There are some aspects of developing plans which commonly come up in lessons learned type exercises and can be applied to help ensure a quality process and product.
- Designate a cross-functional team with defined roles and responsibilities. You could formalise this information in a terms of reference or short team charter.
- Integrate your organisational planning, property, finance, workforce and ICT teams early in the process and provide enough time to undertake a thorough and high quality process.
- Manage the development of your plan as a project. The project should include milestones, deliverables and any deadlines; tracking progress and managing risks to achieving the objectives and completing the plan according to the defined schedule.
- Engage GPG early in the development of your plan.
- Identify and document key elements of your organisational strategic objectives and priorities, linking them back to your current property plans. Establish how property has supported, and will continue to support, the achievement of these objectives and priorities.
- Create an outline of the plan (ie, a draft structure) to inform development and provide focus for discussions across your agency.
- Keep the plan ‘right-sized’ for your organisation; the size and/or complexity of the agency portfolio should reflect in the size and/or complexity of the property plan.
- Discuss property planning with other agencies, including but not limited to those in your sector. Identify ways to innovate and collaborate to deliver to your common strategic intentions.
- Senior leadership (preferably second tier) should take clear accountability of the quality of strategic thinking and decision-making that underpins the property planning. Strategic planning should be integrated across long, medium- and short-term views, connecting the individual components of the organisation together to create a clear direction and prioritisation.
