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    The strategy process, step by step — from current situation to action plan

    A strategy process turns what a company knows about itself and its market into a few clear choices, and those choices into goals, projects and follow-up. Below is the process Plandura runs a company through: eleven steps in the order they build on each other, with the analyses where they belong. No new model to learn.

    Why the order matters

    Most strategy work fails in the gap between analysis and action. Analyses made without a decision are wasted, and goals set without analysis rest on hope. The sequence below keeps each step feeding the next: the business model and the two analyses produce a SWOT, the SWOT produces options, the options are narrowed to choices, and the choices become goals, KPIs, projects and reviews.

    The eleven steps

    1. 1. The current situation

      Write down where the company stands: results, customers, capacity and what is already working. Everything that follows is judged against this starting point.

    2. 2. The business model

      Map how the company creates and captures value today with Business Model Canvas — customer segments, value proposition, channels, revenue and cost structure.

      Guide: Business Model Canvas

    3. 3. External analysis

      Look outwards: market, customers, competitors and the conditions you do not control. PESTEL gives the six factors a structure so nothing important is skipped.

      Guide: PESTEL analysis

    4. 4. Internal analysis

      Look inwards: capabilities, resources, processes and the numbers behind performance. This is where you find what you can actually build a strategy on.

      Guide: value chain analysis

    5. 5. SWOT

      Bring external and internal findings together in strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats — and pair them, so the analysis produces options rather than four lists.

      Guide: SWOT analysis

    6. 6. Risks

      Assess what could stop the strategy: likelihood, impact, owner and mitigation. Risks that stay unwritten are the ones that surprise you.

      Guide: risk analysis

    7. 7. Strategic options

      Turn the analyses into concrete options: which markets, which customers, which capabilities, which business to grow and which to leave alone.

    8. 8. Choice and prioritisation

      Choose. A strategy is what you say no to as much as what you pursue — so the options are narrowed to a few strategic themes the company can actually carry.

    9. 9. The strategy: goals and KPIs

      Express the choices as strategic goals with owners, and attach KPIs with targets and thresholds, so progress is measurable rather than a matter of opinion.

      Guide: choosing KPIs

    10. 10. Action plan

      Each goal gets the strategic projects that deliver it, with milestones, tasks and named owners — the difference between a strategy and an intention.

      Guide: strategy implementation

    11. 11. Follow-up

      Fixed strategy reviews with an agenda, status per goal and a decision log. This is where the strategy is adjusted while there is still time to act.

      Guide: strategy reviews

    How long does it take?

    For a small or medium-sized company the analysis and choice steps typically run over a few weeks with two to four management sessions — long enough to gather real input, short enough to keep momentum. Execution and follow-up then run continuously, with strategy reviews on a fixed cadence, usually monthly or quarterly.

    Who does what

    • Management owns the choices and the priorities.
    • One named owner per goal, KPI and project — otherwise nothing moves.
    • The board challenges the strategy and follows progress, but does not run it.
    • An adviser or consultant can facilitate the process and bring the outside perspective.

    Frequently asked questions

    What steps does a strategy process consist of?
    Current situation, business model, external analysis, internal analysis, SWOT, risks, strategic options, choice and prioritisation, goals and KPIs, action plan, and follow-up. The names differ between textbooks, but the logic is the same: understand, choose, execute, follow up.
    How do you get from analysis to an action plan?
    Pair the findings: a strength that meets an opportunity becomes an option, a weakness facing a threat becomes a risk to handle. Narrow the options to a few strategic goals, give each an owner and KPIs, and attach the projects and milestones that deliver them. The action plan is simply the goals with owners, deadlines and measurable progress.
    How do you make a strategy for a small or medium-sized company?
    Keep the scope honest: three to five strategic goals, each with an owner and one or two KPIs. Run the analyses to the depth you can actually use, decide in the management team, and put follow-up on the calendar before the seminar ends.
    What is the difference between a SWOT analysis and a strategy plan?
    A SWOT analysis is a diagnosis — it describes strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats at a point in time. A strategy plan is the set of choices you make in response, with goals, owners, KPIs and initiatives. SWOT is an input to the plan, never the plan itself.
    How often should the strategy be followed up?
    KPIs monthly, and a structured strategy review monthly or quarterly depending on the pace of the business. Once a year is too rarely to correct anything — that is a report, not follow-up.

    Run your process in Plandura — free for 30 days

    The eleven steps are built into the tool, with the analyses, goals, projects and reviews in one place.

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