Do you know what Critical Question Analysis is, and Its potential Benefits to an Organization?

Critical question analysis in strategic planning refers to when the top management of an organization tries to answer four basic questions, which are:

–  What are the purposes and objectives of the organization?
–  Where is the organization presently going?
–  In what kind of environment does the organization currently exist?
–  What can be done to better achieve organizational objectives in the future?

These four questions are critical in the overall operations of the organization and enable the management to streamline its operations to achieve its goals and objectives.

What are the purposes and objectives of the organization?

This question enables the organization to understand its purpose, objectives, and goals. This analysis enables the management to reevaluate its objectives, to establish a strategy that will enable it to meet these objectives and eliminate operational costs that are not necessary.

Where is the organization presently going?

When an organization carries out critical question analysis, it gets a better understanding of where the organization is heading to and how to get there. This analysis enables the organization to allocate and distribute its resources to areas and departments that are performing well so as to achieve its objectives. The answers to this fundamental question can enable the top management to know whether the organization is achieving its goals or not, and is the progress satisfactory?

In what kind of environment does the organization now exist?

This question tries to identify both internal and external environments and their impacts to the overall operations of the organization. It gives the management a chance to analyze the market in which it is operating in and how to best match its operations to meet the needs and demands of the market. Without asking themselves this question, the top management will have challenges in the strategic planning process.

What can be done to better achieve organizational objectives in the future?

This question will enable the organization to come up with strategic planning strategies on top of other important strategies that will enable it to achieve its objectives. It acts as a wakeup call for the management to establish systems and strategies that will guide and help it to achieve its goals now and in the future.

The critical question analysis is vital in the strategic planning process. This analysis forces the organization to reevaluate its operations, create policies, strategies and to ensure that it is on the right track to achieve its objectives and to remain competitive on the market.