Certification Program Overview
June 19, 2014
Today’s Agenda
History
Certification Leadership
 Certification Credentials
Certification Process
Resources/Registered Education Providers
Why ASP Certification
 Current Statistics
Q&A
History of ASP Certification Programs
Certification Project Approved by the National Board of Directors in May 2008
Core Team of Senior Planning Professional formed in June 2008
 Credentialing at Two Levels of Professionalism plus a Student/Associate Level
Strategic Planning Professionals (SPP)—Level I
Strategic Management Professionals (SMP)—Level II
Student/Strategic Planning Associate Level in August 2009
 Certification Program introduced at the ASP Annual Conference in Pasadena, CA, February 2010
 First Nationwide Testing administered in June 2010
Purpose of the ASP Certification Programs
 Establish Strategic Planning and Management as a recognized professional discipline with LeadThink-Plan-Act as its essential competencies.
 Provide an objective criterion for organizations to assess the competence of Candidates for staff or
consultant positions requiring Strategic Planning and Management expertise.
 Establish the Body of Knowledge (BOK) in outline form for the Strategic Planning and
Management profession.
 Establish a robust set of education programs for assisting individuals in preparing for initial
certification, professional career growth, and recertification by current “best in class” experts.
 Establish ASP as the premier association in Strategic Planning and Management.
Certification Governance
ASP Board of Directors
Certification Management Team
ASP Board of Directors
Certification Applications Team
Certification Program Director
Certification Features
Enables Strategy Professionals to become highly knowledgeable and
skilled in the strategic planning discipline. .
Establishes Best Practices and Clear Professional Standards
 Only Certification for Strategic Planning and Management Professionals
in the World based on a formal Body of Knowledge.
Certification Levels
Strategic
Management
Professional
Level 2
Strategic Planning
Professional
Strategic Planning
Associate
Level 1
Strategic Planning Associate
Strategic Planning Associate (SPA)
 Certification Designation
 Student, Apprentice, or New to Strategic Planning
 Eligibility
Meet ASP criteria for Student membership*
Has a senior planning professional mentor, preferably ASP certified
No prior experience in Planning nor demonstration of Business Acumen
Agree to apply for SPP within 2 years
 No Exam Required
* To qualify for the Student Membership Discount, proof of full-time student status is required.
Strategic Planning Professional
Strategic Planning Professional (SPP)
Role: Works with Executives, Managers, and their Teams
Interpersonal leadership skills with Executives
An accomplished analyst in future environmental scanning
 Excellent critical thinking skills
 Basic understanding of strategic and systems thinking
 Facilitates actions, execution, and implementation of strategic plans
 Eligibility
2 years (minimum) in an internal planning role or as a junior external planning consultant
College Graduate or 5 years work experience in strategic planning or related field
Exam covers Level I in Body of Knowledge (BOK) Framework and contains 160 questions – 3
hours
 Recertification every three years
Strategic
Management
Professional
Strategic Management Professional (SMP)
Role: Works with C-level Executives and their Teams
Strategic and systems thinker
 Demonstrates strategic leadership in an organization or the strategic planning field.
 Eligibility
5 years (minimum) as an experienced internal Executive or external Consultant
leading multiple Strategic Planning assignments
College Graduate or 10 years work experience
 Exam covers Level II in Body of Knowledge (BOK) Framework and contains 160
questions – 3 hours to complete.
 Recertification every five years
Level 1
2. THINK—Level I
 2.1 Think Content—Level I - The candidate should know and/or understand how to
 2.1.1 Design a future global environmental scanning system and process utilizing accepted
methodologies for today’s global competition.
 2.1.2 Ensure that enterprise-wide risk management, scenario planning, portfolio analysis, and
futuring are part of the strategic planning process.
 2.1.3 Support full economic and portfolio analysis of tentative/alternative strategic directions to
ensure their viability, growth, and sustainability.
 2.1.4 Assist senior management with industry and organizational structural analysis in search of a
better business model.
 2.1.5 Gather customer satisfaction information and intelligence, especially regarding their wants,
needs, loyalty, and retention.
 2.1.6 Offer a full range of organizational growth strategies; from organic to development, to
mergers/acquisitions, to strategic alliances, etc.
 2.1.7 Assist the collective management team in developing and using a common framework and
language to become a strategy-oriented organization attuned to the frequency of the business’
dynamic nature and processes.
 2.1.8 Provide benchmarking and best practices research on what works or does not work.
 2.1.9 Focus the organization on strategic goals and measurements for its short and long term
success.
Level 2
2. Strategic Thinking—Level II
2.4 Strategic Thinking Content—Level II
The candidate should know and/or understand how to
2.4.1 Provide strategic intelligence to senior management to lead
competitive advantage and strategy discussions, ending with
consensus decision-making, where possible.
2.4.2 Evaluate different strategic alternatives to create a uniqueness
that creates value for their customers and a competitive advantage
for the organization.
2.4.3 Assist senior management with the development of their vision
and mission/purpose, core values and long range direction for
the future.
2.4.4 Assist senior management with value chain management
analysis, sustainable value chains, and business models that
drive entrepreneurial behavior.
2.4.5 Link strategic thinking with strategic budgeting to ensure a focus
on the future and opportunities vs. sunk costs.
2.4.6 Guide the dissemination of acquired knowledge to the entire
organization in a form that is useful.
Certification Application Process
ASP has a two-part application process
Review of a Qualifying Application
Professional Testing Center (PTC)
Application
The purpose of the ASP Certification Qualifying
Application is to determine an Applicant's
eligibility to test for the indicated Certification
Exam, and reflects the professional
experience/education necessary for the Applicant
to qualify to be recognized by ASP as a
credentialed professional upon passing the exam.
Professional Testing Center (PTC)
(www.ptcny.com) is the independent third party
that manages the ASP Exam Testing Program.
Certification Application Process
Qualifying Application Components
Qualifying Application Form
 Case Study - 1,000 words
Required SMP Level II
Optional for SPP Level I
SPA use the Case Study for an essay
 Professional References
 3 for SMP
 2 for SPP
 Career Bio - Current professional resume,
curriculum vitae or other description of
professional education and experience,
especially that related to strategy work
Qualifying Application Overview
 Formal Education
Speaking
 Formal Professional Development
Professional Experience
Informal Education
Business Acumen
Publishing
Case Study
Teaching
Application Fee Structure
Fee Structure
ASP Members
Non-Members
Qualifying Application FeeSMP, SPP,SPA
$100
$150
Candidate Exam Fee
$300
$400
InternationalTest Center
Surcharge
$100
$100
Testing Period Transfer Fee
$150
$150
Recertification (SPP and
SMP only)
$175
$275
Upcoming Exam Testing
 Fall 2014
 Saturday, November 1 through November 15, 2014
 Electronic exam
Testing Center
 Deadlines
 ASP Qualifying Application – Friday, July 18, 2014 (outside of the
US and Canada)
ASP Qualifying Application – Friday, August 15, 2014 (US and
Canada)
Upcoming Exam Testing
 Spring 2015
 Saturday, May 1 through May 16, 2015
 Electronic exam
Testing Center
 Deadlines
 ASP Qualifying Application – Friday, February 6, 2015 (outside of
the US and Canada)
ASP Qualifying Application – Friday, February 27, 2015 (US and
Canada)
How To Prepare to Pass the ASP Exam
 Review the Sample Questions on
the ASP website
 Review the Recommended
Bibliography for ASP Certification
Exam Preparation
Consider attending ASP Registered
Education Provider (REP) program
or purchasing their books and
training materials
 Form a Chapter Study Group
 Use the PTC Testing Software
Demo located at
http://www.ptcny.com/cbt/demo.htm
Registered Education Providers
 DMA, Pllc
 Strategic Management Association /
Chicago Chapter ASP / LBL Strategies, Ltd.
The Balanced Scorecard Institute
Terry Schmidt – Management Pro
Haines Centre for Strategic Management
ASP NorCal Chapter
Certification Exam Preparation Program
Fall 2014
Five 2-hour Virtual Sessions
using an Interactive Collaborative Learning Platform
Begins: September 13, 2014
Saturdays, 09:00-11:00AM PT
Tuition: $500 for ASP Members and
$700 for Non-Members
*Non-member fee includes one-year ASP membership.
Who Should Attend*
Experienced strategy and change
management professionals who:
•are already approved exam candidates or who intend to apply for
either the Level I Strategic Planning Professional (SPP) or Level II
Strategic Management Professional (SMP) Certification Exam
Lead Facilitator: Terry Schmidt -- ASP Registered Educational
Provider and President, Management Pro and founder, Strategic
Planning Academy; core member of ASP team which developed the
Certification program and Exam, original ASP SMP Pioneer #004
•meet ASP eligibility criteria for Level I SPP and have a basic familiarity
with and experience in the strategy field before enrolling in this
program. If not, formal coursework focusing on strategy would be
advisable.
Lead Designer: Joyce Reynolds-Sinclair PhD -- original ASP SMP
Pioneer #015 who contributed to the development of the ASP
Certification Exam; former ASP Certification Application Review Team
Chair and ASP Cert Management Team member; ASP Hall of Fame
2010; Managing Director, GEO Group Strategic Services, LLC
*This is NOT a certificate course that teaches strategy, but a guided
process that helps you draw from your knowledge and experience for
passing the exam.
Platform Moderator: Ken Ketch -- Winter 2012 CEP graduate; ASP
NorCal Chapter President; Principal, GroupMindExpress, which donates
the platform for the Planning and Collaboration Center to ASP
Registration closes on Wednesday, August 13, 2014
For questions, send an email
to NorCalCertificationProgram@strategyplus.org
.
SPRC Certification Exam
Preparation Materials
Certification Study Guide
• Study topics
• Exam topic descriptions
• Sample exam questions
• “Must read” external references
• Test-taking strategies
• Online practice tests
Online (streaming) webinars:
• Four 90-minute webinars organized around
the four ASP building blocks - LEAD,
THINK, PLAN and ACT
• Offered on-demand
• Register for all four webinars and receive a
free copy of the Study guide
• On-line practice exams included
Strategy Professional
Resource Center =
Balanced Scorecard
Institute +
LBL Strategies
(Randy Rollinson) +
New York Center for
Strategic Innovation, LLC.
(Frank Mruk).
Visit
strategyprocenter.com
to order- $89
©2014 Strategy Professional Resource Center. All Rights Reserved. Do not copy without permission.
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 Comprehensive programs on leading a strategic
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Certifications offered in association with:
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Pretoria, South Africa / Melbourne, Australia / Dubai, UAE / Winchester, United Kingdom
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ASP CERTIFICATION SUPPORT
 SUPPORT MATERIAL
Standards of the Strategic
Planning Field: Volume I
Leading and Thinking
Competencies
Author: Stephen Haines and
Barbara Collins
ASP Exam Prep
Practice Exam eBook:
160 Practice
Questions and
Answers
Author: Stephen
Haines, Sheridan
Barker and Loren
Tarantino
Standards of the Strategic
Planning Field: Volume II
Planning and Change
Competencies
Author: Stephen Haines
 http://store.systemsthinkingpress.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code
=csmintl&Category_Code=ASP-EXAM

Haines Centre www.HainesCentre.com 619-591-8776
UPCOMING WORKHSOPS
Haines Centre – www.hainescentre.com - 619-591-8776
Why ASP Certification?
Ahmed Samy
Director, Corporate Strategy Office
Western Region Municipality, Abu Dhabi
Certification Statistics (as of Spring 2014)
 Strategic Management Professionals Pioneers
 25 Professionals
 Strategic Management Professionals
 49 Professionals
 Strategic Planning Professionals
 36 Professionals
 Strategic Planning Associates
 2 Professionals
Total of 112 Certified Professionals as of Spring 2014
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Who Has the First Question?