Delivered to the EDUCAUSE Leadership Institute, July 2012

1. Visions, Missions and Plans: Oh My!
Ann Kovalchick | 10 July 2012

2. • Discuss concepts, terminology, characteristic,
and examples
• Table work
• Record a snapshot of IT’s current context
(Mission)
• Brainstorm what success looks like for a
particular issue (Vision)
• Focus attention on action steps (Plan)
Goal: Learn to build and execute effective institutional processes that support an IT vision,
mission and strategic thinking
FORMAT
Objective:
1. Discern institutional conditions and processes
for use in leveraging an IT vision, mission and
strategic plan.
2. Reflect on opportunities to design tactical and
strategic approaches to achieve IT goals.

3. The IT organization
… have you gone through
a strategic planning
process?
… can you state the
mission and vision?
… do you know how your
your day-to day-work
ties to your strategic
plan?

4. MISSION OR VISION?
A Vision Statement
A description of the organization’s desired future state. An organizational vision
statement is internally focused: It projects the future in terms of the program,
budget or staff size, answering the question “Where do we want to be?” Some
organizations also adopt societal vision statements, articulating the desired
influence of their work on their target community or constituency. This type of
vision statement answers the question “What is the impact of our work?”
A Mission Statement
A brief expression of the organization’s purpose. It should answer the questions
“Why do we exist?” and “What, at the most basic level, do we do?”
Ten Keys to Successful Strategic Planning for Non-Profits and Foundations. Richard A. Mittenthal, TCC Group

5. JimTweedy'sFriendlyDoggies
MISSION
VISION

6. MISSION
Key Questions
 What do we do?
 How do we do it?
 For whom do we do it?
Characteristics
 Current – “now” oriented
 Defines a scope/market
 Realistic
 Clear & Succinct
 Memorable

7. MISSION: VIACOM
Viacom's goal is to be the world’s
leading, branded entertainment
company across television, motion
pictures and digital media platforms.
We focus on our consumers,
enhancing our existing brands,
developing new brands and
executing on our multiplatform
strategy to reach this objective and
sustain growth. By capitalizing on
our creative strengths and
deepening our relationships with
audiences, advertisers, distribution
affiliates, talent and licensees,
Viacom is positioned to achieve
continued or greater global success
 Current
 Defines a
scope/market
 Realistic
 Clear & Succinct
 Memorable
X

8. MISSION: Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch has
positioned itself to
be the preeminent
global financial
management and
advisory
company.
 Current
 Defines a
scope/market
 Realistic
 Clear & Succinct
 Memorable
X
X
X
X

9. MISSION: H & R Block, StumbleUpon
To help our clients achieve
their financial objectives by
serving as their tax and
financial partner.
 Current
 Defines a
scope/market
 Realistic
 Clear & Succinct
 Memorable
X
X
X
 Current
 Defines a
scope/market
 Realistic
 Clear & Succinct
 Memorable
X
StumbleUpon helps you
discover and share great
websites.
X
X
X
X
X

10. © 1996-2009
CONTEXT MAP
CUSTOMER NEEDS
• Customer Need
• Customer Need
• Customer Need
• Customer Need
• Customer Need
• Customer Need
• Uncertainties
• Uncertainties
• Uncertainties
• Uncertainties
UNCERTAINTIES
• Customer Need
• Customer Need
• Customer Need
• Customer Need
• Customer Need
• Customer Need
• Technology Factors
• Technology Factors
• Technology Factors
• Technology Factors
• Economic Factors
• Economic Factors
• Economic Factors
• Economic Factors
• Economic Factors
• Political Factors
• Political Factor
• Political Factors
• Political Factors
• Political Factors
POLITICAL
FACTORS
ECONOMIC
CLIMATE
Identify a system’s level snapshot of Its organizational environment
Table Exercise

11. © 1996-2009
CONTEXT MAP: Outsourcing e-mail to an external provider
CUSTOMER NEEDS
• Customer Need
• Customer Need
• Customer Need
• Customer Need
• Customer Need
• Customer Need
• Uncertainties
• Uncertainties
• Uncertainties
• Uncertainties
UNCERTAINTIES
• Customer Need
• Customer Need
• Customer Need
• Customer Need
• Customer Need
• Customer Need
• Technology Factors
• Technology Factors
• Technology Factors
• Technology Factors
• Economic Factors
• Economic Factors
• Economic Factors
• Economic Factors
• Economic Factors
• Political Factors
• Political Factor
• Political Factors
• Political Factors
• Political Factors
POLITICAL
FACTORS
ECONOMIC
CLIMATE
Identify a system’s level snapshot of Its organizational environment
Context 1:
Trustee of
small, wealthy
private liberal
arts college is
pushing the
President;
strong IT unit
Context 2:
Large public
university facing
budget cuts; IT
driving this;
heavily
unionized
Context 3:
Community
College,
President and
students
advocating; IT
in midst of ERP
go-liveTable Exercise

12. THE VISION THING
@MISSION Followed
by Vision and others …
Promoted • Follow

13. The Problem of Alignment

14. Does your project
have a Vision?
Does your institution
have a Vision?
Does your IT org
have a Vision?
Does your
Functional Team
have a Vision?
NO
Can you use it?
Can you use it?
YES
NO
NO
Can you use it?
YES
Use
it
Use
it
Use
it
YES
NO
NO
NO
Create a VISION

15. THE VISION THING
Key Characteristics
 Set’s a desirable goal. It describes an outcome, the best
outcome we can achieve. It does not confuse vision with the
business goal and objectives for a particular period of time
 Inspirational, aspiration & challenging
 States the organization’s purpose; aligns with organizational
values and culture
 Future focused
 Brevity & Clarity
 It evokes emotion and helps
 build a picture in
 people’s minds
JessicaHagy:thisisindexed.com

16. WHOSE VISION IS IT?
(a) Burger King
(b) McDonald’s
(c) Wendy’s
elements of a vision:
Sets a desirable goal & describes an outcome
”(Company) vision is to be the
world's best quick service
restaurant experience. Being
the best means providing
outstanding quality, service,
cleanliness, and value, so that
we make every customer in
every restaurant smile."

17. WHOSE VISION IS IT?
“Our vision is to be
earth's most customer
centric company; to build
a place where people can
come to find and discover
anything they might want
to buy online”
(a) Etsy.com
(b) eBay
(c) Amazon
elements of a vision:
Inspirational, aspirational,

18. WHOSE VISION IS IT?
"Helping People
Around the
World Eat and
Live Better.”
(a) Kraft Foods
(b) Whole Foods
(c) Heifer International
elements of a vision:
Brevity & Clarity

19. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF VISION?
"Effective leaders help others to understand
the necessity of change and to accept a
common vision of the desired outcome.”
John Kottar
 A vision is a catalyst
 A vision aligns
 A vision facilitates
 A vision energizes
 A vision reflects values

20. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF VISION?
“There is nothing more difficult to take in
hand, more perilous to conduct, or more
uncertain in its success, than to take the lead
in the introduction of a new order of things.
For the reformer has enemies in all those who
profit by the old order, and only lukewarm
defenders in all those who would profit by the
new order, this lukewarmness arising partly
from fear of their adversaries … and partly
from the incredulity of mankind, who do not
truly believe in anything new until they have
had actual experience of it.”
Niccolo Machiavelli

21. © 1996-2009
IN THE MOVIES: Outsourcing e-mail to an external provider
STORYLINE &
THEMES
MEMORABLE
LINES
MOVIE MARQUEE
POSTER
TRAILER STORYBOARD SKETCHES
(insert clip art or
other image)
(insert clip art or other images above)
• Storyline
• Storyline
• Theme
• Cast:
• Crew:
• Line
• Line
• Line
• Review
• Review
• Review
MOVIE NAME
Table Exercise

22.  Context 1: Trustee of small, wealthy private liberal
arts college is pushing the President; strong IT unit
 Context 2: Large public university facing budget
cuts; IT driving this; heavily unionized
 Context 3: Community College, President and
students advocating; IT in midst of ERP go-live
Outsourcing e-mail to an external provider

24. Plans
“In preparing for battle I have always found
that plans are useless, but planning is
indispensable.”
― Dwight D. Eisenhower
“Plans are of little importance, but planning
is essential.”
― Winston Churchill

25. Stategery or Strategic Dynamism?
στρατηγία = “stratos”(army) and “agos” (leading/guiding), stragegos, “the art of
the general”
(τακτικά = derived from the Greek word taktika - fit for arranging)
(1) defining the situation,
(2) detailing your concerns and objectives, those of your principal
antagonist(s)/competitor(s), and those of other important players,
(3) identifying and analyzing options that might be pursued, in terms of such
factors as costs, risks, and probabilities of success,
(4) options selection and alternatives analysis in the light of potential frictions,
(5) reoptimization in light of changing events,
(6) evaluation of the option in terms of its success in achieving desired results,
and finally,
(7) option modification or replacement.
Thinking Strategically

26. Strategic Planning
1. Where are we now? (The Situation)
2. How did we get there? (Our Momentum)
3. Where are we going? (The Direction)
4. Where should we be going? (Desired
Direction)
5. How will we get there? (The Strategic
Plan)
1. Drake University (organic)
2. Tulane University (Issues - based)
3. Univ. of Virginia (scenario – based)
4. Alignment-based
Five Stages
Four Models

27. © 1996-2009
Group Exercise: FIVE BOLD STEPS
BOLD STEPS
Bold Step
VALUES
VISION
THEME
Bold Step
Bold Step
Bold Step
Bold Step
VISION
THEME
VISION
THEME
VISION
THEME
VISION
THEME
VISION
THEME
VISION
VISION/
PURPOSE• Supporting Ideas
• Supporting Ideas
• Supporting Ideas
• Supports
• Supports
• Supports
• Challenge
• Challenge
• Challenge
• Value
• Value
• Value
• Value
• Value
• Value
• Supporting Ideas
• Supporting Ideas
• Supporting Ideas
• Supporting Ideas
• Supporting Ideas
• Supporting Ideas
• Supporting Ideas
• Supporting Ideas
• Supporting Ideas
• Supporting Ideas
• Supporting Ideas
• Supporting Ideas
• Supporting Ideas
• Supporting Ideas
• Supporting Ideas

28. Creating, Capturing and Communicating
GETTING INPUT:
Organizational structure v Representational structure
Community structure
•Decision-making
•Influencers
•Innovators
•Standard-bearers
•Implementers and executers
Number of participants
Length of time
Capturing the content
Preparing your audience
Selecting readings
Facilitating the sessions
Statement of the problem
The purpose of the sessions
The questions you have
Summary
EDUCAUSE Leadership Institute

29. “Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.”
― John Lennon

30. THANK YOU