Strategic Planning for Film/Video Production

Programs: Making it workW. Scott Meador: The First Step

Bruce Hutchinson: The Most Important StepChris M. Churchill: Beyond the Classroom

Why do a Strategic Plan?

"The only way you can predict the future is to build it." -Alan Kay

Administrative pressuresAvoid program stagnation

The First Step

● Commit to meeting regularly and only discussing strategic planning

● Don't rush the process● Create a strategic planning document

layout - find a model if necessary

Our Process

● Discuss big issues - 4 weeks● Draft the strategic planning document

● Core Values - 2 weeks

● SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) - 1 week

● Mission - 1 week

● Vision - 4 weeks

● Peers - 2 weeks

● Goals - 12 weeks

● Choose goals to work on and create action plans

Our SP Document

● Introduction and program history

● Mission● Vision● Core Values● Peer programs

● Goals● Objectives

● Action Plans● Appendices

● Forms for reports● Objective details

Thoughts on our First Step

● Use a projector during meetings and consider sharing the document in a live environment (Google Docs)

● Our faculty became a more cohesive group during the long process of drafting the document - we learned a lot more about each other and our program's purpose

Implementation

● A strategic plan is useless if it's never implemented

Leadership

● Choose a team leader (with experience if possible)

● Commit to knowing the document● Assign goal leaders as needed

Regular Review

● Set aside regular meetings to discuss and review implementation

● Hold annual reviews of progress● Assign goal reports to specific committee

members

Achievable Goals

● Choose goals that fit your time frame (5 years, 10 years)

● Remember a strategic plan is a roadmap, not a wishlist

● Don't be afraid to fail● Choose goals that can be broken into

objectives and actions

Clear Objectives and Action Plans

● Goals can be abstract, but objectives should be specific

● Create an action plan for each objective that is doable

● Include all actions required to accomplish the objective

Staged Implementation

● Create a timeline

● Figure out which objectives are ongoing

● Choose which objectives to focus on each

year of the plan

○ Ongoing○ 2011-2012○ 2012-2013○ 2013-2014

Flexibility

● Don't be afraid to make changes to the document

● Recognize the importance of new goals when they come

● Recognize the obsolescence of old goals if it happens

Ancillary Programs

● Require multiple levels of communication○ Administration○ Faculty○ Staff○ Students

Administration

● A strong SP can encourage fiscal support● ex. Fine Arts Programming vs. Journalism

Broadcast Production● and discourage misuse of resources

● ex. A/V services paradigm● Clarifies program's mission beyond general

expectations● ex. Channel 6 mission statement

Faculty

● Generally consider ancillary programs supportive entities● ex. combining a functioning TV station and a

functioning curriculum● Goals often diametrically opposed

● ex. defining "student production"

Staff

● Define job description● ex. Administrative assistant

● Cohesiveness● Bottom up communication that is clear and

direct

Tips for ancillary programs

● Include everyone in every level in the process● at least after goals are created

● Language should be clear and direct● Prioritize goals

● Goals should be within reason● Use SP to inform decision making

● refer to it often● Keep goals action oriented

Tips for ancillary programs

● Publish SP and attach it to emails regularly● Keep it fresh in the minds of your staff and

administrators● Don't expect complete adoption● Remain flexible