BASIC CONCEPT IN PLANNING

A. Planning
- is the process of establishing goals and objectives and figuring out
how to achieve them. It is an attempt to manage the future. Goal is a
specific target that a person tries to achieve or a condition that the
person wants to exist in the future.

Characteristics of a good program plan:

 based on the analysis of the situation
 Selects programs based on needs
 Determines objectives & solutions that offer satisfaction
 Has permanence with flexibility
 Has balance with emphasis
 Has definite plan of work

Importance of Planning:

- Planning helps achieve substantial long-term goals.

- It increases satisfaction when agreed targets are met.
- Participative planning helps ensure efficient and just allocation of resources, thus,
maximizing achievements & minimizing conflicts.
- Formal planning allows opportunities for involving the community in the process
- Plans & their documentation increase group’s ability to influence the community
- A written plan helps ensure continuity of activities
- A written plan helps group explain its activities to visitors, new members
and funding bodies.

B. Types of Plan:
1. Strategic plans – establish the organizations’ overall goals. Cover extended
periods of time
2. Tactical plans– specify the details of how the overall goals are to be achieved.
Covers a short time period.
3. Operational plans – are developed to determine the steps necessary for
achieving tactical goals. They are used as a guide for day to day operation.
Cover a time frame of few months, weeks or even a few days.
4. Contingency planning – involves identifying alternative courses of action that
can be implemented if and when the original plan proves inadequate because of
changing circumstances.

C. Purpose of Plan:
1. Provides direction 5. Reduces risk
2. Reduces uncertainty 6. Supporting better decision - making
3. Minimizes waste and redundancy 7. Establishing trust
4. Sets the standards for controlling

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D. Scope of Plan:
- It defines the organizational units and the sequence to be planned

1. Identification of key problems

2. Accumulation of accurate data about those problems
3. Analysis of their interrelationships
4. Extrapolation of future alternatives

E. Elements of Program Planning:

1. Objectives – is a direction of movement and provides the general direction of
the extension program/projects. General objectives are more definite social
statements expressing the general purpose of the extension program. In
formulating objectives, planners should consider that project objectives must be
SMARTEST – specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time bound,
encouraging, satisfying & transforming.
2. Actions – means or specific activities, planned to achieve the objectives. The
terms strategies and tactics refer to planned courses of action.
3. Resources – involves budgeting – identifying the sources and levels of
resources that can be committed to the courses of action. Management can
select the type of budget that best suits the planning needs of the
program/project.
4. Timetable – time frame, a detailed plan showing when events or activities will
happen.
5. Implementation – involves the assignment and direction of personnel to carry
out the program. The three approaches to implementation – authority,
persuasion and policy.
6. Evaluation – activity designed to obtain information about program or project
activities to assess the significance, effectiveness & efficiency.

F. Stages of the Planning Process:

1. Analysis or assessment of the situation
 The information obtained from the community would serve as basis for:
a. defining the environment where change is to occur;
b. identifying entry point for the community-based program, formulating the
goals & objectives associated with meeting the needs & problems;
c. Establishing the benchmark from which to judge the performance of the
project & the change made;
d. Utilizing the available resources in the community development programs.

2. Setting the program objectives & goals

 Objectives & goals are derived mainly from the problems identified that are
considered of primary importance or of immediate concern for both the clientele
and the planners. An objective is defined as the direction of movement. General
objectives are more definite social statements expressing the general purpose of
the extension organization. A good objective has an attribute of being a
SMARTEST.

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 3. Designing the strategy
 A strategy is a combination of means to achieve the program objectives and
goals. The strategy may include the following:
a. Selecting the approaches for change
b. Determining alternative solutions to problems
c. Choosing appropriate extension & communication techniques (as either
individual, group, mass media or combination)
d. Setting up the organizational structure & staff
e. Preparing the budget
f. Enlisting community support
g. Establishing linkages with other agencies

4. Planning the program of activities

 It includes the plan & calendar of work of the project or the scheduling of the
various project activities.
 A plan of work is the outline of activities so arranged as to enable execution of
the entire program. It answers the questions how, when, where and by whom the
work is to be done.
 A calendar of work is a plan of work arranged chronologically.

5. Evaluation
 This takes place throughout the whole program planning activity. As one goes
through the various stages of the planning process, alternatives have to be
discussed & decisions have to be made. Each alternative needs to be assessed
first before making a decision.

G. Planning Approaches:
1. Top Level Planning
 Top level executives/ elected local government officials and appointed officials
develop general plans for the organizations/agencies/municipalities and cities.
They prepare the overall vision, mission, goals, objectives and activities of the
organization. They assume the major responsibility of planning the future of the
organization. The center of decision-making is highly centralized on the top-level
officials.

2. Grass Roots or Mass- Based Planning

 This is the evolving planning strategy wherein the low-level officials of the rural
people, the members of the community participate in project/organizational
planning or development planning, that is from the situation analysis, problems
and needs identification, program planning, program approval, fund sourcing,
implementation, monitoring, documentation and evaluation. This level of
planning is highly democratic, people oriented, community based and described
as highly participatory.

3. Joint Planning
 This is a planning approach wherein top level officials, middle level and
representatives of the community/workers/members of the organization or the
community come together to develop the plans of the organization/

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 community. This is another level of the participatory approach in planning that
minimizes conflict, misunderstanding and divisiveness in the community or
organizations. It tries to foster unity in diversity of ideas. Respect of human
rights, justice and equality prevail among planners.

4. Team/Committee Planning
 This is a participatory approach involving elected leader like city/municipal
councilor as chair and members come from different agencies, non-government
organizations, private sector and selected prominent citizens who can
productively contribute to the tasks of the committee. Team planning integrates
the best & acceptable ideas from different sectors. It tries to put together plans
from the different sectors or plans from the different levels of management.

H. Phases of program/project development:

- is defined as a process that starts from situation analysis up to the
appraisal of program accomplishments. It is composed of seven
distinct processes or stages wherein each stage is a process by itself.

4 Plan of 5
Work
Program

Program
Execution
Planning 6
of the Plan
3 Process
of Work

Organization Appraisal of
for Planning Accomplish 7
2 Situation ments
Analysis
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Idealized Chart of Program Development

1. Situation Analysis
 Is defined as an activity of carefully and critically examining in detail the
conditions, nature/trends & quality of an area. These include human,
physical/natural & institutional resources. The situation connotes the geographic
area, the peoples’ characteristics, culture & capabilities including the physical,
natural and institutional resources. It involves the questions; what is the
situation? What is the target area/target group? What is the scope/coverage of
the agency or local government unit?

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2. Organization for Planning
 It refers to the composition of planners. It involves questions; who are the
planners? Who will be involved in development planning? It connotes
representation & participation of legitimate people. Specifically, the local
development councils at various levels – provincial, municipal and barangay
councils are mandated as planning bodies.

3. Program Planning Process

 This involves analysis or assessment of the situation, setting program
goals, designing the strategy, planning the program of activities & evaluation.

4. Program
 The output or product of planning is an agency/ organizational or a community
development plan – program. The plan must be written for approval, by legal
bodies, for funding and submission to higher authorities.

5. Plan of Work
 The development plan composed of several programs and projects when written
is very general. In order to make it operational and ready for implementation, a
detailed work plan must be prepared to guide planners & implementers on what
to do. Plan of work can be done by program, by committee, by unit depending on
the magnitude of the plan. A work plan can also be annual, semi-annual,
quarterly, monthly, weekly or daily.

6. Execution of Work plan

 This is the stage of putting plans into action or reality. Sometimes planners are
not implementers & therefore implementers must know & prepare the following;
expected target outputs, requirements/resources needed, technical aspects,
financial requirements, date of completion, alternative actions & sensitivity to the
situation.

7. Appraisal of Accomplishments
 This is basic in all plans, program and projects. Plans are prepared to be
implemented and evaluated when project is going on and at project completion.
Did we attain the target in terms of quality, quantity and efficiency? Are we
satisfied with our accomplishments? What can be done to improve future
programs/projects? What were not done? And what were the reasons for failure
or low/medium accomplishments?