Implementing strategies involves developing detailed action plans composed of projects designed to achieve the objectives set. Projects are manageable chunks of effort each with its own time horizon, resources (inputs including funding), activities and outputs which can be measured against the objective it serves. Projects may also if necessary be broken down into sub-projects, or tasks.

Action plans will need to be developed to determine in detail how the strategies will be implemented. An action plan should include, in as much detail as possible, the cost(s) involved, main responsibilities and the time scales for starting and finishing individual projects and tasks. The action plan should seek the achievement of practical results so it is important to ensure that each stage is feasible; ie can it be done with the resources available, by the actors responsible, and will it achieve desired results which lead successfully to the next stage? Are all the stages cumulative? For example, for each stage and project, as well as for the action plan as a whole, are the following resources available:

• human resources

• financial resources

• community and commercial co-operation, partnerships and commitment

• entrepreneurial spirit, motivation, resources and creativity

• ICT infrastructures and services.

A costed action plan should be prepared as a public document which gives:

• details of the steering group and any sub-groups (see Step 1)

• the background and reason for the plan and the strategy it is designed to implement

• a summary of the regional profile and the SWOT analysis

• a summary of how regional development is expected to be promoted through eWork, referring for example to earlier experiences, experiences in other regions, existing initiatives and plans, etc.

• the vision, goals, objectives and strategies proposed (see Step 5 and Step 6).

• the projects and tasks involved in each stage (see Step 6)

• the stages in the action plan(s)

• the resources required (including finance, actors and responsibilities)

• the expected outcomes and how these can be confirmed or measured against the strategy’s objectives

• the assumptions upon which this is based

• a timetable.

The process of implementing the action plan should be based on co-operation and partnership involvement both within and outside the region. Networking with all the relevant actors who can support the strategy is a key to successful implementation, as is the continuous development of the resources available and continuous review of the overall goals and vision within which the strategy and its action plan is based.

Successful implementation will depend greatly upon how well the steps described in the overall regional development strategy process have been carried out. However, localities and regions, as well as eWork and ICT more generally, are dynamic and typically in a constant state of change, so that sound implementation, evaluation and management procedures are also necessary if the strategy is to be effectively and efficiently realised.

Management of the action plans should be guided by the overall vision and goals for the future and incorporate monitoring and evaluation procedures (page 74) to assess the progress of the action plan as it is implemented, particularly in relation to the resources being consumed and the results they are achieving.

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