buy-in for this change?
Which stakeholders should be included in the process as change champions? How and when should they become involved?
Begin to write a 1- to 2-page description of your core team of change champions.
Section 6: Evaluation Plan
Creating an evaluation plan is a critical part of developing a strategic plan. How would evaluation allow you to determine the cost benefits and effectiveness of your proposed change?
To prepare:
Reflect on the elements of your Course Project that you have developed thus far. Review the information on evaluation presented in the Learning Resources, and reflect on any insights you have gained from this week's Discussion.
How would you evaluate the implementation of your strategic plan? Develop an evaluation plan that includes a timeline for evaluation. Be sure to incorporate refreezing.
To complete:
Write a 1- to 3-page explanation of your evaluation plan. Include the timeline for evaluation, and explain how you will incorporate refreezing.
Note: This will be submitted as part of your Course Project this week.
Section 7: Executive Summary
As your development of a strategic plan comes to a conclusion, it is time to develop foundational pieces for your Course Project, including an executive summary.
An executive summary provides an overview of your proposed change and allows your target audience to become acquainted with the essential elements of the strategic plan. Your executive summary should be informative and persuasive, delineating the business case for your proposed change.
To prepare:
Review the information in the Learning Resources related to developing an executive summary.
Craft an executive summary that appeals to your target audience and presents key information related to your strategic plan. Be sure to describe the unmet need you are addressing and convey the urgency or significance of this problem. Clearly state your proposed change and substantiate your recommendation.
To complete:
Write an executive summary for your strategic plan.
Note: This will be submitted as part of your Course Project this week.
Section 8: References
The inclusion of a reference list not only allows you to credit others' work appropriately but also provides the information readers would need to read resources of interest to them and learn more about the underpinnings of your strategic plan.
To prepare:
Develop and/or refine the list of the resources cited in your strategic plan.
To complete:
Create your reference list to accompany your strategic plan.
Comprehensive Course Project: Developing a Strategic Plan
Over the past several weeks of this course, you have been developing elements of a strategic plan. As you prepare to submit your Course Project, reflect on what you have learned throughout this process.
Also think about how you would like to convey the results of your analysis and planning to your target audience.
Your Course Project must include information related to each section of the Course Project assigned in Weeks 6-11; however, you have some flexibility in terms of how you present it.
You may wish to compare strategic plans from various groups and organizations and then develop a format that best suits your plan.
Note: Your comprehensive Course Project serves as your Portfolio Assignment for this course.
To complete:
Create a strategic plan that includes essential information related to the following:
Section 1: Summary of the Issue
Section 2: SWOT Analysis
Section 3: Balanced Scorecard
Section 4: Budgeting and Timeline Tools
Section 5: Proposed Core Team of Change Champions
Section 6: Evaluation Plan
Section 7: Executive Summary
Section 8: References