How to Create and Use a Strategic Plan

Description Benefits Effective Practices Resources Glossary

This section provides guidance on how to create and use a departmental strategic plan that aligns with your institution’s mission, vision, and values and that identifies prioritized actions your department can take over a multi-year period. The plan, an internally-facing document, developed through conversation and reviewed regularly, represents a departmental commitment to

, , and . For additional guidance and an example, see the resources on Creating SMART Goals and Structure of a Strategic Plan. A department strategic plan may be developed as an aspect or consequence of a program review (see the section on How to Undertake an Undergraduate Program Review) or developed by a department at a time when new initiatives are needed, even if not part of the schedule of program reviews. For guidance on departmental mission, vision, and values statements, see the section on How to Create and Use Foundational Documents.

Benefits

A strategic plan declares departmental priorities, highlights the distinctive features of a program, guides department activities, and enables department leaders to advocate for resources and communicate strategies to achieve successes. The plan can provide a transparent framework for resource allocation and an outline of common initiatives through which members contribute to improving the department—factors especially important in challenging budgetary environments. Constructing or revising the plan provides an opportunity for members of a department to incorporate diverse perspectives in envisioning its future, recognize individual activities, gauge successes and needs, and help articulate its mission and/or values. A collaboratively developed plan can serve as a road map to focus the attention and develop buy-in of department members and administrators and guide a systematic approach to departmental improvement.

Effective Practices

Design and follow an inclusive process for developing or revising a departmental strategic plan
Adopt, use, and maintain the plan

The Cycle of Reflection and Action

Where are you and what are you trying to accomplish?

Who should be involved?

What will you do?

How did it go and what comes next?

To be intentional about change, a department must have a clear understanding of its present situation and a vision for what it would like to become. Our cycle of self-reflection questions will help your department start conversations and structure thinking about how to get from where you are to where you want to be.

The Cycle of Reflection and Action will help you put the EP3 Guide to work for your department.

Learn more about the Cycle of Reflection and Action and how it can help your department.