Empowering Staff Through Institute Planning (ESTIP) All staff awareness workshop Institute Name: XXXXXX Presenter: XXXXXX Date: XXXXXX

© institutes of technology ireland 2009 Learning outcomes  At the end of this session you will: –Understand the ESTIP framework: background to development –Be familiar with best practice approaches for strategic planning –Broadly know the content of the ESTIP manual & how it should be used –Know where XXX IoT is in the planning process –Be aware of your role in the planning process –Know what next steps are required within XXXIoT

© institutes of technology ireland 2009 Case study: Exercise Review case study  You are members of the new Strategic Planning steering group – it is now January You have been given the task of preparing a new strategic plan for the Leisure Centre.  What needs to be considered when preparing the strategic plan?  Key questions: –What information would you need? –How would you get it? –Who would you ask / involve in the process? –How would you ensure that the plans are achieved? –What challenges are you likely to face?

Background to ESTIP

© institutes of technology ireland 2009 ESTIP background  Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF)  IOTI & DIT established project –‘Empowering staff locally, by linking team & individual development plans to focused, supported & transparent strategic plans’  The aim was to review current & strategic planning processes in IOT Sector ESTIP  ESTIP: E mpowering S taff T hrough I nstitute P lanning

© institutes of technology ireland 2009 ESTIP Process  Stage 1  Stage 1: Institute review & international research –Initial report presented 1 November 2007  Stage 2  Stage 2: Preparation of ESTIP reference manual & handbook –Final report & manual presented 28 February 2008  Stage 3  Stage 3: Review of ESTIP reference manual & handbook  Stage 4  Stage 4: Pilot of training programmes

© institutes of technology ireland 2009 Stage 1: Methodology  External Consultants  Participation of 14 IOTs  Staff involvement  Site visits –Interviews –Focus groups (250 participants) –Questionnaires (496 respondents)  International research

© institutes of technology ireland 2009 Stage 1: Review results – IOT Sector  Low levels of awareness of the existence of a strategic plan or its contents  Apathy towards the strategic plan  Low levels of connections between daily activities & long term organisation goals  Lack of structured operational plans  Staff have awareness of strategic plans but not where they have come from  Staff have a minimal sense of ownership or belief in the strategic or operational plans

© institutes of technology ireland 2009 Research internationally  Review of 30 Universities & Colleges of Technology –Finland –Sweden –Denmark –United Kingdom –Australia –Canada

© institutes of technology ireland 2009 The international context  Higher education bodies changing in response to national & international pressures  Operate & compete with each other  Have to respond to increasing mobility in the potential labour force  The rapid pace of technological change is challenging their ability to keep pace  Governments investing heavily but seek more control over direction & programmes  Universities & colleges revisiting strategic & operational planning processes

© institutes of technology ireland 2009 The international context cont.  Current plans developed in last 4-5 years & intended to last 5 years –Most involved extensive consulations with staff & stakeholders –Took almost a year to develop –Many out of date within a year of publication  Limited attempts made to introduce strategic management systems to drive plan implementation  Recognised that strategic plans need to be more flexible & updated regularly  Developed for several purposes including the attraction of government & other funding

© institutes of technology ireland 2009 Components studied 1. Pre planning 2. Environmental scanning 3. Current state analysis 4. Stakeholder consultation 5. Strategic plan development 6. Operating plan development 7. Preparation of team & personal performance & development plans 8. Plan update & review processes 9. Feedback & communication processes

© institutes of technology ireland 2009 International research conclusions  External factors changing the way of strategic planning  Increasing control over policies & programmes  Pressures for rationalisaton & co-operation between institutions  Move towards simpler strategic plans & shorter term plans with capability for being updated annually  Operational planning & structured performance reviews becoming normal practice  Long term environmental scanning is increasingly being done on a continuous watching brief basis

© institutes of technology ireland 2009 International research conclusions  Move towards simplified, ongoing stakeholder consultation  High level themes/goals are being developed by senior management after consultation with staff & other stakeholders. Staff involvement is focused on the development & updating of annual operating plans  Some institutions moving towards a PMDS type of approach but none studied have gone the whole way in this direction

© institutes of technology ireland 2009 Stage 2: Reference manual & handbook  ESTIP Reference manual –Comprehensive manual covering the phases of the strategic planning process –Based on best practice in IOT Sector & International research –Available in printed or online version –Meant to be used as a toolbox to provide ‘pick & choose’ options  Handbook –Meant as a quick reference point

© institutes of technology ireland 2009 Reference manual content  Section 1 –Detailed introduction to the framework & how best to make use of it  Section 2 –Conceptual framework if the general types of strategic plans & three broad approaches to conducting the planning process  Section 3 –Detail of the ESTIP manual & the four phases:  Phase 1 – Pre-planning  Phase 2 – Data collection  Phase 3 – Plan development  Phase 4 – Manage & implement plans  Section 4 –Training competency framework for management & staff  Section 5 –Eight appendices referenced in the document

© institutes of technology ireland 2009 Stage 3: Review of reference manual  Comprehensive review by stakeholders within the IOT Sector  Questionnaire & Focus group  Focus on: –Content –Level of detail –Clarity –Layout –Language used –Illustrations  Overall feedback was extremely positive  Viewed as a valuable resource for an IOT  Some amendments recommended –Additional content for inclusion –User friendliness –Amendments to existing content/charts  Change handbook to quick reference guide

© institutes of technology ireland 2009 Stage 4: Pilot of training programmes  Two IOTs selected –Dundalk Institute of Technology –Dublin Institute of Technology  Roll out of programmes at all levels in each IOT  Completion by 1 st quarter 2009  Ongoing evaluation as part of exercise

Best practice in Strategic Planning: Using ESTIP

© institutes of technology ireland 2009 ESTIP framework: purpose  …to provide a comprehensive guide for all Institute staff & other interested stakeholders on options available for carryout strategic planning.  Making use of the approaches set out in the framework will greatly help to empower staff, through integrating the planning processes with PMDS & other processes routinely carried out in the Institutes

© institutes of technology ireland 2009 IOT ESTIP Model

© institutes of technology ireland 2009 Framework guidelines 1. Not ‘one size fits all’ prescription 2. Maybe necessary to iterate between phases & sub-phases 3. Provides a useful structure for conducting effective communication with stakeholders 4. Processes may need to be modified, scaled or ignored depending on the Institute 5. Intended to provide guidance on how strategic & operational planning could be carried out 6. PMDS should be used to the maximum extent possible 7. Important to establish & maintain clarity, transparency & consistency between stakeholder inputs & final plan outcome

© institutes of technology ireland 2009 Phase 1: Pre planning  Main areas to be considered by the management team for strategic planning 1.1 Executive considerations  Change their current SP/OP processes or keep their current approach 1.2 Steering groups  The appointment of SP steering group & related sub- groups 1.3 Wider considerations  Integration  Staffing considerations

© institutes of technology ireland 2009 Phase 2: Data Collection  4 step process to data collection 2.1 Understand the operating environment in the 2-5 years ahead 2.2 Understand the current & future capacity of the Institute to achieve its strategic & operational objectives 2.3 Identify & prioritise the Institute’s stakeholders 2.4 Consult with all staff on all aspects of plan development & delivery

© institutes of technology ireland 2009 Phase 3: Plan development  Draft plan preparation  Processes used: 3.1 Develop themes  Review the vision, mission & values  Review of performance against previous plan  Develop strategic themes 3.2 Operational planning  High level strategic goals developed for each theme.  Used to develop annual op. plans (incl. TDP objectives) 3.3 Plan collation  Pull all the strands together to produce the final plan 3.4 Strategic plan publication  Formal launch with various publication formats

© institutes of technology ireland 2009 Phase 4: Manage & Implement Plans  Continually monitor performance & plan delivery 4.1 Strategic plan  Ensure continued validity of the strategic plan  Environmental scanning proposes the use of a ‘standing committees’ to monitor & make recommendations  Strategic plan review every 6 months. Changes can be reflected in next round of operational plans 4.2 Operational plans  Reviewed & updated annually but should be reviewed at least once during the academic or fiscal year 4.3 PMDS  TDPs & PDPs should be reviewed in line with departmental operational plans

Strategic plan process and you

© institutes of technology ireland 2009 Where are we now?  Training held with Executive Team –Identified a number of areas that need to be addressed in terms of strategic planning  Training to be held with Academic and Functional managers  Early stages of strategic planning & development

© institutes of technology ireland 2009 Suggested planning development process *not finalised or agreed  April to July 2009 –Conduct a critical review of current strategic plan, with a view to identifying specific aspects which can be carried forward into a new strategic plan. –Identify key themes to provide a clear structure for a new strategic plan. –Executive/Functional teams to prepare the top two elements of a strategic plan.  Sept to mid November 2009 –Preparing the operational plan level of detail down to department and functional area, to set out the detail of how the higher elements of the strategic plan will be implemented.  Mid November 2009 and mid Feb 2010 –The final collation of redrafted strategic and operational plans could be completed  Mid February 2010 and the first review of a new plan (circa mid 2011)

© institutes of technology ireland 2009 Your role  Review the ESTIP manual  Get involved as appropriate –Team development plans –Personal development plans –Committees  Get involved in training e.g. Planning committees etc.

Questions?