09/04/23

Strategic Planning for the Public Works

Department

Charles R. Jordan, M.P.A.Management Analyst II

City of Largo, Florida

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Introduction – Who am I?

□ Name: Charles R. Jordan

□ Education: Graduate of the University of North Florida – Master of Public Administration (2007), Bachelor of Arts (2005)

□ Occupation: Currently Management Analyst II, Acting Facilities Manager, and Accreditation Manager of the City of Largo's Public Works Department.

□ Serves as the Public Works Department's Strategic Planning Committee Chairman

□ Facilitated the creation of the Department's first strategic plan which received a “Model Practice” notation with the APWA Accreditation Council.

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Strategic Planning - Why?

□ To establish a direction for your organization***

□ To provide accountability□ To establish appropriate work loads and

work plans for the next few years□ To provide your customers information on

the services you provide and how you will provide them

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Strategic Planning – Rule #1

There is no right way or wrong way to develop a Strategic Plan

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Strategic Planning – Rule #2

You cannot know where you need to go without knowing at least

WHERE YOU ARE

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Strategic Planning – Rule #3

The plan cannot and will not work unless the organization as a whole

can buy in, take ownership, and make it happen.

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How did we do it? - Start from the Top

□ The Pyramid / Christmas Tree Approach

□ Establish a Departmental Committee to steer the development of the plan.

□ Ask the simple, yet difficult questions:

◊ What do we do?◊ How do we do it?

□ Using these questions, discuss and establish your Department's Mission

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The Strategic Planning Pyramid or Tree

OBJECTIVES / STRATEGIES

DEPARTMENTAL OR UNIT GOALS

SWOT ANALYSIS & GUIDING PRINCIPLES

MISSION, VISION, & VALUES

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Who are we? - Mission, Vision and Values

□ Mission Statement◊ What we do ◊ Example- “Serve Public Works

Professionals”

□ Vision Statement◊ Where we are heading with our Mission◊ Example - “Provide quality services to

Public Works Professionals to advance the profession”

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Who are we? - Mission, Vision and Values

□ Values Statements◊ What we believe as an organization◊ What we expect from our staff◊ What our customers should expect from

us

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What is on the horizon?

□ Perform a SWOT Analysis◊ Strengths ◊ Weaknesses ◊ Opportunities ◊ Threats

□ Why is it important to know what is in the organizations future?

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SWOT Analysis

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Guiding Principles

□ Primary areas of Responsibility for the Organization

□ Probably the most difficult aspect of a Strategic Plan to develop

□ Set primary organization-wide goals□ Intended Outcomes from the Mission□ Example:

◊ Professional Development of APWA Members

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Goal Development

□ Once your committee understands the organization, what you are, what you do, what will affect you, and what guides you, you need to determine what you are going to do in the established time frame to accomplish the Mission.

□ Example:◊ Provide opportunities for electronic

educational programming for APWA Members

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Goals - Defined

□ Departmental or Unit Outcome

□ Not Necessarily “Measurable”

□ Measured by the Objectives set to achieve the Goal

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Objectives or Strategies

□ The “Meat” of the Strategic Plan□ Provide measured guideposts for success

within measurable time frames□ Example:

◊ Provide Strategic Planning Workshop for APWA Members by January 2010

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Goals and Objectives

□ Depending on the breadth of your organization, consider breaking down Goals and Objectives into subsets based upon the organizational basis of the department, or the guiding principles set in the document.

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Pull it all Together – Publishing the Plan

□ Set a Project Manager

□ Tie all aspects to one another from Mission down to the Objective

□ Keep it Short and Sweet

□ Tie in to other plans.

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Approval of the Plan

□ Obtain approval from Advisory Boards and the organization's Governing Body

□ This puts the plan right in front of them and adds legitimacy for what is in the plan

□ Finally, it provides a basis for future budget requests, needs for resources due to their approval of the direction and objectives set out

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Documenting Your Success

□ Plans are worth nothing without documentation showing they are being used.

□ Report periodically to your management and to your customers of the status of the plan and the Department's accomplishments

□ Document the completion or non-completion of objectives and changes in the plan itself

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Annual Report

□ Approved by Advisory Board

□ Presented to City Manager and City Commission

□ Provides oversight and accountability to customers

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Lessons Learned – Second 3-Year Plan

□ Nothing ever works perfectly for you the first time

□ Strategic planning is an art, not a science□ Largo Public Works is now coming to the

beginning of its second 3 Year Strategic Plan Cycle

□ In 2011-2013 Plan, objectives will be more business-oriented

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Lessons Learned - Continued

□ Utilizing more front-line personnel in determining Division or Department objectives

□ Spacing out discussions and workshops to provide staff the opportunity to consider other ideas and speak with their co-workers

□ Alternate who facilitates discussions...provide leadership opportunities

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Wrapping it all up...

□ Since 2008, the City of Largo's Public Works Department has accomplished over 80% of its planned objectives, with the other 20% mainly being delayed due to the economy and the change in revenues.

□ The department has published two “Annual Reports” documenting the success of the Plan and other work initiatives.

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Wrapping it all up...

□ Divisional Goals & Objectives Reports are now integrated into Management and Supervisory Performance Evaluations

□ Department has received praise from Citizens, Community Leaders, and our City Commission for the accomplishments that have been achieved due to the Plan.

□ Most importantly – the Department is Trusted to provide our services and accomplish our mission

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Contact Information

Charles R. Jordan, M.P.A.Management Analyst IICity of Largo, Florida

cjordan@largo.comhttp://www.largo.com

(727) 587-6740 x4302

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Thank You!