Great points, Nadine. It is effective when you have your entire team involved in planning. Usually staff has great ideas or solutions to problems. Since you have instructor/student ratios planned it makes it easy to know when new instructors will be needed. Hopefully you have a file of qualified and ready and available teachers. And great that you have a fiscal team to hold everyone accountable. Thanks, Susan
Our 'start' budget seem to increase dramatically each year and our admissions staff delivers! Unfortunately, the budget for staffing doesn't increase respectively. We have an amazing team on our campus and we manage to get the job done. However, if we were adequately staffed, there's no telling what we could do! We have new owners now so hopefully this will change.
Hi Melanie, It is a challenge to make things happen with a limited budget. There is just so much that can be done with motivating staff. After a while they can get burnt out and overworked and eventually non productive. Sometimes a solution is to hire a clerical admin person to handle the routine parts of your directors' jobs. Thanks, Susan
When working on such type of project, we have decided to break down macro-projects into micro-projects. We prioritize the importance of the project based on the results that it will yield and whether or not it will generate positive cash flows. At the end of the project most of the vital tasks are always done.
Hi German, Great idea to break down projects into manageable sections. Makes it easier and less overwhelming for everyone. Prioritizing is often key to success. Sometimes when we focus on the top ten tasks, the other tasks lose their importance! One key to success is to get everyone agreeing to the priorities. Otherwise people won't work on what they think is not important. Thanks, Susan
We had developed a plan that required more resources than we could handle which caused an adverse decision by a regulatory body. The five year strategic plan could have added additional levels of oversight which would have helped us identify the deficiencies earlier.
Interesting situation, Christopher. And very good point. Plans do have to be manageable and also do-able. Sometimes it's necesary to rate the plan for feasibility as well as ROI. You all might have generated lots of great ideas and enthusiasm. That's good. Sometimes we get blind sided so have to prioritize. Sounds like your regulatory board saw that it might be too much to do and helped you stay on focus. Maybe next time draft plans for 10 years! Thanks for a good point. Susan
Yes, and it was the reason for us to open another location. The location we are at did not have the capacity to expand with its limited size. We wanted to offer more programs but hit the wall with all of our planning when we realized that it was impossible when there is simply no space. Then a light bulb moment came when it was decided that another branch location was needed. It worked out great and the new branch is going on its second year.
That's great to hear. You put a plan in place and then looked at all the contingencies to make it happen. YOu also let information tell you where another location was needed. Good use of planning and avoiding costly mistakes. Susan
I just start to collect data to open an educational school in nursing and other related program
Very good idea to collect as much information as possible before opening or acquiring a school. LIke any business, it is essential to know what you know and don't know. It is essential to conduct a feasibility study and create a Business Plan. If worked on effectively, the Plan will include all your options and opportunities as well as obstacles and potential problems. It's better to know these before you start. The Plan will also result in a budget and list of acivities, timelines, and deadlines. There is a lot to know when setting up a school. Just the desire to teach is not enough. Just having the right degree is not enough. Good luck, Susan
We are a very small new school having started our first program in September. So far, we are very fortunate in having room to expand in our facility as we are operating within a ballroom dance studio and, therefore, have the physical space available by rearranging group classes and dance times. Our faculty at the moment is one instructor and one "everything else". Obviously, we hope to grow to have at least 20 students in each program and have more than one program going on at once, which will require additional staff.
This is a good start, Karen. You might push yourself to create a five year plan along with the other stakeholders in the school. When you envision what the school will look like in 5 years it makes you believe the school will still be around in 5 years. And it creates a task list of what has to be done to reach those goals. Then have year to year goals and even break them down to quarterly goals. And most important - measure everything you do. What worked, what didn't and what changes need to be made. Base your decisions about next steps on your findings. Good luck, Susan
The current company I work for has not developed a 5 year plan. We're working on the plan. I have worked for a previous company that developed a 3yr strategic plan. The contingencies the plan allowed for was if the data did not show we needed to make the change or that we did need to make the change.
Hi Dawn,
The is to be able to change as needed with the strategic plan process to reflect what is going on currently as well as have the ability to do long range planning. Sounds like you are working on that with your current company.
Gary
Our school has had plans and projects that exceeded our resources. Most notably our facilities. For about six months, parking and classroom space were stretched to their limits. Thankfully, we took action as soon as signs of over crowding appeared. We expanded into an existing space that took little or no renovation to meet our needs. If this "turn-key" site was not available in such a timely manner, sever complications would not have been averted.
With all our new projects, the impact on our existing facilities are always examined to measure potential impact.
It is interesting about plans. Things happen that we don't expect. You were lucky. And hopefully everyone involved in planning at your school has learned a lot. One view of a plan is to know the steps to where you want to go. Also to anticipate options and opportunities. So when surprises do happen, and they will, you are not caught off guard too much. Thanks, Susan
We cannot anticipate all surprises but, proper planning helps to reduce the amount.
The strategic plan is fundamental for develop the institution. I agree that we need to know and organize all the necessary element to complement the strategic plan. All the resources covered the budget and identify the personnel, faculty and facilities. You need to considered the projections using the five yr plan and make all the adjustments.
Under the comprehensive strategies plan use:
Media Marketing for increase enrollment
Effect - increase Budget
Need more personnel
Produce facilities expansion
Summary of strategies, Is properly effective for development business?
