The Mikkeli strategy sparring

The Mikkeli strategy sparring process provides expert and facilitation support for preparing the city’s new strategy. The work is driven by the need to sharpen the strategic focus: to identify the key strategic themes for the upcoming period, to streamline a strategy framework perceived as overly broad, and to assess development platforms and the financial impacts of proposed measures. At the same time, the process strengthens the participation of the City Council, personnel, and key stakeholders, and explores how different actors can be concretely involved in implementing the strategy.

The work proceeds in stages. First, an up-to-date situational picture is developed through a current-state and operating environment analysis (including a SWOT), which is deepened through 6–8 key informant interviews and 5–6 focus group discussions with different population groups. This builds both quantitative and qualitative understanding of the city’s situation, driving forces of change, and development needs. Based on the findings, a Futures Day (20 January) will be organised, bringing together decision-makers, partners, stakeholders, and staff representatives for a joint discussion on the city’s direction and key initiatives.

From January to March, the strategy content will be challenged and made more concrete through three workshops with the City Council, progressing from defining priorities and strategic choices to refining objectives and indicators, and ultimately to finalising the strategy and its implementation. The Council’s work will be complemented by three participatory workshops to gather input to the strategy and prepare thematic content (e.g. leisure/well-being/housing and education/work/entrepreneurship), while also developing a network-based operating model for urban development to support the strategy. Reporting will take place in two phases: first a synthesis of the current-state and operating environment analysis, and finally a concise, visual strategy document and a description of the network-based operating model, with the aim of completion by the end of March 2026.