AI can give your planners a first draft of next year’s plan in a day. Start with the planning questions, not the template. Give AI your own data. It drafts the analysis, goals and KPIs. Leaders then debate a draft, not a blank page.
Learn these skills in Strategic Business Planning Workshop (BD-SBP), module 2. See also KPI and Metrics Management (BC-KPI), module 2. See also AI at Work (BL-AIW), module 2.
Who This Is For
Corporate planners and managers who prepare the annual business plan.
Five Steps to a First Draft
- Write five planning questions. Example: which customers grow fastest?
- Build a data pack: sales by customer and product, costs, and market facts.
- Ask AI to answer each question from the data pack only.
- Ask AI for a SWOT and three goals. Each goal links to one finding.
- Ask AI for two KPIs per goal, with a traffic-light threshold.
What AI Does and What Leaders Do
| AI Drafts | Leaders Decide |
|---|---|
| Trends from the sales data | Which markets to enter or leave |
| A SWOT from the findings | Which risks to accept |
| Goal and KPI options | The final targets and owners |
Example: A Manufacturer in Selangor
Lim prepares the 2027 plan for a packaging maker. Last year it took three weeks.
- He writes five questions and exports three years of sales.
- AI finds that food customers grew and electronics fell.
- AI drafts three goals. Lim rewrites one to match the board’s priorities.
- The leadership meeting starts from a ten-page draft.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Asking AI for “a strategy”. Ask it to answer your questions.
- Using AI market numbers without a source. Check each one.
- KPIs with no owner. Every KPI gets one name.
Try It This Week
Write your five planning questions. Ask AI which data you need to answer each one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can AI replace the planning workshop?
No. AI prepares the draft. The workshop is where leaders decide.
What is a Hoshin?
A one-page link from company goals to department targets. Both courses use it.
Next Step
Read the full outline of Strategic Business Planning Workshop (BD-SBP). See the BD-SBP classes and BC-KPI classes on the Training Calendar.
Related courses: KPI and Metrics Management (BC-KPI), AI at Work (BL-AIW). For a group from your company, get a quote for in-house training.
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