You have evaluate these characteristics and afterwards make a plan accordingly. Good players do it automatically, weaker players have to be go through a more conscientious thinking process to come to a plan (okay, you are right, most weaker players do not have a plan, they usually only react to the opponent or they play something, blundering).
We are discussing these things in our club How to Reassess Your Chess.
Coaches and international masters/GMs frequently speak about the 'characteristics of a position'. What does this mean?