A key part of a strong operating plan is the Vision Document. Vision Planning is an optional step in Amazon’s Annual Operating Planning process, but I recommend it to all teams. Here’s why and how you can write yours:
A Vision Document allows a team to zoom out from the typical 12-to-18-month operating window and ask: “What would need to be true in three to five years for us to win in this space?”
That question clarifies goals, forces tradeoffs with short-term incentives, and helps everyone align on a strategic direction.
The best time to focus on vision planning is just prior to the start of the annual operating planning process. The exact timing depends on context, but the process sets the north star for the company, business unit or function.
Vision documents are particularly useful when a business faces long lead times or complex external dependencies. For example, if you are designing a new hardware product, expanding into a regulated market, or pursuing a multi-year AI investment, a one-year plan isn’t enough. You need a mechanism to think bigger, and Vision Planning helps with this.
Vision Planning also helps expose strategic incoherence. At Amazon, we never wanted to allocate resources based on who was most persuasive. We wanted to invest in the best plan, and the Vision Document forced teams to articulate a clear narrative and path to success.
A good Vision Document is the scaffolding for your annual plan, your input metrics, your hiring roadmap, and your product investments.
Vision Planning is also a way to stay consistent. Teams who skip Vision Planning often drift from their initial intentions and lose continuity in their actions. Their metrics don’t ladder up to the broader strategy and their initiatives are harder to prioritize because the ultimate goal isn’t clear.
You can learn about vision planning and the operating plan process by taking our new online course: https://lnkd.in/gVQB3Qj9
