Creative strategy workshop
11/06/08 12:00 Filed in: Case studies
We were recently invited to help the investors, board and management of a mature early stage technology company to design and run a one-day strategy workshop. The company had recently raised a new round of funding, based on a business plan that had a good deal of short term potential. However, management and investors believed that there was significant upside potential in additional growth opportunities above and beyond the core short-term business.
Of course, within a one-day workshop, there are limitations on what can be achieved. This was seen as very much the start of a growth process.
Hence we designed the workshop to focus on the key issue of balancing emphasis between short & longer term and to start the cycle of planning and organising for growth over different timeframes.
In preparation, and during the day, we:
The Chairman & Board were very happy with the outcome and are now implementing the outcomes.
Key issues to be considered going forward include:
Of course, within a one-day workshop, there are limitations on what can be achieved. This was seen as very much the start of a growth process.
Hence we designed the workshop to focus on the key issue of balancing emphasis between short & longer term and to start the cycle of planning and organising for growth over different timeframes.
In preparation, and during the day, we:
- Reviewed the current capabilities, strategy and business plan for the core.
- Creatively developed over 100 additional growth ideas and priority themes (in 2 groups: ‘adjacent to core’, and ‘breakthrough’).
- Agreed the proportion of resources should be allocated between ‘core, ‘adjacent’ and ‘ breakthrough’ growth routes
- Developed next-steps plans for the 3 different growth routes
The Chairman & Board were very happy with the outcome and are now implementing the outcomes.
Key issues to be considered going forward include:
- Organisation structure, roles and responsibilities (to maintain the right focus on short, mid and long term)
- Prioritisation and focus on the key growth ideas (as insufficient resources exist to do everything)