Implementation Infrastructure

You already began this process when you set the time frames for Objectives in your plan template and disaggregated these into Strategies and Tactics.

• Consider resources

Planning for future change requires allocation of resources in the present. As you designed your plan, you should have noted what resources are required for pursuit of your various goals. Remember, “resources” take many forms:

• • Financial – what is the monetary cost of task and budget availability?
  • Personnel – who needs to be included and their capacity?
  • Physical facilities – what equipment is needed or where does this need to happen?
  • Time – when does this task need to happen and how long will it take?
  • Sequence – Must tasks be completed in a certain order to achieve your vision, or can they be completed in parallel?
• Think short, medium, long term

Now that you have examined your initial timeline and resource needs/availability, it can be helpful to subdivide your Objectives into short (complete within a year), medium (requires 1-3 years), and long term (requires 3-5 years) prospects. Since you have also disaggregated Strategies – you can do the same with each of these within each Objective.

• Consider a priority matrix

One tool you might consider is a priority matrix. Have the implementation team rate each objective on a 1-10 scale for both “impact” and “effort,” then plot the averages onto a graph (alternative labels may be used to fit your priorities, like substituting “cost” or “resources” for effort, or “importance” for impact).

This matrix may give you some ideas for focus. “Quick wins” may help build momentum for the plan. “Major projects” may be more complex to execute but be highly beneficial. Fill-ins may be less impactful, but still worth completing. Thankless tasks may not be impactful enough for the time required.

• Milestones, Target Dates, and Deadlines

While these terms are often used interchangeably, they are distinct, and all are useful tools for implementation.

• • Milestones – markers in a project which indicate meaningful change. These should ideally be drawn from your KPIs and metrics. Perhaps one of your objectives is a curricular redesign that requires a review of all courses. A milestone might be completing a review of half those courses.
  • Target Dates – A target date is when you hope to have a task completed. Target dates can be adjusted due to circumstances.
  • Deadlines – Deadlines are “drop dead” dates by which tasks must be completed or the project may fail. Common deadlines revolve around budget cycles. Projects which extend past the end of the plan cycle should be included in the next version of your plan.

• Adjust if necessary

Based on the information you have gathered and collated here, take an overarching look at your proposed timelines. Does anything need to be adjusted? If you need help assessing your path forward, contact OPAIR for a consultation.

Now that there is an order and flow to how you would see your plan implementation rolling out, consider designing a systematic “agenda” for implementing your plan.

• Identify tasks.

Each Strategy in your plan should have a “responsible party” title assigned. That person should be able to assign a person (which could be themselves) or a team to complete the task. To offer guidance, the responsible party should provide details related to the required tasks. These details may include:

• • Required personnel
  • Estimated funding or other resources needed
  • Anticipated outcomes
  • Milestones, Target dates, and deadlines
  • Interdependencies that might delay project progress

You might consider using a template for each Strategy. This set of information, when compiled, can be the basis for an implementation action plan – the written reflection of how you intend to accomplish what you have laid out. We have provided a resource (below) to help. 

• Consider the connections.

You have already designated general timeframes for completion of the various Tactics and Strategies.  You can do this at the Objective level, Goal level, or (if you are ambitious) at the entire plan level. Consider creating:

• • Detailed timelines – You can consider creating more granular timelines down to the implementation level. This can help you define deadlines and milestones for progress.
  • Process diagrams/Flowcharts – These diagrams illustrate the interdependencies between the various tasks required to complete a Strategy or Objective. These diagrams can also contain decision points, indications of communication lines, and other information that can be used as you move through the process.

(Feel free to adjust as necessary) (Template download)

1. Strategy #: (Number and Name of Strategy here)
2. Related strategic Goal and Objective: (Enter the Goal and Objective that this Strategy will help to achieve.)
3. Strategy Context and Expected Results: (Describe the Strategy, why it is important, the expected results, and how its success will be assessed.)
4. Team:
   • Strategy Team Lead: (Name, Title, Department/Area)
   • Strategy Team Members: (Names, Titles, Departments/Areas)
5. Dates:
   • Proposed start date: (MM/DD/YYYY)
   • Proposed completion date: (MM/DD/YYYY)
6. Resources Required:
   • Financial and other resource implications: (Describe additional personnel, equipment, or other major costs associated with implementing this Strategy.)
7. Strategy Work Plans and Interdependencies:
   

   Tactics	Expected Outcome	Task Metrics	Task Leader	Due Dates	Interdependencies
   List the tasks needed to complete this Strategy.	List the expected outcomes for each task.	Measures to determine success.	Team member responsible for this task.	MM/YYYY	List requirements from other groups or areas needed to achieve this task.

• Check in regularly.

The implementation czar and team, at this point, should set its expectations for the work ahead. Working proactively, the implementation team should set its schedule for regular check-ins about the progress towards the Goals and Objectives.

• Consider going 30/30.

One effective technique for these meetings is the “30/30” meeting. The name refers to a monthly meeting in which the basic questions are “What did we learn in the last 30 days – and what will we do in the next 30?” These meetings create what is sometimes referred to as “learning loops” which improves a team’s ability to do complex work and deepens the organization’s understanding of itself.

• At these check-ins, consider asking these questions (in addition to the two main questions above) or turning them into separate agenda items:
  • What is the status of initiative implementation?
  • What progress are we making towards our desired outcomes?
  • Are there upcoming milestones or checkpoints aligned with this initiative?
  • Do we need to make any updates to the action plan?
  • Is outside assistance required? If so, who to ask?
  • What is the time and date for the next meeting? (this one is critical to ensure this work continues to be a priority)
• Record your progress.

While this may sound a bit self-evident, compile and review the learnings from your regular meetings. Share these findings, especially themes of progress and challenge, with organization leadership to drive informed decision making, keep everyone apprised of progress towards Goals, and prevent redundant work. Work these learnings into your communications plan. This step will also make formal progress reporting easier.

Note: Information in this section adapted in part from Morrison, E., Hutcheson, S., Nilsen, E., Fadden, J., & Franklin, N. (2019). Strategic Doing: Ten Skills for Agile Leadership. John Wiley & Sons; Hadley, J., Lanzerotti, L., & Nathan, A. (2011). Living Into Your Strategic Plan: A Guide to Implementation That Gets Results. The Bridgespan Group; and Sherlock, B. J. (2009). Integrating Planning, Assessment, and Improvement in Higher Education. NACUBO.