NIST Strategic Planning 

VCAT Meeting

June 4, 2019
Why a NIST Strategic Plan? 

Technological 

Changes

New Business 

Models

Aging 

Infrastructure

Changing 

Expectations

Outdated 

Processes

Limited 

Resources
NIST Strategic Planning Steps

Identify Goals

•Using the pre-work and in 

consultation with the NIST 

Leadership Board, NIST 

Director identifies 

Strategic Plan Goals

Pre-work

• Baldrige Organizational 

Profile

• Environmental Scan

• SWOT Analysis with Focus 

Groups

Develop Objectives and 

Strategies with Broad 

Staff Input

• Input sought from public 

forums, internal and 

external sources, etc. 

Final Plan

• Internal and external 

communications plan and 

documents developed

• Implementation plan for 

tracking and reporting progress, 

updating plan, etc. 

• Integrated with strategic 

priorities and programmatic 

plans for LP, MR, IIS
6/3/2019 4

Baseline Assessment -- Three Inputs 

Environmental Scan SWOT Analysis Baldrige 

Organizational Profile

External Drivers and Trends

• Societal trends

• Investments and 

geopolitical issues

• Political landscape

• Technological and 

science environment

Focus Groups Input Systems Perspective 

• Fellows 

• Foundations of 

Leadership Program 

• Operations Advisory Cmte

• Division Chiefs

• Boulder 

• Starting point for selfassessment 

• Identify gaps in key 

information

• Focus on areas for 

improvement
Environmental Scan 

Societal Implications: 

• Changing demographics 

• Eq(ual)ity

• Culture of divisiveness and 

distrust 

Investment and Geopolitical 

Landscape: 

• R&D investments

• Innovation policies

• S&T workforce 

• Metrology and standards 

Political and Policy Landscape: 

• Divided Congress

• Campaign promises 

S&T environment: 

• Major technology drivers • security, energy, public health, smart cities, 

autonomous vehicles, human augmentation, 5G

• Cross-cutting emerging 

technologies • artificial intelligence, quantum information science, 

internet of things, blockchain
SWOT Analysis

A quick way to identify a snapshot of the 

current state of NIST

Who was invited? 

PCO led seven sessions with: 

• All Division Chiefs from the labs and programmatic 

OUs

• All Division Chiefs from MR and the Director’s Office

• All Members of the Operations Advisory Committee

• Members of a recent FLP class

• All former rotators of the PCO (back to 2012)

• All NIST Fellows

• A sampling of Boulder staff that included Division 

Chiefs, Fellows, early career staff, administrators, and 

members of MR in Boulder

Strength Weakness

Opportunities Threats

Positive Negative

Internal

Direct Influence/Impact

External

Indirect Influence/Impact
Summary of SWOT 

Strengths: NIST strengths seem 

to reflect NIST’s reputation in 

general. The administrative and 

programmatic responses were 

very similar in this regard. 

Weaknesses: At a high level there 

was a good deal of similarity on 

issues like the ‘us versus them’ 

mentality, critiques of operational 

processes, and challenges with 

communication. 

Opportunities: Many of the 

opportunities revolve around 

collaboration, seemingly a 

direct response to the “silo” 

weakness.

Threats: Many of the threats 

can be attributed to the 

current political climate and 

budget challenges (funding, 

recruitment, perception, 

deprioritization). 

Overall impressions -

• SWOT results reinforce many of 

our opinions about what makes 

NIST successful

• Biggest challenges lie in how NIST 

does its research and how we 

partner and deliver services

• Universal area of concern: NIST’s 

organizational structure, 

including challenges with 

communication and leadership 

weaknesses 

• This is a snapshot of perceptions 

to inform our planning 

discussions; not 100% 

representative of NIST staff
Baldrige Organizational Profile

Document Outline: 

P.1. Organizational Description

• Organizational environment –

• product offerings; 

• mission, vision, values; 

• workforce profile; 

• assets; 

• regulatory requirements

• Organizational relationships –

• organization structure; 

• customers and stakeholders; 

• suppliers and partners

P.2. Organizational Situation

• Competitive environment –

• competitive position; 

• competitiveness changes; 

• comparative data

• Strategic Context 

• Performance Improvement System
NIST Strategic Plan Goals

Position NIST to 

Advance U.S. 

Science and 

Innovation

Maximize NIST’s 

Stakeholder 

Impact through 

High-Value Service 

Delivery

Create the 

Infrastructure for a 

21st Century 

Research 

Institution

Build a One NIST 

Culture

NIST Leadership Board 

endorsed four Strategic Plan 

Goals that address the 

background data, issues and 

challenges identified in 

baseline assessment 

(October 2018)
Plan Structure

Goal

Objective

Outcome-oriented long-term 

goal for major function of the 

agency

Objectives describe the 

outcome or impact NIST is 

trying to achieve

Strategies reflect the actions, 

processes changes, practices, 

that will be implemented to 

achieve objective Strategy
NIST Strategic Planning Steps

Identify Goals

•Using the pre-work and in 

consultation with the NIST 

Leadership Board, NIST 

Director identifies 

Strategic Plan Goals

Pre-work

• Baldrige Organizational 

Profile

• Environmental Scan

• SWOT Analysis with Focus 

Groups

Develop Objectives and 

Strategies with Broad 

Staff Input

• Input sought from public 

forums, internal and 

external sources, etc. 

Final Plan

• Internal and external 

communications plan and 

documents developed

• Implementation plan for 

tracking and reporting progress, 

updating plan, etc. 

• Integrated with strategic 

priorities and programmatic 

plans for LP, MR, IIS

Strategic goal teams form
Strategic Plan Goal Teams

Position NIST to Advance 

U.S. Science and Innovation

J. Olthoff, Sponsor

Maximize NIST’s 

Stakeholder Impact through 

High-Value Service Delivery

P. Singerman, Sponsor

Create the Infrastructure for 

a 21st Century Research 

Institution

D. Brockett, Sponsor

Build a One NIST Culture

K. Kimball, Sponsor

1 2 3 4

Antonio Possolo

David Hoogerheide

Ed Garboczi

Essex Brown

Jeanita Pritchett

Jennifer Marshall

Kelley Rogers

Mark Przybocki

Melissa Midzor

Paul Zielinski

Sae Woo Nam

Ajit Jillavenkatesa (PCO) 

Brian Copello

Dan Sawyer

Ellen Ryan

Gail Porter 

Heather Mayton

Henry Wixon

Jim Fowler

Mary Ann Pacelli

Melissa Schroeder

Millie Glick

Steve Marquis

Heather Evans (PCO)

Ari Feldman

Blair Heiserman

Brian Burnham

Brian Kirby

Brian Zimmerman

Dan Cipra

Gretchen Greene

Marlon Walker

Susan Cantilli

Walid Keyrouz

Laura Espinal (PCO)

Amber Hayes

Chris Oates

Chris Szakal

Jose Colucci

Kara Arnold

Kelly Welsh

Kirk Dohne

Kristen Gilbert

Mary Clague

Michael Souryal

Jason Boehm (PCO)
Goal 1 -- Objectives

Goal 1: Position NIST to Advance U.S. Science and Innovation

Increase agility, promote 

collaboration, maintain 

technical excellence to 

strategically advance 

emerging technologies 

and address national 

needs

Develop and leverage 

flexible approaches to 

attract, retain, retrain, 

and grow talent (both 

Feds and Associates) in 

critical areas and adapt 

to demographics and 

expectations of the 

changing workforce

Develop creative models 

that strategically expand 

our external engagement 

and impact, aligned with 

our mission to maximize 

the value of our 

technical program
Goal 2 -- Objectives

What do you like about 

the objectives? 

What seems to be 

missing? 

What should be the 

highest priority?

What needs further 

consideration?

Goal 2: Maximize NIST’s Stakeholder Impact through High-Value 

Service Delivery

Facilitate the transfer 

of NIST knowledge, 

inventions, and 

technologies from the 

laboratory to the 

marketplace

Provide high quality, 

integrated and 

modern service 

delivery models

Strategically 

communicate NIST’s 

key messages so that 

stakeholders can 

readily identify and 

share NIST’s priorities, 

capabilities, and value
Goal 3 -- Objectives

Goal 3: Create the Infrastructure for a 21st Century Research 

Institution

Develop and implement 

plans for major facility 

upgrades, including 

capabilities to rapidly 

address unexpected 

infrastructure needs while 

considering impact on 

service delivery and 

research

Upgrade NIST’s IT 

infrastructure, develop a 

sustainable plan to 

support future growth

Adopt and transition to 

modern business 

systems and operational 

practices to improve 

transparency and agility 

in our research, service 

delivery, and business 

operations in uncertain 

times
Goal 4 -- Objectives

What do you like about 

the objectives? 

What seems to be 

missing? 

What should be the 

highest priority?

What needs further 

consideration?

Goal 4: Build a One NIST Culture

Develop and 

institutionalize 

strong leadership 

and management 

competencies to

advance a One NIST 

culture

Create an engaged, 

agile, and inclusive 

NIST workforce 

that imbues NIST’s 

core values and 

embraces a One 

NIST Culture 

Strengthen NIST’s 

workplace 

environment 

making NIST a 

welcoming 

institution that 

empowers its 

employees and 

rewards innovation

Attract, develop, 

and retain a diverse 

and inclusive 

workforce 

reflective of the 

Nation we serve
Example Strategy: Unify Messaging to Clearly 

Communicate to Stakeholders
Examples of a Branded House
Example Strategies to Provide Appropriate 

Facilities Infrastructure

• Plan for the cost of facility maintenance.

• Develop a sustained multi-year 

NIST campus and facility modernization 

program.

• Conduct a cost model study for 

facility occupancy.

• Develop an analytical framework 

for prioritizing investment for major 

infrastructure projects.

21
Plans for Outreach

Discussion sessions with staff for each Goal 

Area in Gaithersburg and Boulder

Opportunities for direct input on specific 

questions or issues using NIST intranet 

Focus groups to test reception/feasibility of 

strategies with staff and those who would 

implement

World café style discussion on equity in career advancement, December 2018
Moving Forward –Timeline

Brief VCAT on 

progress 6/4 – 6/5

Formal Rollout 

of plan 10/1

MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG

Brief NLB on 

progress 5/7

SEP OCT NOV

Develop Draft Objective and Strategies

Outreach on objectives 

and strategies

Refinement of objectives and 

strategies

Finalization and preparation for 

launch (final draft plan 9/1)

NLB Retreat

Implementation
NIST Enterprise Risk Management (ERM)

• NIST ERM Council established in 2013 by the NIST 

Director

• Following private sector, ERM has been identified as a 

best practice for federal government by the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB)

• NIST is actively using ERM principles to address long- term, complex risks as well as near-term, high impact 

risks

 NIST leverages ERM as a platform to: 

 inform decision-making in areas related to 

management priorities

 inform resource allocation

 communicate NIST priorities to internal and 

external stakeholders

 influence change inside NIST
Integration of ERM at NIST

TIER 1

ORGANIZATION

(Governance)

TIER 2

PROGRAM

TIER 3

PROJECT/ACTIVITY

STRATEGIC RISK

OPERATIONAL 

RISK

Enterprise Risk 

Management

Business Unit

Level

Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced

NIST
Risk Appetite

Reluctant to pursue an 

option with an 

uncertain payoff

Tends to pursue options 

with high uncertainty yet 

Pursues risk only high potential gain

in certain areas

Risk-averse Risk-accepting

Low Moderate High

Risk Appetite Spectrum

NIST is actively discussing risk appetite in context of operations

SAFETY INNOVATION

Organizational 

Risk Appetite

Operational 

Risk 

Tolerance

Acceptable Risk

Laws & 

Regulations

FUNCTION

Actual 

Gap
Questions for the VCAT

1.Have we identified the right areas of focus? Are there other 

issues that NIST should consider?

2.Given a desire for maximum impact, what are the areas you 

would prioritize?

3.What methods have been useful in driving cultural change at 

your organizations?

4.What pitfalls should NIST consider with respect to 

implementation?
Questions
Goal 1 Example Draft Potential Strategies

Strategy 1.1 a: Expand the IMS 

program to greater incentivize 

cross-OU collaborations

Strategy 1.1 b: Utilize SERI funds 

exclusively to support 

orchestrated cross OU research 

projects in areas of critical 

emerging technologies

Strategy 1.2 a: Provide a stronger 

and more vocal narrative about 

why NIST is a great place to work, 

including the intangibles such as 

the sense of a strong “NIST 

community”

Strategy 1.2 b: Create and advance 

new “reward” opportunities such 

as sabbaticals, joint appointments, 

research “grants”, etc.

Strategy 1.3 a: Create an improved 

social media presence and 

messaging

Strategy 1.3b: Streamline 

processes for establishing and 

supporting collaborative 

partnerships with academia and 

industry such as universityanchored Centers of Excellence 

and Federally Funded R&D Centers 

(FFRDCs)
Goal 2 Example Draft Potential Strategies

2.1 Expand programs that work -

Share success stories about what 

is working, from the NIST 

scientist/engineer perspective 

2.1 Create incentives for and 

reward staff that work on 

technology transfer. 

2.1 Expand the infrastructure from 

the NIST on a Chip pilot for other 

NIST laboratory programs to use. 

2.2 Expand what is working and 

increase internal awareness about 

what resources are available to 

staff to deliver our products and 

services. 

2.2 Improve customer awareness 

about how to Work with NIST. 

2.2 Use data to drive decisions 

about the services NIST provides. 

2.3 Develop a marketing and 

engagement strategy for NIST to 

guide all parts of the organization. 

2.3 Streamline the public face of 

NIST (on website, etc.) 

2.3 Ensure communications 

experts across NIST are 

coordinated and in-line with up to 

date priorities and messaging 

strategies.
Goal 3 Example Draft Potential Strategies

Strategy 3.1 a: Build in the cost of 

facility upkeep and growth into 

new construction. 

Strategy 3.1 b: Develop a riskbased roadmap to prioritize 

investments in infrastructure 

projects.

Strategy 3.1 d: Conduct a cost 

model study for facility occupancy

Strategy 3.2 a: Consolidate basic 

communications infrastructure. 

Strategy 3.2 b: Development of 

research computing resources and 

competencies. 

Strategy 3.2 c: Modernize NISTwide desktop support program. 

Strategy 3.2 d: Build in the cost of 

IT infrastructure upkeep and 

growth into new construction 

Strategy 3.2 e: IT master plan. 

Strategy 3.3 a: Business system 

evaluation tool. 

Strategy 3.3 b: Establishment of a 

discretionary funded program. 

Strategy 3.3 c: Implement 

business system review. 

Strategy 3.3 d: Standard business 

workflows. 
Goal 4 Example Draft Potential Strategies

Strategy 4.1 a: Expansion of the NIST 

Leadership and Management 

Programs. 

Strategy 4.1 b: 

Development/Implementation of a 

Leadership Competencies Model. 

Strategy 4.1 c: Supervisor Performance 

Plan Review/Restructuring. 

Strategy 4.2a: Increase institutional 

support and standardize methods for 

the attraction, recruitment, and hiring 

of new talent.

Strategy 4.2b: Reform NIST promotion 

and recognition policies to create 

standardized practices across the 

agency and promote the NIST Core 

Values. 

Strategy 4.2c: Clarify the role of and 

better integrate the non-Federal 

portion of NIST’s workforce. 

Strategy 4.2d: Expansion and 

development of formal sabbatical, 

rotational and detail opportunities at 

important career milestones. 

Strategy 4.3a: Establish OneNIST

Service where all employees engage in 

OneNIST-building activities.

Strategy 4.3b: Establish a NIST 

Ombudsman.

Strategy 4.3c: Create the Principles of 

Community for NIST.

Strategy 4.3d: Engage and empower 

the workforce in a way that facilitates 

and encourages innovation.