Strategic Planning App

As we enter the sixth month of the pandemic and reflect on the major changes that have overtaken us, willing or not, it’s clear how profound the impact has been on the way we conduct business. Almost every business has had to adopt, overnight, a work from home model. This has created a significant burden on the ability of coworkers and leadership to continue to coordinate and collaborate on their work to achieve goals, to conduct business. Wouldn’t it be great if you had a strategic planning app that helped to alleviate some of these burdens?

As we search for the new normal while learning to use new technologies and processes, we figure things out and we adjust. It’s what humans are amazing at. It’s this new use of technology and processes that can lessen the burden. Long before COVID struck we were thinking about the ways to improve how an organization functions together to be more productive and effective. Although we’re software people, the reality is we’re business people first.  When we look at approaches to solutions we do some through a software prism.

Given these new challenges a software-based collaboration solution, purpose-built to solve the challenges of strategic planning and execution for small and midsize businesses can lessen the burden. The reasons are plain to see that the time has come for a strategic planning app.

Tie the Plan Together – Visually in a Strategic Planning App

When you’re stuck at home it’s helpful to have a “big picture” plan to see and understand how your work fits together with others. Humans are great at the visual. It’s why we say a picture is worth a thousand words. When we’re challenged with coordinating our work it’s important to make it easy for employees to see what’s happening.

  • Projects (or initiatives) are tied to the outcomes they are supposed to achieve

  • You can see what other teams are working on to better align work

  • Learn about shifts in strategy to make your own adjustments

These might not seem like earth-shattering concepts, but actually they are rarely seen in most organizations, big or small. Plans are often discussed more than they are shown. Seeing a plan is what matters.

Collaborate Within The Plan, Not Outside Of It

In an organization collaboration happens within the web apps that support collaboration. Most annual plans are in Excel. It’s important the collaboration happens where the plan exists. Keeping a plan present while you’re discussing it makes a big difference in the effectiveness of the discussion.

These are just a few of the concepts that will help you to better manage your small or midsize business.