Development Frontiers

STRATEGY 2022 - 2024

Development Frontiers (Deft) Limited has been operational as a formal entity from 2015. During
this time, Deft has experienced growth and development in the following areas:

Human Resource Growth Five principal (associate?) consultants; on-call

associates; researchers and data collectors;
management support staff

Institutional Capacity Including office space, ICT; regular trainings of staff

in current and emerging skills

Client Base Over 10 regular institutional clients; Another 20 on-

call staff

Networking and Industry Recognition Ongoing marketing activities including peer

networks, research, publication and in-trade
advertising

This document captures Deft’s strategic framework proposed for the next three years to 2024.
We expound our 1. Strategic Framework, 2. Values, 3. Planned Milestones 4. Strategic Goals, 5.
The Balanced Score Card and 6. Risk Framework and 7. Annual Work Plan for 2022.

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1.Strategic Framework
VISION Always provide solutions for our clients
PURPOSE Consistently deliver high-quality and relevant services to our
clients
VALUE PROPOSITION We provide timely solutions to clients’ needs

POSITION The consultants of choice in providing advisory, training, and

(in the customers’ technical services
mindspace)
ADVANTAGE Treat each client as special; each assignment as unique and
always put our best foot forward

2. Values
Professionalism
We take our work seriously. From receiving the client’s brief to delivering the final
product, our process is interactive, with everyone in the most professional manner.
Timelines are sacrosanct and our services and products will most often exceed your
expectations.

Uniqueness
Each client is unique and requires a tailor-made approach that responds to their specific
circumstances and context

Holistic Development
As we build relations within our team and with our clients, we strive to reflect the
environment of constant growth and development in everything that we do, going the
extra mile even when it is not remunerated. Welcome to Development Frontiers—A
work environment that is creative, flexible, and practical.

Quality
Provide quality services and ensure high degree of quality in whatever we do, as we
ensure value for money to our clients.

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 3. Goals (and Milestones)

2022 Increased understanding of the operating environment, our clients

and their needs

Deft Expansion Increased Marketing of Deft services. Secure new clients for Deft
services through advertising and referrals by existing clients
Engagement via Hire a consultant to advise on the use of ICT technology for product
development, delivery, and cost reduction
ICT
Social Media Leverage technology to market our services

Develop and deliver virtual services

Enhanced visibility of Deft in emerging meta spaces

Deft Consolidated Enhance our social media presence
Vision Revamped Deft website

Improved administrative support to our consultants

Improve bookkeeping

Retain high calibre and committed associate consultants in

governance, compliance and regulation (GCR), Research and M&E,
policy advisory

Improve existing and develop new products for continuous training

programmes

Develop and disseminate communication materials for key services

2023 Carry out annual reviews, create a current year’s plan based on 2022
as the reference; review & refresh strategy mid-year and end-year
2024

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4. Strategic Goals
1. High- quality services to clients
2. Increased revenue and profits
3. Efficient and effective processes and procedures
4. Creative support and communication services

(an infographic linking the two topics 4&5)

5. Balanced Scorecard
Strategic Objectives KCIs or KIIs? Targets Projects/Actions
For our customers, Provide relevant, Number of Survey all clients on the Conduct research to increase
Quality and timely clients quality of the last service understanding of the market we
clients services to clients surveyed provided by end of first are operating in, our clients and
quarter 2022 their needs

Report from Conduct literature review on Conduct research to increase

literature the competition by end of understanding of the competition
review first quarter 2022

Report of KIIs Conduct targeted KIIs with

client representatives and
other key informants

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Strategic Objectives KCIs or KIIs? Targets Projects/Actions
Number of Have at least one lunch Engage with clients regularly
meetings meeting with representatives
with clients of key clients one per year

Database of Contact all associate clients to Engage and retain high calibre and
qualified confirm willingness and committed associate consultants
associate availability to be on the Deft in GCR, Research and M&E, policy,
consultants database by end of February Business Development Service?
2022 and Agricultural Value Chains

GCR intern Recruit and intern on GCR by

recru June 2022
M&E Recruit an M & E Associate by
Associate June 2022
recruited
Training Three training packages Develop and deliver virtual
packages and developed by 2024 services.
services
developed
Brochures Brochures /leaflets developed Develop and disseminate
developed for Research, BDS, SHGs/CBO communication materials for key
and training and Agriculture value services
disseminated chain services by the third
quarter of 2022
Number of Increase the menu for board Improve existing and develop new
new Board training by end of June 2022 products for training
development
modules Develop a package for
developed training for MEAL by June
2022

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 Strategic Objectives KCIs or KIIs? Targets Projects/Actions
Number of Develop a package for the
boards training of SHGs/CBOs
previously
trained
introduced to
new modules
Developed a Devote at least two days per
MEAL quarter to product
package development.

Number of Increase the number of grant- Designate staff to identify and

new grant- making clients for GCR from communicate relevant
making GCR the current 1 – 4 by 20 consultancy opportunities by 2022
clients Increase individual
organisations seeking GCR
services by 30% by 2024

Financial (Internal Deft) Increase revenues by Percentage Increase revenue by 100% viz Secure new clients for Deft
100% increase in 2022 - 30% services by advertising and
revenue 2023- 30% promoting referrals by existing
disaggregate 2024 - 40% clients
d by service
Retain existing clients receiving
Number of Existing clients seek services services
old clients at least once per annum
seeking Pitch/seek one new client per
repeat At least three new grant- annum for the menu of services

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Strategic Objectives KCIs or KIIs? Targets Projects/Actions

services making clients secured for offered by Deft

GCR services

Individual organisations
Percentage seeking GCR services
increase in increased by 50%
new clients
disaggregate Increase clients seeking
d by services services for SHG support The review pricing structure for
increased from 0-3 services to ensure
competitiveness while ensuring
Increase assignments for profitability
research and M & E services
by 50%
Pricing
structure Provide at least 1 BDS, Improve financial efficiency by
developed Communication and establishing and reducing
and Agricultural value chains expenditure on key cost centres
implemented service per annum

Implement a new pricing

structure by the first quarter
Identified of 2022.
cost centres
Monitor key expenditures on
cost centres from first quarter
2022

Establish and implement cost

Percentage reduction measures from the
first quarter of 2022

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 Strategic Objectives KCIs or KIIs? Targets Projects/Actions

reduction in
administrativ
e costs as per
management
account
Internal Processes Efficient processes Optimised Optimise website by second Leverage on technology to
and procedures website quarter 2022 market our services

Establish a LinkedIn account

by the first quarter of 2022
Improved Enhance Deft’s social media
and presence
revamped
website

Develop SOPs for finance and Develop standard operating

services by the third quarter procedures (SOPS)
Social media of 2022
accounts
established Develop/print source
and active documents by the first Improve book keeping
quarter of 2022

Implement proper
bookkeeping practices by the
first quarter of 2024

SOPs
develop

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 Strategic Objectives KCIs or KIIs? Targets Projects/Actions
Value for money in Number of Flexibility to negotiate and improve competitiveness in
service delivery assignments win contracts and deliver tendering processes
and assignments on negotiated
contracts budgets
delivered on
agreed costs
to suit clients
budgets
Resource Mobilization # of internal identify and exploit at least Tailor made trainings of M&E,
revenue three resource mobilization change management and
generation opportunities to raise revenue strategic planning advertised and
/resource delivered
mobilisation
opportunities identify and provided outsource
identified services such establishing M&E
and Systems, develop strategic and
exploited business plans

Provide support services as

related to developing project
proposal, in response to RFAS etc
for fundraising
People and Responsive, efficient, Business Dev Business Dev Manager Business Dev Manager cum
Development/Organisational and effective support Manager recruited by end of 2022 Administrator recruited
Capacity services recruited
Active website and social
Active media account from March
website and 2022 Ensure social media and website
social media regularly updated
account A consultant hired by June
2022 Ongoing training for support staff
Report by provided

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 Strategic Objectives KCIs or KIIs? Targets Projects/Actions

consultant
and
measures Identify and bid at least two Hire a consultant to advise on the
adopted EOI/CFP per quarter use of ICT technology for product
development, delivery, and cost
reduction

Percentage
of
consultancy Regular training for staff at Develop and maintain the
work secured least twice a year from 2022 capacity to develop quality
from blind winning bid proposals within
proposals stipulated timelines

Number and Build staff capacity

type of
training for Recruit at least one intern per Develop an internship
staff year to provide support programme
services by June 2022
Number of
interns
recruited per
year

(row divisions should be clearer?)

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6. Risk Framework
Category Risk Description Probability Severity/Impact Actions To Minimise
Strategic Strategic The strategic 2 HIGH Regularly review the strategy
approaches options chosen
might pose a might pose a
risk for the risk to the firm 2 MEDIUM Ensure ownership by all
organisation involved and regularly monitor
the implementation of the
Weak strategy
implementation Failure to
2 MEDIUM
of the strategy follow the Develop products and
strategy might cultivate other markets-
affect its companies, government, and
implementation international aid agencies
1 HIGH
Reduced Reduced Continuously monitor the
funding for funding for evolution of the pandemic and
NPOs NPOs might learn from what other
negatively institutions are doing to
affect the mitigate its impact
demand for
services Develop capacity on virtual
delivery of services

Implement strict COVID 19

safety protocols in the
workplace and amongst all
The continued 1 HIGH staff and associates
impact of the

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Category Risk Description Probability Severity/Impact Actions To Minimise
Impact of the COVID 19
COVID 19 pandemic Consider developing election-
pandemic might related services
negatively
impact the Maximise on the period before
successful the elections.
implementation
of the strategy

Impact of the The uncertainty

2022 Elections surrounding
the 2022
Kenyan
elections might
lead to reduced
demand for
services by
clients and
would affect
the
implementation
of the strategy.

Operations Failure to Failure to 1 HIGH Train staff and induct associate

adhere to follow the SOPs consultants and ensure regular

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Category Risk Description Probability Severity/Impact Actions To Minimise
standard leading to poor supervision
operating services to
procedures clients and the
possibility of
non-compliance
Compliance Failure to Failure to 1 HIGH Develop compliance inventory
comply adhere to and monitor compliance
comply with regularly
applicable laws
including the
Companies Act
and Tax laws
etc would lead
to fines and
risks of closure
Information Negative The 3 HIGH Double-check and monitor all
information information information posted on the
through social posted on website and social media.
media or social media
website platforms or
the website can
be
misinterpreted
and paint the
firm in a
negative light
Reputationa Bad publicity Poor delivery of 2 HIGH Engage competent
l from clients services can consultants for all assignments
lead to the bad through a rigorous

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 Category Risk Description Probability Severity/Impact Actions To Minimise
publicity from background check
clients
Ensure adequate supervision
of all associate consultants

Always ensure all products are

reviewed for quality before
presentation to clients.

(row/cell divisions should be clearer?)

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7. Annual Work Plan 2022
TITLE DESCRIPTION PRIORITY (A, B, C) OWNER DUE
Customer Conduct
engagement customer
feedback survey
Conduct KIIs on
competition
Lunch meetings
with clients

Business Develop training

Development packages and
modules

Develop virtual
training
packages

Set up a
LinkedIn
account
Revamp Deft
Website by Third

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 quarter 2022

Secure new clients

for Deft services
by advertising and
promoting
referrals by
existing clients

Secure new clients

for Deft services
by advertising and
promoting
referrals by
existing clients

Internal
Processes
Develop SOPs for
finance and
services by the
third quarter of
2022

Develop/print
source documents
by the first quarter
of 2022

Implement proper
bookkeeping
practices by the
first quarter of
2022(generate
monthly financial

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 reports)

Implement a new
pricing structure
by the first
quarter of 2022

Capacity Business Dev

Development Manager cum
Administrator
recruited

Hire a consultant
to advise on the
use of ICT
technology for
product
development,
delivery, and cost
reduction

Ongoing training
for support staff
provided

Retain Associate
Consultants

Develop
internship
programme

Risk Monitor and

Management update the risk
register monthly

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