Any business establishment prepares a proper plan that they stick to so that there is growth in the organization as well as maintain an organized company. Activity planning is divided into two components or processes that are defining and sequencing. There are many activity planning software or tools that an organization can use to get accurate results. Here is a list of the four main types of activity planning that is widely used by any organization.
The Four Types of Activity Planning
Operational Planning
An operational plan is a detailed plan that lists out all the day-to-day operations that are required to run a business. It gives a clear picture of how each individual, team, or a department will contribute towards the growth of the company.
Operational planning basically describes the guidelines of how to achieve the goals that are set. The plan includes how much, what, when, and who. What comprises of all the strategies and goals that should be achieved or reached. The Who list consists of all the members that will do a specific task and take responsibility for its completion.
When gives the timeline within which all the specified tasks should be completed. How much explains the number of resources to be invested in completing the work at hand. These type of plans are often referred to as single or ongoing plans. The single plans include all the tasks that occur for one time, say, single marketing campaign. The ongoing plans include all the rules, specifications, and guidelines to accomplish the established goals.
Strategic Planning
Strategic planning in an organization helps to determine their current as well as future goals in order to maintain the growth of the company. It also helps the organization to identify the objectives and goals of their company.
A step-by-step process is established and what targets are to be reached at what timeline are specified in it. Basically, a strategy in which the entire organization moves is prepared. The timeline while developing a strategy can be set from months to years, based on the type of goals of the organization.
There are many strategic planning models some of which include goals-based, organic, scenario, issue-based. The model that an organization chooses depends on the size of the company, the expertise of planning, the leadership, complexity, and the culture of the organization.
Tactical Planning
Tactical planning in an organization includes many short-term and focused goals. They are often called as short-term goals as they breakdown the big task into small, simpler goals that can easily be achieved. Each employee, team or a department can be assigned a specific task that should be completed in a specific time.
They help motivate an organization to reach its strategies. In other words, tactical planning gives a forward push to attain the goals set in the strategic plan. Very often, strategic planning and tactical planning are confused for one another.
Tactical planning sets day-by-day goals, or, short term goals while strategic planning involves long-term goals. Strategic takes care of the what and why while tactical focuses on how part of the goals.
Contingencies Planning
A contingency planning can be defined in simple terms as a back-up plan or plan B. An organization makes these plans for situations that may or may not arrive so as to be prepared when the need arises and achieve the goal with less difficulty.
A contingency can also be used as an alternative method when the original strategy faces issues. The main aim behind making a contingency plan is to maintain the continuity in the flow of completing the main operations of the organization. Following these plans can help a business organization maintain its objective key results and maintain an up curve in their growth.