1. What is Planning? Planning as a Basic Human Activity
Planning as Rational Choice
Rational Choice is a choice that meets certain standards of logic.
Planning as Control of Future Action
Planning as a Specific Kind of Problem Solving
Planning is What Planners Do.
CP 101 Introduction to City Planning – Prof. H. Alshuwaikhat

2. Defining Planning: An Attempted Synthesis
“If planning is everything, may be it is nothing.”
What planning is not:
Planning is not an individual activity
Planning is not a present-oriented activity
Planning can not be routinized
Planning has little or nothing in common with trail-and-error approaches to problem solving
Planning is not just the imagining of desirable futures
CP 101 Introduction to City Planning – Prof. H. Alshuwaikhat

3. Rationality
Rationality: is a way of choosing the best means to attain a given end.
Rationality includes evaluation and choice of goals.
Axioms of Rationality: it ensures internal logical consistency, and rational analysis provides a framework to display the decision maker’s values and assessments.
CP 101 Introduction to City Planning – Prof. H. Alshuwaikhat

4. MODELS OF THE PLANNING PROCESS
There are many models.
These models see planning as sequential, multi-staged process in which many of the phases are linked to the predecessors by feedback loops.
The conclusions reached at the later stage may lead to review of an earlier stage or a reiteration of the whole process
CP 101 Introduction to City Planning – Prof. H. Alshuwaikhat

5. Components of the planning process
CP 101 Introduction to City Planning – Prof. H. Alshuwaikhat

6. Problem Diagnosis Dissatisfaction with the status quo
An image of the desired state
The image gives form to specific goals, general norms, standards, ideologies, even utopian visions.
Definitions depend on an analytical orientation of the individuals involved.
CP 101 Introduction to City Planning – Prof. H. Alshuwaikhat

7. Goals Articulation Goals related to problem definition
Planning was traditionally much more goal-oriented than it is now
Master plan: A desired end-state, in future x years, with the attainment of certain goals
Translation of vague incoherent goals into operational objectives
CP 101 Introduction to City Planning – Prof. H. Alshuwaikhat

8. Prediction and Projection
Future orientation was emphasized in planning, therefore current data are not enough
Need projection to estimate the conditions, needs and constraints
Prediction is required for evaluating alternatives
Prediction depends on amount of information
CP 101 Introduction to City Planning – Prof. H. Alshuwaikhat

9. Alternative Development
A “good” plan can not be chosen from a “poor” set of alternatives
The number of alternatives depend on the problem
Each alternative has to be detailed, and its actions, resources has to be detailed before evaluation
Creativity and innovation in alternative development
CP 101 Introduction to City Planning – Prof. H. Alshuwaikhat

10. Feasibility Analysis
Can the option be done, given known constraints and available or projected resources?
Yes: means the alternatives are well-designed
No: reduce the range of options to a short list
The planners will have to redesign some options to make them feasible
Consider all constraints: economic, physical, environmental, ..etc.
CP 101 Introduction to City Planning – Prof. H. Alshuwaikhat

11. Evaluation Identify the possible alternatives that can be implemented
One alternative: go/no-go decision
Evaluation criteria: efficiency
Cost-benefit analysis
Cost-effectiveness analysis: for human services
Equity criterion: “who gets hurt?”
CP 101 Introduction to City Planning – Prof. H. Alshuwaikhat

12. Implementation
A strong political commitment appears to be a necessary, but not always sufficient condition for the adoption and successful realization of proposals
Clearly defined goals which are translatable into objectives that can be monitored are important
Urban planners must rely upon compromises between strict rationality and qualitative or informed judgments.
CP 101 Introduction to City Planning – Prof. H. Alshuwaikhat

13. Final Questions There are many alternative models.
Do we carry problems in search of answers?
Are solutions just as often looking for problems?
Can goals be identified?
Is it easier to plan without goals?
Should we develop and evaluate options as prescribed by the rational decision process?
There are many alternative models.
Planning practices change but the this model of what should be done has yet to be improved.
CP 101 Introduction to City Planning – Prof. H. Alshuwaikhat

14. CP 101 Introduction to City Planning – Prof. H. Alshuwaikhat

15. CP 101 Introduction to City Planning – Prof. H. Alshuwaikhat

16. CP 101 Introduction to City Planning – Prof. H. Alshuwaikhat

17. CP 101 Introduction to City Planning – Prof. H. Alshuwaikhat