Sparks Services

Services-The SPARKS Design Lab

One of our favorite quotes comes from Henry David Thoreau: “In the long run, men hit only what they aim at.” We’ve developed the following range of strategic planning programs to help our clients do just that.

Comprehensive Strategic Planning
Purpose: To craft the firm’s ideal vision, strategies, and initiatives for filling the gap between current and future reality. Decisions include defining the firm’s core identity and values, identifying driving forces, designing facilitative organizational structures, and aligning strategies to build skills, systems, and reputation.

Competitive Strategy Workshops
Purpose: To identify and agree upon the most potent elements of the firm’s identity, to match them with the right markets, and to create strategies for attaining the firm’s desired marketplace leadership position.

Future Scenarios Workshop
Purpose: To brainstorm future socioeconomic scenarios, both in a global sense and specifically by market, in pursuit of overarching strategies that span several plausible futures.

Future Markets Workshop
Purpose: To explore specific supply and demand trends in major and emerging markets. Can also be coupled with a tailored research study of specific industries and client perceptions. Determines impact on the firm’s strategies, and plots critical initiatives.

Single-Issue Retreats
Purpose: To resolve a single issue such as integrating cultures in a merger, thinking through ownership transition, improving design, organizing a compensation program, and developing leadership.

Business Unit Strategic Planning
Purpose: To align regional office or divisional strategies with overall company vision. Includes group vision, strategy-modeling, and implementation programming.

New Enterprise Branding, Name Design
Purpose: To build high focus, visibility, and demand for the enterprise — whether a new firm, a new market group, or new service. Includes analysis of buyer motivators, testing alternatives, and alignment with the firm’s business design.

Meeting Design and Audits
Purpose: To improve productivity and enjoyment of the most valuable communication tool, meetings. Includes techniques for organization, delegation, and results.

Private Counsel to Top Management
Purpose: To advise individuals or small groups on strategy questions and management issues, using a series of informal, focused sessions.