Value of Consensus-Based Process in California Space Enterprise Strategic Planning/Implementation

1. Value of Consensus-Based Process in California Space Enterprise Strategic Planning/Implementation Victoria Conner, Principal, Strategic Vitality, LLC Project Lead/Consultant California Space Enterprise Strategic Plan

2. The “Participatory Action Research” Advantage Those who are impacted are engaged in planning and creating their own transformation. Consensus-based approach engages stakeholders in creating their future. Association for Strategic Planning Conference

3. Participatory Action Research (PAR) Background The Participatory Action Research model began in the public health arena and in community development. It has been used primarily in the public sector. The model fosters successful program implementation by allowing constituents to design and manage their own program(s) to address a challenge common to the entire community of stakeholders, thereby creating “ownership” and “investment” in implementation, garnering high constituent support for success of the program. Association for Strategic Planning Conference

4. California Space Authority(CSA) The California Space Authority is a nonprofit organization serving the interests of California’s diverse space enterprise community in all three domains: commercial, civil, national security. Working closely with the State of California, CSA partners with industry, government, education, workforce and economic development entities, academia, research and other nonprofit organizations to facilitate statewide space enterprise development. Association for Strategic Planning Conference

5. Space Enterprise Activities that involve sub-orbital, lunar, planetary or deep-space systems, operations, or related services, including supporting activities such as technology development; manufacturing; operation of ground systems, ranges and test sites; virtual space enterprise activities; space-related education, workforce development and training and governmental support.1 1California Space Enterprise Strategic Plan 2007-2010 Association for Strategic Planning Conference

6. California Space EnterpriseStrategic Planning California space enterprise strategic planning began in 1998 when the State of California contracted with the California Space Authority to produce the first California Space Strategic Plan. A broad, consensus-based approach to development and collaborative, distributed implementation of the Plan was adopted. California Space Authority (CSA), which now considers itself the “trustee” of California space enterprise strategic planning, has since facilitated development/implementation of the 2004 space Enterprise strategic plan, published the California Space Enterprise Strategic Plan 2007-2010 in December, is now engaged in start-up implementation of the new Plan. Association for Strategic Planning Conference

7. California Space EnterpriseStrategic Plan 2007-2010 • Draws on consensus-based planning/implementation success of 1998 and 2004 Plans • Foundation: five strategic initiatives • Implementation drivers: five statewide collaboratives supporting the five initiatives • Working groups support target aspects of the initiative, e.g. Small Business Group supports Business Development Collab • Space Enterprise Advisory Council (SEAC) coordinates implementation across Collaboratives, working groups • CSA schedules/staffs meetings, tracks progress online, facilitates coordination among groups, supports SEAC, reports to enterprise, policymakers Association for Strategic Planning Conference

8. Characteristics of Consensus-Based Planning • Broad, diverse participation • All participant input welcome (not just VIPs) • Numerous “entry points” for input • face-to-face meetings, forums • Telecons, webinars • Interviews, surveys • Iterative process • “Action/Reflection” model – suggested/reviewed, by same group, others • Continual refinement • Evolution of common terms/language Association for Strategic Planning Conference

9. Distributed Responsibility: Planning and Implementation • California Space Authority role is as facilitator for planning/implementation • Plan development and implementation is distributed among stakeholders: • Industry • Government • Nonprofits • Others Association for Strategic Planning Conference

10. Continuity:Consensus-Based Planning & Implementation • Plan development working groups are also implementation collaboratives • CSA’s Space Enterprise Advisory Council (SEAC) oversees planning and implementation; provides guidance for changing environment throughout ongoing process • CSA facilitates implementation as it did planning • SEAC/Working Group staffing, daily support • Electronic input and tracking Association for Strategic Planning Conference

11. Participatory/Consensus Model Supports Leveraging • Stakeholders more likely to offer resources when involved in planning, e.g. stats to support advocacy, meeting support, contacts, available funding or capabilities • Solutions often identified by participants as part of planning: existing models, funding. Example: Industry/university partnering • Participants create new cross-sector partnerships: for resource development, program implementation, etc. Association for Strategic Planning Conference

12. Advocacy: Consensus Builds Credibility, Understanding, Support • Target policymakers understand and are often included in process, receive periodic updates, provide input • Credibility of stakeholder-developed Plan supports positions taken • Cross-sector rationale easier to explain with Plan back-up, e.g. ITAR criticality to universities as well as industry • Organizational ties can be developed within program framework before advocacy issues broached – easier entrée into partnering Association for Strategic Planning Conference

13. Value of Consensus-Based Planning/Implementation • Those closer to issues design solutions • Those impacted vested in implementation • Consensus solutions = more volunteer implementation support • Better understanding of a challenge facilitated by broad participation • Diversity ensures creativity in solutions • Stakeholders bring add’l resources Association for Strategic Planning Conference

14. Value of Consensus-Based Planning/Implementation (2) • Cost savings through voluntary support • Leverage of people, time, resources • Org’l relationships in place to address • grants, joint business ventures • cross-sector recognition/understanding • Crisis management • Broad-based advocacy on common issues • Common vision/language drive progress Association for Strategic Planning Conference

15. Integration of Plan Objectives with CSA Activities • Plan integrated in roundtables, forums • Grant opportunities, e.g. WIRED $15M • 60+ partners drawn from stakeholders • Grant activities aligned with Plan objectives • California Space Infrastructure Program (CSIP) reflects Plan objectives • New relationships created to support implementation objectives, e.g. international • Advocacy agenda driven by Plan participants Association for Strategic Planning Conference

16. Integration of Plan with Space Enterprise Activity • Participants recognize opportunities to gain support using Plan objectives as link, (grants, advisors) • AIAA/L.A. education efforts in synch with Plan/CSA • Supply chain support efforts of industry, government now leveraged by Plan, grant • Base Retention & Closure (BRAC) 2005 addressed by collaboration of planning participants, networks • AFA cooperating on advocacy/policymaker outreach • Space Venturing Group formed from informal group working to support space commercialization/tourism Association for Strategic Planning Conference

17. Case Study/Benefits: Smart Supplier Example • 2004 Plan suggests “Smart Supplier” initiative; awareness-building of available Employment Training Panel funds • DOL grant proposal incorporates initiative, garners $1M ETP/State grant match, increasing proposal competitiveness • WIRED - $15M Dept. of Labor grant to CSA and partners develops common learning outcomes across supplier training network. Training funding: ETP • Space stakeholder training providers implement Association for Strategic Planning Conference

18. Case Study/Benefits: STEMCAP Example • 2004 Plan implementation includes Education/Workforce objectives driven by Education/Workforce Development Collab • 2005 DOL grant proposal draws on EWD objectives, cites existence of EWD, proposes a STEM Collaborative Action Plan (STEMCAP) • Education community supports STEMCAP wholeheartedly - development of 2007-10 Plan supported by more education stakeholders • Result: alignment of 2007-10 Plan’s EWD objectives and DOL grant project, leveraging 100+ volunteers/$1M+ in in-kind support Association for Strategic Planning Conference

19. Success Factors of Consensus-Based Planning • Constant recruitment, especially between planning and implementation stages • Collaborators must understand benefit of process – collaboration “successes” • Continual re-orientation required, as process experiences ongoing turnover of designees from stakeholder organizations • Continuity of facilitation/attention to ongoing need to foster common language, understanding among diverse stakeholders • Need core group of collaboration champions Association for Strategic Planning Conference