This document summarizes a presentation given at the North Central Association-HLC Conference in Chicago about Indiana State University's strategic planning process and the use of TaskStream software. It describes how ISU wrote work plans aligned with their strategic plan goals, populated those plans into TaskStream, reviewed and audited progress, and published documentation. Key steps included defining events and deliverables, writing tactical plans, populating and reviewing TaskStream, and holding a stakeholder conference to report on progress. The presentation highlighted how managing the work through TaskStream created transparency and allowed measurement against metrics to track the university's success.

1. Making Your Strategic Plan Work:
A Case Analysis of Indiana State
University
North Central Association- HLC Conference
Chicago, IL
April 9 – 12, 2011
Karl E. Burgher, Ph.D., P.E.
Special Assistant to the President for Strategic Planning
Webster Thompson
President

2. Benchmarks – Goal 1

3. Event Management
Define the Events and Deliverables – Where do we want to be When?
Step 1. We wrote a Work Plan and TaskStream Population Manual
( 25 pages or so … an Excellent Read  )
Step 2. Team to Write Work-Plans (Tactical/Operational Plans) that
align with the Strategic Plan and Metrics …
Step 3. We then use those work plans to populate TaskStream
Step 4. Review (Internal) and Audit (External) the “Work”
Step 5. Published all Documentation – Work Plans & Status
Step 6. April 27th Stakeholders Conference (March 31 – 2011)
The Primary Deliverable/Event is the Stakeholders Conference ! ?

4. The TaskStream Manual…
Work Plan Development, TaskStream Structure, and Timelines
1.0 Introduction/Purpose
This document provides a template for effectively and
efficiently utilizing TaskStream as part of the strategic plan
implementation. Specifically, it outlines a procedure for
developing Initiative and Action work plans; for TaskStream
data population, utilization and documentation; for quarterly
reporting (including schedules); and for annual reporting,
presentation, and conferencing. Its purpose is to allow for
consistent across-campus deliverable execution and
presentation of initiative (and other) work.

5. Important Realization
A comprehensive strategic plan is not about what is
happening in addition to everything else at the University,
It is “What Is” Happening !

6. Active Start Management
 Help teams focus – have sessions …
 Help folks write their work plans – do not just wait
 Multiple touches – over-communicate – friend-raising
 Dollars help tremendously – allocate $$ !
 Must know where you are going (Metrics Again) … speak to this often
 Always speak to the endpoint(s) – us humans need to see the end …
 Population of TaskStream is one vehicle to get to an endpoint
 Do what you say you are going to do !!
 Celebrate along the way – Micro-Deliverables/Micro-Celebrations - Food

7. How did we realize success? Step 3
Strategic Transitioning Managing Celebrating
Planning to Working the Work Success

8. Managing the Work
& TaskStream Workflow Management & Reporting
A Strategic Plan has now been turned into a “Work Plan(s)”.
That Work Plan must include budgets, schedules, benchmarks,
measures, assessment plans, audit reports,
and then is re-worked if necessary.
Initiative Success is Good …
Benchmark Metric (ISU) Success … Mandatory

9. Resource Docs – For All Teams

10. Total Transparency

11. Typical Work Plan – All Need Work Plans!
1. Introduction/Background – What?
2. Proposal/Purpose/Justification – Why?
3. Work Plan – Action Steps – Process – How?
4. Reporting and Deliverable Schedule – When?
5. Budget – How Much?
6. Stakeholders and Management Plan – Who?
7. Outcome Assessment (Metric Based) – How Well?
The process of writing about work – also makes
for better work.

12. Work Plans in TaskStream (Initiative Level)

13. Work Plan Statuses

14. Our Review, Auditing and Report-Out Process
 Initiative chair submits work to goal chair for review
 Goal chair approves (or sends back for revision) - repeat
 Strategic Planning office prints
approved work
 Audit team reviews printed
reports – iterate …
 Goal / Audit Chair Report Out
 Annual Stakeholder Conference
 Stakeholder Commenting !

15. Auditing Results and Conferences Docs at Goal
Level

16. How did we realize success? Step 4
Strategic Transitioning Managing Celebrating
Planning to Working the Work Success
Time to Celebrate! Conference Party 

17. In Summary - Work Perspective
 300+ Actions (separable work plans) created in a hosted solution
 Executive Summaries of Goal Reviews and External Audits
 All Budgets and Conference Power Points at hand
 Supplemental documentation
 Each with FY ’10 work status and FY ’11 first quarter status
 7 books – Published Work Plans for all Initiatives/Actions & Tasks
We created a definable, transparent process for writing about
work, doing work, tracking work, measuring work, reviewing
work, externally auditing work, and publishing the results of the
work uniformly – using common project management
terms and processes with robust metrics.

18. Success Snapshot – Again
 Enrollment up 1000 students to 11,500 - Freshman Class by 30%
 Contract and Grant Awards are up 20%
 Regional and National Awards to faculty and staff are up
 Community Engagement – Terre Haute Community of the Year
 Enhanced Infrastructure Work – 10 Constructions Projects
 Alumni Participation and Capital Campaign - $85,000,000
 $3,000,000 allocated to Strategic Plan to date - up to $10,000,000 by ’14
 $5,000,000 reallocated for Programs of Distinction FY 11 ($25 M Total)
 Extensive Co-Curricular Record (transcript) project underway
 One Stop Shop Opened – Sycamore Express
It is simple. It is complex (management challenge)
Know your work – Do your work – Adjust – Be successful

19. More University Progress …
 Parents and Family Initiative, New Web Site, New Programs
 Alumni in Indy Initiative
 Student Success – Map-Works, Early Alerts Systems, and Assessment
 Opportunity Hire Project – Minority Recruitment
 Freshman Faculty Program – 10 work plans …
 Day Care Feasibility (finally – 10 yrs)
 Numerous New Degree Programs, BS, MS, & PhD
 Distance Ed – New Dean of Continuing Ed … Foundational Studies Update
 Capital Campaign – Coming to a close … to then open another …
 Alumni Center – New Downtown Book Store – Alumni/Foundation Offices
 Riverscape Development – 93 miles, 2000 acres, + Environmental Center
 Master Facilities Plan
The Planning and the Working …. Works.
TaskStream helped us know where we were all the time.

20. ?
Football:
From: 1~30 – 3 yrs
To: 7-5 – 2nd place
Knowing where you
are going with robust
metric development
helps all move
forward.
Karl.Burgher@indstate.edu - 812-237-8449
TaskStream - info@taskstream.com