This is how you bring the annual plan to life and inspire the organisation
The end of the year is approaching and many organisations are once again in the middle of making their annual plans. You might recognise this annual ritual: thick documents, long PowerPoint slide decks on the intranet and presentations from management that are soon forgotten. The organisation goes back to business as usual. We often see it happen: strategies and plans that do not come to life because they remain abstract and do not sufficiently connect with the people who have to implement them.
But it can be done differently. In this article, we explain to you how and why a visual annual plan creates more engagement, clarity and action. With examples, of course.
1. Everyone understands it meteeen
Visual annual plans make complex information instantly understandable. Dual Coding Theory, developed by Allan Paivio, states that we understand and remember information better when we are presented with it in two ways: both visually and textually. In other words, when you read something and see a picture with it, it is easier to understand and remember than when you only see text. This is because the brain has two different systems for processing information: one for words and one for images. Using both makes the message twice as strong.
In practice, this means that a visual annual plan has more impact than a textual document alone. By using visual elements such as diagrams and illustrations, employees can understand the plans faster and remember them better.
SKH multi-year strategy and annual plans
2. Increased engagement and action through co-creation
3. Better cooperation
Visual annual plans promote collaboration by showing at a glance how the different parts of the plan are connected. Through visual thinking, it becomes clear who plays which role and how all parts contribute to the bigger picture. This makes it easier for teams to make decisions faster and work better together, as they can immediately see how their actions affect each other and what responsibilities everyone has.
Eurofins strategy and annual plans
5. Flexible and future-proof
You probably know the drill: you have made an annual plan, but then something changes – the market shifts, new challenges emerge, or unexpected opportunities arise. According to McKinsey research, organisations that are flexible and adaptable are often more successful. They are better able to respond to change and stay ahead of their competitors. A visual annual plan helps with this by being easy to adapt and update.