Excerpt From The Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence Handbook

To transform the organization’s strategic objectives into action, an action plan is needed. In actuality, the planning detail that comprises an action plan is a mini project plan. There may be several action plans generated from one strategic objective. It is the systematic approach to initiating actions and the follow-up of those actions that closes the loop toward achieving the organization’s strategy. An action plan should include:

• Project identification and description.
• Date project completion is needed.
• Link to the strategic objective and any pertinent mandates.
• Project objectives.
• Scope of the project—Where and for whom will the solution/implementation be applied? What limitations or constraints will be encountered?
• Deliverables—including both outputs pertaining to the project objectives and outputs for managing the project, and ultimate outcomes.
• Criteria by which the project will be measured.
• Assumptions affecting the project.
• Description of the overall approach.
• Start date to begin the project.
• Estimate of the resources required—time, personnel, facilities, equipment, tools, materials, money.
• Verification that there is sufficient organizational capacity and resources to accomplish the objectives.
• Estimate of benefits versus costs.
• Timeline and person responsible for steps to complete the project (mini Gantt chart).1

Quality Management BOK Reference

II Strategic Plan Development and Deployment
II.C Strategic Plan Deployment
II.C.1 Tactical plans - Identify basic characteristics of tactics: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-specific, and linked to strategic objectives. Evaluate proposed plans to determine whether they meet these criteria.

Additional Resources
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