Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) Practice Exam

Which of the following are distinct elements of strategic planning?

1. Budget, timeline, and venue selection

2. Discovery, analysis, and planning

3. Goals, objectives, and outcomes

4. Attendee engagement, marketing, and evaluation

The correct answer is: Discovery, analysis, and planning

Strategic planning involves a systematic process that includes several distinct elements aimed at achieving long-term goals and objectives. The choice of discovery, analysis, and planning represents a critical approach taken in strategic planning. Discovery refers to the initial phase where information is gathered to understand the current environment, stakeholders, and factors that will influence the event. This might include conducting surveys, stakeholder interviews, and environmental scans. Analysis follows discovery, where the data collected is examined to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis). Analyzing this information helps in making informed decisions about the direction of the strategic plan. Planning is the final element that translates insights from the discovery and analysis phases into actionable strategies and tactics. This encompasses setting measurable goals and outlining the steps needed to achieve them, including resource allocation and defining timelines. These distinct elements collectively ensure that a strategic plan is grounded in relevant information, assessed critically, and constructed thoughtfully. This methodological approach distinguishes it from other choices that, while valuable in their own right, do not encapsulate the comprehensive and iterative nature of strategic planning as effectively.