Macroplan 2140® Methods and Tools

Technology advances enable businesses to scale more efficiently. However, building software on distributed infrastructure has become more complex; necessitating robust plans and optimal deployment of specialized expertise, while allowing for flexible adjustments and course corrections.

The confluence of technology, available budgets and opportunities to deploy scarce resources to strategic initiatives opens new windows to prepare the  organization better in the 21st century. Macroplan 2140® distills, encapsulates and codifies four decades of global experience into an innovative cloud-native business planning platform to deliver robust business plans every year.

Differentiating capabilities, functions and features of the platform:

  1. Guardrails to help senior executives capture only the salient information about their business propositions.

  2. Built-in framework of robust taxonomy and real time workflow, uniformly applicable across all departments, markets, and geographies, while retaining their unique characteristics.

  3. With a few click actions, Sponsors create Initiatives from a collection of BPs to meet specific business objectives at the outset; be it Growth, Expansion or just to Keep the Lights On. Sponsors and their delegates situated in geographically different locations around the globe, can update BP and Initiative information concurrently.

  4. Simple model to rethink how resources are allocated to support existing roster of clients.  Advanced estimating models for enterprise value initiatives enable initiative sponsors to adjust scope and priorities, even before funding is requested.

  5. Real time Reports & Analytics (RnA) dashboards for senior executives to address expertise gaps, and resource allocations.

  6. Initiative Sponsors can model and negotiate funding priorities in real time, based on business objectives and their ability to deliver.

  7. Senior executives can engage in constructive dialog to rationalize initiatives and create a Macroplan portfolio of funded programs. Manage session agendas, meeting notes, actions and decisions in real time, directly on the platform.

All-in-one paradigm to create a blueprint for an organization’s business plan.

The platform is flexible and enables translation between prevailing taxonomy, methods and practices. The modular  components of the platform are designed to seamlessly exchange information with existing applications, including HR, Finance, Issue management and Sales pipeline management systems.

Macroplan 2140® simplifies monitoring and reporting of initiative outcomes in near-real-time, vis-à-vis the baseline plan that is constructed methodically and thoughtfully.

Capabilities Overview

Business Planning Life Cycle

Ten steps to better outcomes

The platform is configured and operational.

Prepare to kickoff your planning.

Business Propositions represent hypotheses for business opportunities, problem statements and backlog of projects for funding consideration.

Sponsors define Initiatives as collections of Business Propositions. Cross departmental and cross functional BPs that would contribute to the milestones would also be included in the same Initiative.

Senior executives collaborate in Executive Planning Sessions to rank and stack Initiatives. Enterprise Value Initiatives (EVIs) are then promoted to the next round of negotiations for formal funding requests. Sponsors, or their delegates prepare IFRs, during which they refine their funding requirements and their business case.

IFR Socialization:  Executive Planning Session #4

Decision makers and Senior Executives huddle to review inventory of Initiatives and RTB commitments in aggregate.

1. Definition and Setup

2. Request Business Propositions

3. Convert in-flight initiatives

4. Compile inventory of candidate Initiatives

5. Compile RTB budget estimates

6. Prepare Initiative Funding Requests

Multi-year programs and in-flight projects requiring resource commitments for pending milestones in the new plan year would be included for ongoing funding considerations.

Heads of Department estimate the resources that would be allocated to RTB activities. The focus is on Key Activities that would be performed in the normal course of running the business to support existing clients, meet contractual SLA commitments and the anticipated growth in the Plan Year.

Executives negotiate and prioritize Initiatives in 1-1 meetings, in advance of executive planning sessions.

Decision makers and Senior Executives huddle to review and confirm Preliminary Funding Allocations to Enterprise Value Initiatives (EVIs) and RTB.

Decision makers and Senior Executives address critical resource constraints; including infrastructure, expertise and capacity.

Decision makers and Senior Executives finalize the business plan for the following year.

7. Rationalize Initiatives

8. Confirm Preliminary Funding Allocations

9. Address critical resource constraints

10. Finalize the business plan

Program Management Framework

Funded Initiatives are executed as Programs. The Macroplan 2140 Program Management Framework enables the creation of robust program plans that  encompass all phases in the program life cycle, and ongoing monitoring for alignment with the program objectives.