How to Create Your Strategic Plan
A step-by-step guide to building a comprehensive strategic plan for your organisation
Getting Started
Creating a strategic plan with Simple Strategic Plans is straightforward. This guide will walk you through the process, from setting up your organisation's foundation to tracking progress on your goals and projects.
Not sure what fields mean? Check out our Template Guide to see detailed explanations of each field, or view a completed example plan to see how everything fits together.
Set Up Your Organisation's Foundation
Start by defining your organisation's core identity. This foundation appears at the top of your strategic plan and sets the context for everything else.
Go to: Organisation Settings (available to organisation admins)
About Us
Write a compelling introduction to your organisation. This is often the first thing people see, so make it engaging and informative.
"We are a pioneering charity providing dedicated services for people with mental health challenges. We support people on their journey to better mental health, working with each person to find their own way forward..."
Vision
Your vision statement describes the ideal future you're working towards. It should be inspiring and aspirational.
"A Scotland where everyone has the opportunity to live their best life, with access to the support they need when they need it."
Mission
Your mission statement explains what you do and why you exist. It should be clear and actionable.
"To provide high-quality, person-centred support services that empower individuals to achieve their goals and live independently."
Values
List the core values that guide your organisation's work. These are the principles that inform all your decisions.
- Person-centred
- Empowering
- Inclusive
- Innovative
- Collaborative
Create Your Strategic Plan
Create a new strategic plan for a specific time period. You can have multiple plans (e.g., one for 2025-2030, another for 2030-2035).
Go to: Plans → Create New Plan
Add Custom Sections (Optional)
Add custom chapters or sections to provide context, background, or additional information. These appear between your foundation content and your goals.
Go to: Sections → New Section
Example sections: "Our Journey So Far", "Current Challenges", "Strategic Priorities", "How We Work", "Our Impact"
Define Your Strategic Goals
Strategic goals are high-level objectives that guide your organisation's work. Each goal should be specific, measurable, and aligned with your mission.
Go to: Goals → New Goal
Goal Number
A unique identifier (e.g., "1", "2", "Goal A")
Title
A clear, concise goal statement
"To support people to live their best lives"
Description
More detail about what this goal means and why it matters
Goal Statements (Optional)
Break down the goal into specific statements or sub-objectives
- "The People We Support must have the opportunity to be adventurous in their lives"
- "Support should be person-centred and empowering"
Responsible Senior manager
The person or role responsible for overseeing this goal
Create Projects
Projects are specific initiatives that help achieve your goals. Each project should have clear objectives, timelines, and milestones.
Go to: Projects → New Project
Link to Goal
Select which strategic goal this project supports
Project Details
Include:
- Project title and number
- Start and end dates
- Project leads and working group members
- Project purposes (what you're trying to achieve)
- Meeting frequency
Milestones
Add milestones to track progress. As you mark milestones as "completed", the system automatically calculates project progress percentage.
Track Progress & Share
Once your plan is published, you can track progress, generate reports, and share your strategic plan with stakeholders.
View Your Plan
See your complete strategic plan with all sections, goals, and projects in one place.
Go to: Strategic Plan
Public URL
Share your published plan with a custom URL (e.g., /your-org/2025-2030plan)
No login required for published plans
Reports
View progress summaries, projects by status, and completion rates.
Go to: Reports
Update Milestones
Mark milestones as completed to automatically update project progress percentages.
Progress is calculated automatically
💡 Tips for Success
Start Simple
Begin with your foundation (About Us, Vision, Mission, Values) and 2-3 key goals. You can always add more later.
Be Specific
Clear, specific goals and projects are easier to track and achieve than vague aspirations.
Use Milestones
Break projects into milestones. This makes progress tracking easier and more meaningful.
Customise to Your Needs
Rename fields, add custom sections, and structure your plan to match how your organisation works.