Full Description

• Learn what strategic planning is and what common pitfalls to avoid
• How to use strategic planning to create more value for your A/E firm
• Understand the issues you should be addressing in your firm's strategic plan
• Develop mission and vision statements that define your firm and where you want to go
• Get advice on how to set appropriate short- and long-term goals for your business
• Learn how to conduct effective planning sessions and who should be included in these meetings
• Effectively communicate your firm's strategic plan to management and staff
• Read real-world case studies of how other firms navigate the strategic business planning process

Why Strategic Planning is Vital to Your A/E Firm's Future

Think about it; would you rather fire a preemptive salvo or scramble to save your business after a crisis? Would you rather be ahead of the curve, or constantly trying to catch up with your competitors? Would you rather lead proactively or just manage reactively? If you’re interested in staying ahead of the curve and being in the driver’s seat, then you need to plan your business strategically. You need a road map to follow to make sure your firm is staying on course and achieving the right goals.

Every successful architecture, engineering, planning, and environmental consulting firm needs a plan of action. Too many design and construction firms wait until they’re facing a crisis, then react to it. Successful firms know what they are trying to become, plan ahead, and continuously make themselves more valuable. They build a road map and then follow it by using strategic planning.

Strategic planning is the most powerful tool firm leaders can use to guide their firms toward future growth and prosperity. Effective strategic business planning analyzes, addresses, and improves every aspect of a firm for both the short- and long-term. With strategic planning, you can identify where you want your firm to go, and you'll be able to tell when you get there because you'll have achieved set milestones and can measure the outcome of your efforts according to the plan's steps.

ZweigWhite’s A/E Strategic Planning Cookbook explains what strategic planning is and what it should be. It shows you the importance of developing a mission and vision that are right for your firm and how to let firm members understand their part in the process. The meaningful advice presented in ths best practices publication can help you put together a strategic plan of your own- one that truly works.

• What strategic planning is... and isn't
• How to use strategic planning to create more value for your firm
• How to develop mission and vision statements that really capture what your firm is and what you want to be
• How to communicate the plan
• How to conduct effective planning sessions and who should be included in these meetings
• How to implement the plan to ensure that your firm gets to where you want it to go
• What pitfalls to avoid
• How to measure your success

ZweigWhite's A/E Strategic Planning Cookbook demystifies the strategic planning process by teaching you straightforward techniques that really work. It’s filled with useful tools and tidbits including profiles of firms that have successful strategic planning programs. The case studies section of the A/E Strategic Planning Cookbook offers you rare insight into the strategic planning processes other successful firms of all types and sizes are using today. Use these examples to benchmark your firm and add new ideas and elements to your planning for competitive advantage.
 
The right road map will lead you to the treasure faster; let the A/E Strategic Planning Cookbook be your guide to getting more out of your strategic planning activities.

Contents

• What is strategy?
• Creating a more valuable firm
• Strategy leads to value

• From mission to value
• Mission and vision
• Overcoming challenges
• Strategies and goals
• Developing an action plan

• Not just a retreat
• Who and where?
• Facilitators vs. consultants
• Outside consultants
• Setting an agenda
• Get planning!

• Understanding the plan
• Roles and responsibilities
• Ensuring buy-in

• Implementing the strategies
• Areas of investment focus

• Benchmarking
• Using the vision to determine the result
• Metrics

• Learn from other architecture, engineering, and environmental firms that have successfully used strategic planning for competitive advantage.