Strategic planning is an iterative process involving the top management and key leadership of the company, often facilitated by an outside consultant who has the skills necessary to keep the team on track.  The team's goal is to develop a corporate wide, comprehensive plan that answers the following three questions:

     Where are we?

     Where do we want to be?

     How will we get there?

The result of the strategic planning sessions is a deliverable consisting of a comprehensive written plan defining the overall goals and objectives, detailing the activities required to accomplish them, and an inventory of outstanding projects necessary to achieve the objectives.  The plan is often accompanied by a system of metrics created to facilitate the monitoring of progress over the course of the next year.