ACS has revealed it is developing a new five-year strategic plan that will determine the path forward for the organisation for the next half-decade.

Disclosed to the full membership on 23 August during a Q&A session with ACS President Ian Oppermann and CEO Rupert Grayston, the development of the project started earlier this year with key stakeholders, and includes a plan to consult the broad ACS membership on the future direction of the organisation.

“Everything is on the table,” said Siobhan Casey, Chair of the Project Control Group for ACS Strategy and ACS’ Director of Scaleups and Innovation Labs.

“There are no sacred cows, no areas of ACS that we’re not willing to review what we do and look forward to how we might better deliver for members in the coming years.”

Casey is the lead on the project, known internally as Project Dovetail. Project Dovetail was mobilised in May with a cross-functional team of employees, and the project initially consulted key stakeholders in ACS Congress and the Management Committee.

Through September, October and November a broader group of stakeholders will be consulted, including staff and the general membership.

Late in 2021 and early 2022, a draft plan will be produced with the goal to present the plan to ACS Congress for approval in March, ready to put it into action in the new fiscal year.

Siobhan Casey is leading the development of the new strategic plan. Photo: Supplied

“The new strategic plan will drive our governance strategy, our branding strategy, our mission vision, our organisational structure and, ultimately, the products and services that ACS offers," said Casey.

“It will provide a consolidated vision around who we represent and why we do what we do.”

The new strategic plan will follow the imminent expiry of the current (2017-2022) plan in June 2022.

The current plan was officially launched in 2017, focused around the three key concepts of Capacity, Capability and Catalyst – key to ACS’ mission was to increase the number of technology workers in Australia, to help workers increase their skills, and to serve as a direct catalyst for the promotion of technology in Australia.

According to Casey, the new strategic plan promises to be one of the most transformative in ACS’ history.

“It’s early days in our development of the plan, but we want to take a holistic look at ACS.

“We’re looking at everything we do, whether that has value for members, and our vision for ACS as a driver of professionalism and the technology professions in Australia.”

As revealed during the Q&A on Monday, the strategic plan is one of four major projects underway that will redefine ACS and ensure its relevance in the IT industry.

The others include a brand review, which is looking at the broad structure of ACS and the services it offers to different member groups; a governance review focused on streamlining and improving ACS decision making; and a technology review, which is focused on giving ACS the tools it needs to deliver innovative services to members.

ACS is being assisted in this project by Cube Group, an organisation that specialises in strategic planning.

ACS and Cube Group will be running a series of consultations and workshops through the next few months to gain insight into the best path forward for the organisation.

ACS staff, members, partners and even peer organisations will be consulted in what they believe is the right direction and vision for ACS.

“This strategic plan will underpin everything we do for the next five years,” said Casey.

“It’s critical that we get this right, that we talk to all the right people, and ensure that we’re delivering on what members want and need.”