Operational planning is the process of breaking down high-level strategic goals and activities into smaller, actionable steps. It is a future-oriented process that maps out department goals, capabilities, and budgets to promote the success of team-based activities designed to support the strategic plan .
To create an operational plan, you can follow these seven steps :
1. Map business processes and workflows: What steps need to be taken at the operations level to accomplish long-term strategic goals?
2. Set operational-level goals: Describe what operational-level goals contribute to the achievement of larger strategic goals.
3. Determine the operational budget: How much money will be required to execute the operational plan?
4. Assign roles and responsibilities: Who will be responsible for executing each step of the operational plan?
5. Set timelines: When will each step of the operational plan be executed?
6. Define success metrics: How will you measure the success of your operational plan?
7. Monitor and adjust: How will you monitor progress and adjust your operational plan as needed?
By following these steps, you can create an effective operational plan that aligns with your organization’s strategic goals.