1. Strategic Planning with Appreciative Inquiry
NACAS West, June 4, 2013
by Sunny Gittens
Director for Campus Life Assessment, UNLV

2. AGENDA Why strategic planning Appreciative inquiry
Iterative assessment model
Defining terms
Strategic plan format
SMART strategies
Closing the loop

3. Why Strategic Plan?
Formalized road map indicating the direction an organization is going over the next year and how to get there
Sets direction and priorities
Points to specific results to be achieved and establishes a course of action for achieving
Gets everyone on the same page

4. Why Assessment? How will you know the desired outcomes are achieved?
Documents or explains performance
Identifies areas for improvement
Allows for evidence based decision making

5. Continuous Quality Improvement
To some degree we do it everyday
Formalizing the process
Where is your department / organization?
Informal strategic planning
Have a strategic plan but still in development
Have an effective strategic planning process
Grocery shopping

6. Formalizing Strategic Planning
Fiscal year planning
August – strategic and assessment plans due
June – strategic reports due
July – planning
Schedule periodic reviews (check-ins)
Long term planning (3 to 10 years)
Plan for everyday task - PM

7. Key to success – a clear mission, vision, and goals – that everyone knows

8. Appreciative Inquiry
Appreciative Inquiry is the exploration of what gives life to human systems when they function best.
From the Power of Appreciative Inquiry
by Diana Whitney and Amanda Trosten-Bloom
Southwest airlines

9. Appreciative Inquiry
Ap-pre’ci-ate, v., 1. valuing; the act of recognizing the best in people or the world around us; affirming past and present strengths, successes, and potentials;
In-quire’ (kwir), v., 1. the act of exploration and discovery. 2. To ask questions; to be open to seeing new potentials and possibilities.

10. Problem Solving Appreciative Inquiry vs. Identify Problem
Conduct Root Cause Analysis
Brainstorm Solutions & Analyze
Develop Action Plans
Metaphor: Organizations are problems to be solved.
Appreciate “What is” (What gives life?)
Imagine “What Might Be”
Determine “What Should Be”
Create “What Will Be”
Metaphor: Organizations are a solution/mystery to be embraced.
Family Weekend
vs SWOT

11. Appreciative Inquiry Four D’s
DISCOVERY “What gives life?” Storytelling – the best of what is.
DREAM “What could be?” Imagining the future.
DESIGN “What should be?” Provocative propositions.
DESTINY “What will we do?” Delivering performance.
SouthWest airlines

12. Strategic Plan Definitions
PROVOCATIVE PROPOSITIONS: are powerful, visionary statements derived from the Appreciative Inquiry process written in the present tense describing what things will be like once attained.
GOALS: broad general statement of the long range aim, related to the department mission.
STRATEGIES: plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal. Should be “SMART”
Specific
Measureable
Achievable
Relevant
Time Frames

13. Strategic Plan Definitions
OUTCOMES: specify the intended end result
Metrics (Attendance, Use, Contracts, Revenue)
Satisfaction Outcomes
Learning Outcomes – what the student will know or do differently (not what you are going to provide)

14. Strategic Plan Format
Pillar IV: Powerful, visionary statements derived from the Appreciative Inquiry process written in the present tense describing what things will be like once attained.
Goal IV A: A broad general statement of the long range aim, related to the department mission.
Strategy IV A 1: A strategy is a specific plan of action designed to achieve the goal. SMART
Leadership:
Timeline:
Budget:
Assessment:
Metrics
Attendance / Use / Revenue
Satisfaction or Learning Outcomes
List assessment tool and question
Analysis and Recommendations:

15. SMART Strategies

16. Multi-year Strategic Plan Format

17. Assessment Tips
Data management – centralize department tracking methods
Survey data – match the questions to your stated outcomes
What information will help improve your practice?
National benchmark data
Institutional data
Industry standards

18. Analysis
It is easy to collect data it is not always easy to make meaning of it and articulate how it is used to shape practice
Analyze metric data in terms of the 3 year trends – what does the data tell you? Are there ways to explain the trends?
Analyze satisfaction and learning outcome data in terms of degree met your intended outcome. Compare to previous years if applicable. What intentional practice may have impacted the outcomes?

19. Analysis
Resource use (return on investment) – what is the cost benefit analysis? Did the impact warrant the staff time and resources?
What else need to know – are there gaps in your assessment data that could better inform your analysis and recommendations?

20. Recommendations
Based on the trends, outcomes, and resource use what is recommended for the next year – should the strategy be tweaked, revamped, eliminated? Are there areas to focus on or new collaborative partnerships to form, etc.

24. Key Performance Indicators
Use KPI’s to measure organization success over time
What is important?
What data can be consistently collected?

25. Key Performance Indicators

26. Discussion
Is there a formalized process for Strategic Planning? Does Strategic Planning occur departmentally or divisionally or combination? Who is charged with leading the process?
How have you encouraged staff buy-in into the strategic planning process? (Who participates in strategic planning?)
How often do you review your plan throughout the year?
What systems are in place to ensure assessment measures are tracked consistently?
How do you link budget decisions to strategic planning?

27. Recommended Reading
Hinton, K. (2012). A practical guide to strategic planning in higher education. Society for College and University Planning.
Maki, P. (2004). Assessing for learning: Building a sustainable commitment across the institution. American Association for Higher Education.
Palomba, C.A. and Banta, T.W. (1999). Assessment essentials: Planning, implementing and improving assessment in Higher Education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Sanaghan, P. (2009). Collaborative strategic planning in higher education. Washington, D.C.: National Association of College and University Business Officers).
Whitney, D. and Trosten-Bloom, A. (2010). The power of appreciative inquiry: A practical guide to positive change. San Francisco: Berett-Koehler, Inc.