A learning and developed strategy should be aimed at supporting the most important priorities of the organisation within a specific period. A learning and development strategy can also be created at the divisional and team levels. Learning and development strategies at divisional and team levels should be aligned to the learning and development strategy at the strategic level. More importantly the focus should be to align learning and development to priorities at the strategic level.

There are a number of frameworks available for creating a learning and development strategy and some of them are really complicated. Creating a learning and development strategy should be simple and quick. The process should lead to a set of measurable business goals with clear outcomes. One way to create a learning and development strategy is to ask six key questions which I call the Six Strategic Questions. Here are the Six Strategy Questions:

1. What are the most important priorities the organisation wants to achieve this year?
2. What actions does the organisation need to take to successfully achieve the business goals defined from the organisational priorities?
3. What capabilities does the organisation need to have to take those actions successfully?
4. What must people know (knowledge) and be able to do (skills) for the organisation to have the required capabilities?
5. How will the learning and development function support people to know and be able to do what they need to?
6. How will the organisation know that learning and development has successfully supported the achievement of business goals?