ICSAN Strategic Operations study plan

Map the full Domain 1 syllabus into a one-page concept map linking strategy formulation, governance structures, board roles and accountability lines

Distinguish the duties of the board, its committees and executive management, and write a short comparison note in your own words

Explain how strategic planning cycles connect to organisational vision, mission and long-term objectives, using a real organisation you know as a worked example

Draft 20 practice questions on strategic planning and governance and record which concepts you could not explain without notes

Apply a recognised strategy framework (for example SWOT paired with a competitive-forces or value-chain lens) to a named organisation and justify each conclusion

Translate a corporate strategy into three operational objectives that are specific, measurable and time-bound

Define the components of an operations strategy, including capacity, process design, quality and supply positioning, and show how each supports the corporate strategy

Compare at least three performance measurement approaches and state when each is appropriate

Write 15 applied questions that require choosing between competing strategic options

Build a balanced scorecard for a sample organisation with at least two measures per perspective and a stated data source for each measure

Diagnose the failure modes of performance measurement systems, including gaming, tunnel vision and measure overload, and propose a control for each

Calculate and interpret at least five operational performance indicators from supplied numerical data and explain what action each result would trigger

Explain how targets are set, cascaded and reviewed, and describe the governance forum that owns each review

Draft 20 calculation and interpretation questions on performance management and check your answers against the underlying formulas

Construct a risk register for a sample organisation with at least 10 risks scored on likelihood and impact, each with an owner and a response type

Differentiate risk appetite, risk tolerance and risk capacity, and articulate each in a short statement for the same organisation

Explain the purpose and limits of internal control, including the roles of the control environment, monitoring and segregation of duties

Evaluate three internal control failures and identify the missing control that would have prevented each

Write 15 scenario-based questions on risk identification, assessment and control design

Prepare a simple budget for a sample organisation covering revenue, direct costs, overheads and capital expenditure, and state every assumption used

Analyse a variance report by separating price, volume and mix effects and explain which variances warrant management action

Appraise an investment proposal using payback, net present value and internal rate of return, and state the limitations of each method

Explain the principles of resource allocation, including prioritisation criteria, opportunity cost and funding constraints

Draft 15 numerical questions on budgeting, variance analysis and investment appraisal and rework every item you answered incorrectly

Identify stakeholder groups for a sample organisation, classify them by influence and interest, and specify an engagement approach for each

Draft a stakeholder communication plan that sets message, channel, frequency and owner for at least four audiences

Explain the stages of a change process and the reasons change programmes fail, and map both onto one realistic transformation scenario

Anticipate stakeholder resistance in that scenario and design two specific interventions to address it

Write 15 applied questions on stakeholder engagement and change management, including at least three on communication in a crisis

Summarise the core ethical duties of a professional in this field, including integrity, objectivity, confidentiality and competence, and apply each to two dilemma scenarios

Analyse a compliance failure and trace the governance, control and ethical factors that allowed it

Explain the relationship between tone at the top, compliance culture and the effectiveness of internal control

Distinguish conflicts of interest from other ethical breaches and describe the disclosure and management process for each

Write 20 scenario questions on ethics and compliance that require choosing a course of action and justifying it

Complete two full-length timed mock examinations under exam conditions and record your score by domain

Rank your weakest three domains from the mock results and re-study each weak area using your own notes and error logs

Rewrite every question you answered incorrectly across weeks 1 to 7 into a corrected one-line rule you can recall under time pressure

Rehearse the calculation formulas for performance indicators, variance analysis and investment appraisal until you can apply them without reference

Consolidate all concept maps and error logs into a single revision sheet for final review