Tactical planning is a management process that involves the creation and implementation of short-term plans designed to achieve specific goals. It is a flexible strategy that organizations utilize when they need to break down a larger vision into tangible steps. Tactical planning usually helps define goals at multiple levels and can help break down long-term strategic objectives into benchmarks that can be reached in smaller and more focused projects.
The tactical planning process usually involves a couple of key steps, including creating goals, dividing responsibility, funneling resources, creating a timeline, and assigning specific tasks. Creating goals is a key part of the tactical planning process, and teams traditionally seek to create SMART goals to help fuel their success. SMART goals stand for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely. Setting SMART goals allows organizations to increase efficiency and productivity for teams by creating clear, attainable goals for any size project.
Tactical planning is not strictly used as an actionable prompt for strategic planning and can be applied in multiple other scenarios as well. Here are some of the ways that tactical planning can be utilized within an organization:
1. When immediate action is required.
2. When an organization wants to implement a large-scale change throughout the business.
3. When an organization needs to formulate a plan of action to meet larger strategic objectives.
Tactical planning is a key step to achieving alignment throughout a strategic vision. It helps organizations to increase efficiency and reach their goals successfully. By breaking down long-term strategic objectives into smaller and more focused projects, tactical planning can help organizations to achieve their goals in a more efficient and effective manner.
In conclusion, tactical planning is a management process that involves the creation and implementation of short-term plans designed to achieve specific goals. It is a flexible strategy that organizations utilize when they need to break down a larger vision into tangible steps. Tactical planning usually helps define goals at multiple levels and can help break down long-term strategic objectives into benchmarks that can be reached in smaller and more focused projects. By breaking down long-term strategic objectives into smaller and more focused projects, tactical planning can help organizations to achieve their goals in a more efficient and effective manner.