ABSTRACT
This chapter describes why the context and environment for online education within institutions of higher learning is more suitable for planning strategically rather than strategic planning. Critical successful factor analysis, force field analysis, present state/future state gap analysis and scenario planning can all be helpful in crafting simple rules for planning strategically. The techniques used in planning strategically can be tailored to specific domains of each of the stakeholders and help identify where those domains intersect with other stakeholders' areas of authority. As opposed to strategic planning, planning strategically is not a top-down exercise. From this perspective, even individual faculty members who teach online can use the techniques of planning strategically to improve their courses or identify and address other significant aspects of the online experience. The techniques can be used by the leadership of online academic programs and the academic departments that house those programs and up the organizational ladder to the most senior leadership.
