STRATEGIC PLANNING

​Terra Firma and BHDP offer an accelerated, integrated strategic and master planning service that will lead the university community through a process of visioning, futures forecasting, and disciplined planning that culminates in a transformational vision and corresponding roadmap to achieve it.

 

What is an Accelerated, Integrated Strategic and Master Plan?

BHDP and Terra Firma’s Accelerated, Integrated Strategic and Master Planning (AISMP) is a comprehensive yet practical process that drives extraordinary value for the client institution. Campuses historically have commenced strategic and master planning processes along separate timelines often disconnected from one another. This, even though strategic plans almost always include substantial references to physical facility needs. In like manner, master plans are often commissioned and completed without a proper grounding in the institution’s strategic plan, and its commensurate successful execution.

 

BHDP and Terra Firma’s combined Strategic and Master Planning services offers a college the opportunity to synchronize its strategic plan with its master plan, resulting in a more coherent, productive, and achievable future.By engaging BHDP and Terra Firma, the college will receive numerous benefits, including:

 

• Board education on key topics of import

• Market Assessment of the college’s current and potential academic programs

• Assessment of Faculty/Staff through our Proprietary Faculty/Staff Assessment

• Assessment of the Board through our Proprietary Board Self Assessment

• Facilitation and completion of an Institutional Strategic Plan

• Facilitation and completion of an Implementation Plan in support of the Strategic Plan

• Facilitation and completion of an Institutional Master Plan

 

This entire process is estimated to take approximately 6 months.

 

The Process

 

Our approach utilizes a four-stage process of strategic planning. These stages include:

 

1. Introductory Phase

2. Data Gathering & Stakeholder Engagement Phase

3. Sensemaking Phase

4. Writing and Concept Phase

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Each of these stages includes numerous activities, some of which are listed below:

 

Introductory Phase (1 month)

During this phase, the community is educated and organized around a process of planning.  This phase includes:

• Establishment of a Strategic Planning Steering Committee and Related Committees

• Establishment of a Master Planning Steering Committee

• Determination of Project Timeline 

• Determination of Scope

• Identification of Resources Required (e.g., Technology, etc.)

• Identification of Key Constituencies and Critical Questions

• Preliminary Identification of Key Strategic Questions and Areas of Focus

Key “touch points” during this phase include:

1 Full Day:      Launch meeting with President and Cabinet

1 Half Day:     Launch meeting with Strategic Planning and Master Planning Steering Committees

 

Data Gathering/Stakeholder Engagement Phase (2 months)

During this phase, BHDP, Terra Firma, and the respective Steering Committees engage internal and external constituencies.  This phase includes:

• Deployment of Terra Firma’s proprietary Faculty/Staff Questionnaire

• Deployment of Terra Firma’s proprietary Board Self-Assessment

• Commencement the Academic Snapshot™: A market analysis to assess existing and prospective academic programs against student interest and labor market demand

• Collection of Supporting Documentation

• Engagement with Key Constituencies Identified during Phase 1

Key “touch points” during this phase include:

1 Half Day:     Board Retreat facilitated by BHDP and Terra Firma

2 Full Days:    On-Site Town Hall Facilitation and Engagement with Various Constituencies

 

Sensemaking Phase (1 month)

During this phase BHDP and Terra Firma work with the Strategic Planning and Master Planning Steering Committees to distill the information gathered during the previous two months.  This phase includes:

• All committees meet separately to “make sense” of the data they have collected, and begin the process of identifying and formulating preliminary objectives, strategies, and tactics in advance of the Sensemaking Summit

• Commissioning of the Sensemaking Summit to include the steering committees and invited guests.

Key “touch points” during this phase include:

2 Full Days:    On-Campus Sensemaking Summit facilitated by BHDP and Terra Firma

 

Writing and Concept Phase (2 months)

During this phase, BHDP, Terra Firma and the Writing Team take what was concluded and learned at the Sensemaking Summit to begin drafting final documents and concepts.  This phase includes:

• Resolution of any modifications to the Mission Statement

• Development of the Vision Statement

• Finalization of Objectives, Strategies and Tactics

Key “touch points” during this phase include:

1 Half Day:     Final Presentation of the Strategic Plan and Master Plan to the Board of Trustees

 

Fees

The fee for the Accelerated, Integrated Strategic and Master Plan is $160,000 plus expenses