Strategic Planning Concepts

Defined:

A strategy, or strategic action, is a project or activity undertaken to accomplish the defined objective. For example, adding street amenities, bringing in new stores, and cleaning up the downtown area all help to make the area more attractive to customers.

Key concerns in selecting strategies:

• How much will the proposed program cost?
• What are the relative costs and benefits of various options?

Even if the community can agree upon strategic planning concepts, there is no guarantee of success. Some planning efforts prove to be successful and useful while others do not. The following section describes both the steps and characteristics of successful planning endeavors.