Planning is critical for any project and organization. But how do you plan effectively for an organization? Staying close to the best industry practices, this guide will take you through the steps on how to conduct strategic annual or bi-annual planning.

1. What is an annual/bi-annual plan?

An Annual or Bi-annual Plan is an operational plan that indicates specific goals and objectives for a particular program or programs within a specific timeframe (1 year for an annual plan and six months for a bi-annual plan). For organizations and Indigenous governments, such plans are a road map for a specific timeframe.

Note they are different from strategic plans. Strategic plans are long-term (5+ years) where an organization’s leadership discusses and formally plans out an organization’s future. An annual/bi-annual plan focuses on how the organization plans to achieve its vision and goals as set out in the strategic plan.

2. Why is annual/bi-annual planning essential?

Not only is it critical to operations, but it also creates efficiency within an organization as employees see their performance for the year based on how many projects they were a part of and if they met the deadlines. Moreover, it helps one reflect on how their year was spent and offers the opportunity to make the next year/six months even more productive.

Since it is considered a roadmap for the next year/six months, all employees, project leads, and stakeholders gain a very clear sense of direction in their roles as they now know what has been completed and what needs to be done next. As mentioned previously it also ensures that all the work being done is serving the goals and visions of the strategic plan.

3. What needs to be done before putting pen to paper?

· Identify the Purpose: reflect on the previous year or six months to determine what has been achieved and identify the gap the plan is expected to fill.

· Identify the Audience: the plan should cater to the needs of its intended audience by customizing it to their situation, context, and requirements.

· Identify Project Details: answer questions such as what needs to be addressed in the plan by confirming the purpose and status of all projects. It’s also important to connect with project leads to brainstorm and understand how the next period will look like for their projects.

4. What needs to be included?

· SMART Goals: include Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant & Time-bound goals - using a specific set of criteria that ensures your objectives are attainable within a certain time frame.

· Budget and financials: include projects for the upcoming time-period, forecasting income and outlays. Such projects will help an organization/community to plan for cash flow dips, pinpoint financing needs, and decide the best timing for projects.

· Timelines: deadlines are crucial for achieving the goals of your organization/community. This helps ensure your team stays on track.

· Content Creation: Use of relevant graphics, visuals, tables, charts, and colors to promote readability.

· Inclusive language: Ensure the language used is inclusive and suitable for the intended audience.

5. Now the plan is completed, what’s next?

Next, we look at the execution, accountability of the people involved, and project management of the plan. In this spirit, the following things are important components of the overall planning process.

1. Implement the strategy - you’ve created a plan, now it’s time to implement them.

2. Develop a team - recruit or assemble a project team; frequent and regular communication is important to ensure all team members are in the loop.

3. Develop a schedule – use project managers to ensure the plan is well-executed and delivered in a timely manner.

4. Clear communication – communicate clearly so everyone is aware of their responsibilities and timelines they are working with.

5. Accountability – the project team is responsible for updating leadership and the board of directors.

6. Monitoring, reporting and compliance – monitoring progress and gathering feedback, and conducting follow-ups are all important steps in the successful implementation of a plan.

6. What does an annual/bi-annual plan achieve?

If executed properly, the annual/bi-annual plan will result in:

1. Improved efficiency and effectiveness in project management

2. Accountability

3. Increased productivity

4. Timely delivery of projects

5. improved in organizational performance

6. Increased sense of satisfaction and success for the company and team members

7. Enhanced time management and project management skills for the team individually and collectively

BONUS - ZN Case Study

Here are the steps we used to develop the Winter Plan for our client, Kanaka Bar Indian Band:

· Understand the format used in the past and the purpose of the Winter Plan.

· Review the bi-annual plans from previous years to understand the design and why it was done in those specific ways, and make recommendations for improvement.

· Analyze and finalize required elements of the Winter Plan.

· Confirm project status with individual project lead and update the spreadsheet.

· Content gathering and assemble the document.

· Revise and edit to remove any discrepancies while updating the status of each project.

· Assemble all content and create a professional report by formatting and adding graphic elements.

Six Things You Should Know About Annual (or Bi-annual) Planning