Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Strategic direction


Like many people, I'm doing a little retrospecting as well as forward thinking to plan for 2010.  I always create my art  plans the same way that I do my business plans at work as they are very similar in terms of what principles I use.

Strategic planning is another tool that I use in business but haven't really turned to it in my art, or not consciously.  In a nutshell, strategic planning works by gathering feedback from external and internal stakeholders, analysing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, then whittling that down into several areas of concentration that best meet the needs of the business (art, in this case).

I gather feedback from everyone who leaves a comment on my blog or through email or facebook or twitter or in various art forums.  I'm not directing feedback with questions, so its rather hit or miss as the majority of posters leave positive comments and few suggest changes or direction.  Of course I welcome any comments that you provide in terms of direction, strengths and weaknesses.  All help me grow as an artist.

However, the main strategic direction that I will be concentrating on will be similar to last year:

1.  Production
2.  Publication
3.  Revenue

I will provide more insight into these areas and how I will approach them in a New Year's Day post while tomorrow will look at a review of 2009, its progress and pitfalls.

This little gyotaku capelin print will give you a hint of one of the projects I will be working on next year.

3 comments:

M said...

Nice to know another strategic planner. It was such a large part of my past life it's hard to ignore it now. I'm looking carefully at my practice especially the business aspects of it. I plan to concentrate on Production, Visibility, and Revenue.

Jeanette Jobson said...

Strategic planning is vital I think Margaret. And it seems we're moving down the same path in terms of our areas of concentration. You made me rethink my terminology of the second point. Visibiity is likely a broader term that would encompass publication.

We will have to have that coffee soon and chat.

Making A Mark said...

I do agree - strategic planning is just so useful when you've learned how. I wish my budget was the same as the organisations I used to do strategic plans for!

I got into big themes for my art plans a couple of years ago and it does help to focus thoughts.