# Essential Tools for Executive Strategic and Policy Planning Course Canonical URL: ## Overview Government agency leaders at all levels need to constantly define the mission direction, performance goals, and policies to reflect changing needs and expectations of the citizens they serve, as well as align functions and policies to efficiently and effectively achieve those objectives. This course provides several tools and approaches, including SWOT analysis, PESTEL analysis, and logic models, to engage stakeholders, assess the changing external environment for policy planning, and performance alignment. ## What you'll learn - Outline the basic components of a strategic plan. - Develop strategic customer value analysis. - Obtain input from internal and external stakeholders using SWOT analysis. - Develop and apply logic models to create implementation linkages, measures and policies for performance. - Perform PESTEL analysis to consider external force influences on stakeholders and policy direction. - Conduct cost benefit analysis and measures of return on investment. ## Prerequisites Students must complete Federal Appropriations Law (FINC7100) before enrolling in this course. ## Curriculum #### Module 1: Strategic Planning and Policy Structure - Define mission, vision, and values to guide strategic direction - Set SMART goals and cascade them into measurable performance actions - Apply Strategic Customer Value Analysis to link stakeholder expectations to strategy #### Module 2: Defining Needs and Expectations - Differentiate between internal/external customers and stakeholders - Use SWOT analysis to gather broad-based input and insights - Identify service gaps and strategic opportunities #### Module 3: Aligning Policies and Direction with the Changing Environment - Apply PESTEL analysis to evaluate external forces shaping agency policy - Explore the impact of political, economic, and technological change on agency success - Understand the value of proactive leadership in dynamic environments #### Module 4: Aligning the Functions - Develop logic models to connect inputs, activities, and outcomes to agency mission - Map internal processes and assign performance measures - Link planning, budgeting, and program accountability using the GPRMA framework #### Module 5: Measuring Cost Benefit and Return on Investment - Use cost-benefit analysis and present value concepts to support funding decisions - Rank competing initiatives by weighted value criteria and ROI - Measure mission success through input, output, and outcome indicators ## Schedule - Sep 10, 2026 9:00am–5:00pm — Live Online - Dec 11, 2026 9:00am–5:00pm — Live Online ## Instructors ### Alan B. Robinson — Instructor Mr. Robinson is a seasoned legal and federal employment expert with over two decades of experience. He recently retired from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, where he spent 11 years as Deputy Director/Director for the Office of Outreach, Diversity, and Equal Opportunity (ODEO) and 8 years as Chief of Employee and Labor Relations. In these roles, he provided extensive guidance on federal employment matters, showcasing his deep expertise in labor relations and diversity initiatives. A graduate of the University of Virginia with a B.A. in Government, Mr. Robinson earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Law. He is licensed to practice law in Maryland and the District of Columbia. Before his federal service, he built a robust legal career, starting as a law clerk for the Baltimore City Orphan’s Court, followed by 10 years as a civil defense litigator with a D.C. law firm, and later operating his own solo practice for 5 years. His private practice focused on representing federal agencies, employees, municipalities, and private entities in employment-related cases before the EEOC, Merit Systems Protection Board, and various courts. Currently, Mr. Robinson shares his wealth of knowledge as an adjunct instructor with the Graduate School USA and serves as a registered arbitrator for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). His extensive background in law, federal employment, and diversity makes him a valuable resource in his field. ### Kent Miller — Instructor Kent D. Miller, Jr., MBA, CDFM-A, is a highly accomplished financial management expert and educator with over 40 years of experience in both the public and private sectors. A retired U.S. Army officer, Kent has held leadership roles such as Controller/CFO for the U.S. Army Missile Command and Program Manager/Financial Analyst for the Assistant Secretary of the Army. His expertise spans budgeting, cost analysis, managerial accounting, and financial systems implementation. Notably, he managed a $9 billion organization, supervised a financial staff of 150, and developed funding requirements and congressional testimony for senior Army leadership. Kent’s career also includes consulting and training, where he has developed over 50 courses and taught more than 20,000 students from federal agencies and contractors. As an adjunct instructor at Graduate School USA since 2005, Kent specializes in financial management training for federal employees. His courses cover a wide range of topics, including appropriations law, budget formulation and execution, and performance-based budgeting. Kent’s teaching is informed by his extensive experience in planning, programming, and budgeting, as well as his work in reengineering processes to achieve cost savings. He is also a Certified Defense Financial Manager with Acquisition Specialty (CDFM-A) and has been recognized for his leadership in professional organizations such as the Society of Defense Financial Management and the Association of Government Accountants. ### Alan McCain — Curriculum Program Manager Alan McCain is a retired combat veteran who served as both an Air Force enlisted member and a Navy officer. He brings over 30 years of experience spanning federal and commercial budgeting, auditing, programming, operations, global logistics support, supply chain and inventory management, as well as major IT acquisition. He possesses extensive, hands-on budget and audit experience across Federal, State, and Local government operations, including work within the Executive Office of the President and the Departments of State, Defense, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and Education, as well as the Office of the Mayor of Washington, D.C., among others. Alan’s consulting background includes strategic planning and business development with the District of Columbia government, multiple federal agencies, Lockheed Martin, KPMG, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. He is a Certified Government/Defense Financial Manager (CGFM/DFM), holds a Teaching Certification from Harvard University’s Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, and earned an Executive MBA in International Business from The George Washington University. ## Pricing **Tuition:** $579