Government strategic planning involves identifying and planning to achieve long-term goals for the public good. It begins with mission and vision statements, followed by needs analysis and goal development. Oversight bodies oversee the process, and an action plan is implemented with defined responsibilities and possible funding.
Government strategic planning is a type of planning done by government agencies to prepare for future needs and problems. While some strategic planning in government has occurred for thousands of years, it has become more formalized in recent years. Furthermore, some governments, recognizing the value of strategic planning, have mandated plans on all or nearly all agencies and divisions of government. In short, government strategic planning can be defined as identifying and planning to achieve a long-term goal, or set of goals, for the public good.
In general, a strategic plan begins with two main statements, the mission statement and the vision statement. While these two statements are very similar, they also have a slightly different approach. By definition, a mission statement explains why an organization exists. A vision statement is forward-looking and explains how to achieve the mission statement. For example, a public works organization may have a mission statement to protect and meet transportation needs, and its vision statement may include specifications, such as having alternative transportation sources or a more comprehensive infrastructure network.
A needs analysis is another important step in government strategic planning. This helps determine what your current needs are, but also looks ahead to what your future needs might be. Governments, both local and national, find needs analysis helpful in determining where to best appropriate resources. For example, if a local government sees growth potential in a certain part of a city, it can devote more resources to improving those parts to prepare for that growth. This is an inexact science, so plans for those needs need to be flexible enough to change.
Closely related to needs analysis in government strategic planning is the development of a set of goals. These goals are generally aligned to help address problems discovered or documented during the needs analysis. For example, if the needs analysis shows a need for more roads or better roads, this can be factored into goals, usually in a section reserved for capital improvements. These goals may also come with deadlines, but not all government strategic planning will be about certain time frames.
Along each step of the way, some oversight body, such as the city council or the legislature, will oversee the process. Once the goals are approved, the next step is to implement an action plan. This means identifying key people and defining their responsibilities in the process. A budget can be put together, as well as possible funding if needed. External contractors may also be hired or consulted for projects.
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