What are the key steps and criteria for a successful gap analysis in strategic planning?

1 Define your scope and objectives

Before you start analyzing the gaps, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and why. What is the purpose and scope of your gap analysis? What are the specific areas or aspects you want to examine? What are the criteria or indicators you will use to measure your current and desired state? How will you prioritize and evaluate the gaps and the solutions? Having a well-defined scope and objectives will help you focus your analysis and avoid irrelevant or unrealistic data.

2 Collect and analyze data

The next step is to gather and analyze the data that will help you assess your current and desired state. You can use various sources and methods to collect data, such as surveys, interviews, observations, benchmarks, best practices, industry standards, etc. Depending on the scope and objectives of your gap analysis, you may need to collect data at different levels, such as organizational, departmental, functional, or individual. The data should be relevant, accurate, and reliable. You should also analyze the data to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of your current state, and the expectations, requirements, and goals of your desired state.

3 Identify and prioritize gaps

Once you have collected and analyzed the data, you can identify the gaps between your current and desired state. A gap is the difference or discrepancy between what is and what should be. You can use various tools and frameworks to identify and visualize the gaps, such as gap charts, gap tables, gap matrices, etc. For example, a gap chart can show the gap between your current and desired performance in terms of quantity, quality, time, or cost. After identifying the gaps, you should prioritize them based on their impact, urgency, feasibility, and alignment with your objectives. You should also assign a value or score to each gap to quantify its magnitude and importance.

4 Develop and implement solutions

The final step is to develop and implement solutions that will help you close the gaps and achieve your desired state. You should brainstorm and evaluate different options and strategies that will address the root causes and effects of the gaps. You should also consider the costs, benefits, risks, and resources involved in each solution. You should select the best solutions that will provide the most value and impact for your objectives. You should also plan and execute the implementation of the solutions, including the timeline, budget, roles, responsibilities, milestones, and deliverables. You should also monitor and measure the results and outcomes of the solutions, and make adjustments as needed.