Strategic planning in today's dynamic world

Utilities today must adapt quickly to complex changes in workforce, infrastructure, technology, and regulations, as well as outside factors of the economy, security issues, and societal trends. Linear, cause-and-effect strategic planning does not work well in today's world. Given these uncertainties, how can utilities develop meaningful and useful strategic plans? Faced with these challenges, a group of 18 leading international utilities, assisted through IWA, has developed new ways of strategic planning. This project, sponsored by AwwaRF and conducted by EMA, has created a dynamic and flexible strategic planning framework. A new framework, coupled with many of these utilities' experiences in strategic planning, is the subject of this paper.