Module 2 - Session 5 - Participatory planning exercise

Session Guide - Participatory planning exercise

DATE

TIME

FORMAT

Individual, small groups, and plenary

TRAINER

OBJECTIVES

At the end of the plenary, participants will have had an opportunity to formulate a research institute plan covering:

1. Goal setting

2. Searching for new programme opportunities

3. Determining major factors influencing goal attainment

4. Strategic objectives at institute level

5. Converting institute strategic objectives into multiprogramme goals

6. Strategic objectives at programme level

7. Setting operational plans at programme level

8. Logistics of the plan: Institute level

9. Reiteration of the institute plan.

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

Exhibit 1 From Goal Setting to Institute Planning

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT AND AIDS

Overhead projector, flip charts and chalkboard

Session Guide - Participatory planning exercise

This is an exercise in actual institute planning, and is intended to provide training in the use of planning techniques. The trainer should identify a specific institute or type of institute to use as the subject of the exercise. Ideally, this exercise should be conducted in three stages:

1. Individual participants should do the exercise from Step 1 to Step 9 on their own.
2. The exercise should be discussed in small groups.
3. The small groups should make presentations in a plenary session. Depending upon the time available, presentations can be structured either by steps or by groups.

This session should be concluded by reiterating various steps in institute planning (EXHIBIT 1)

EXHIBIT 1 - FROM GOAL SETTING TO INSTITUTE PLANNING

STEP 1: GOAL SETTING

PURPOSE:

TO ESTABLISH OVERALL GOALS AND PRIORITIES OF THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE.

THIS WILL ENABLE THE GROUP TO DEVELOP A COLLECTIVE AWARENESS OF THE DESIRED FUTURE OF THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STARTING POINT AND THE BASIS FOR SETTING TARGETS FOR THE REMAINING STEPS OF THE PLANNING PROCESS. WORK IS DONE INDIVIDUALLY AND AS A GROUP.

STEP 2: SEARCHING FOR NEW PROGRAMME OPPORTUNITIES

PURPOSE:

- TO THINK OF CREATIVE NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE; AND

- TO PRIORITIZE GOALS AND OPPORTUNITIES.

STEP 3: DETERMINING MAJOR CONSTRAINTS

PURPOSE:

TO ESTABLISH THE UNDERLYING EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL CONSTRAINTS

THESE INCLUDE POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, SOCIAL TRENDS, PERSONNEL, INSTITUTIONAL CAPABILITY, ETC., THAT AFFECT THE ATTAINMENT OF THE GOALS OUTLINED FOR THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE. IN THIS WAY, INDIVIDUALS AND THE GROUP RECOGNIZE THE POTENTIAL AND CHALLENGES TO THE PLANNING PROCESS.

STEP 4: STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES AT THE INSTITUTE LEVEL

PURPOSE:

DETERMINE STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES FOR GOAL

ATTAINMENT, WHILE CONSIDERING HOW THE GOALS ARE TO BE ATTAINED, GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS

STEP 5: CONVERTING INSTITUTE STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES INTO MULTIPROGRAMME GOALS

PURPOSE:

TO ESTABLISH PROGRAMME GOALS IN RESPONSE TO THE INSTITUTE STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

STEP 6: STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES AT THE PROGRAMME LEVEL

PURPOSE:

TO DESIGN PROGRAMME STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES FOR ATTAINING PROGRAMME GOALS.

STEP 7: OPERATIONAL PLANS

PURPOSE:

TO FOCUS ON THE DESIGN OF SPECIFIC PRACTICAL STEPS TO ATTAIN THE SPECIFIED PROGRAMME STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES.

STEP 8: LOGISTICS OF THE PLAN: INSTITUTE LEVEL

PURPOSE:

TO COLLATE THE PROGRAMME OPERATIONAL PLANS, REQUIREMENTS FOR PERSONNEL, FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT, ETC., INTO A SUMMARY, INSTITUTE-WIDE PLAN.

STEP 9: REITERATION OF THE INSTITUTE PLAN

PURPOSE:

GIVEN THE INSTITUTIONAL CONSTRAINTS, TO REVIEW THE SUMMARY OF PROGRAMME PLANS TO DETERMINE IF THE SUMMARY EXCEEDS THE INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY TO IMPLEMENT THE PLANS.

THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP, BECAUSE IT GROUNDS THE PLANNING PROCESS IN REALITY.

DATE
TIME
FORMAT	Individual, small groups, and plenary
TRAINER

STEP 1: GOAL SETTING
PURPOSE:	TO ESTABLISH OVERALL GOALS AND PRIORITIES OF THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE.
THIS WILL ENABLE THE GROUP TO DEVELOP A COLLECTIVE AWARENESS OF THE DESIRED FUTURE OF THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STARTING POINT AND THE BASIS FOR SETTING TARGETS FOR THE REMAINING STEPS OF THE PLANNING PROCESS. WORK IS DONE INDIVIDUALLY AND AS A GROUP.
STEP 2: SEARCHING FOR NEW PROGRAMME OPPORTUNITIES
PURPOSE:	- TO THINK OF CREATIVE NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE; AND
	- TO PRIORITIZE GOALS AND OPPORTUNITIES.
STEP 3: DETERMINING MAJOR CONSTRAINTS
PURPOSE:	TO ESTABLISH THE UNDERLYING EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL CONSTRAINTS
THESE INCLUDE POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, SOCIAL TRENDS, PERSONNEL, INSTITUTIONAL CAPABILITY, ETC., THAT AFFECT THE ATTAINMENT OF THE GOALS OUTLINED FOR THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE. IN THIS WAY, INDIVIDUALS AND THE GROUP RECOGNIZE THE POTENTIAL AND CHALLENGES TO THE PLANNING PROCESS.
STEP 4: STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES AT THE INSTITUTE LEVEL
PURPOSE:	DETERMINE STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES FOR GOAL
ATTAINMENT, WHILE CONSIDERING HOW THE GOALS ARE TO BE ATTAINED, GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS
STEP 5: CONVERTING INSTITUTE STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES INTO MULTIPROGRAMME GOALS
PURPOSE:	TO ESTABLISH PROGRAMME GOALS IN RESPONSE TO THE INSTITUTE STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
STEP 6: STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES AT THE PROGRAMME LEVEL
PURPOSE:	TO DESIGN PROGRAMME STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES FOR ATTAINING PROGRAMME GOALS.
STEP 7: OPERATIONAL PLANS
PURPOSE:	TO FOCUS ON THE DESIGN OF SPECIFIC PRACTICAL STEPS TO ATTAIN THE SPECIFIED PROGRAMME STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES.
STEP 8: LOGISTICS OF THE PLAN: INSTITUTE LEVEL
PURPOSE:	TO COLLATE THE PROGRAMME OPERATIONAL PLANS, REQUIREMENTS FOR PERSONNEL, FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT, ETC., INTO A SUMMARY, INSTITUTE-WIDE PLAN.
STEP 9: REITERATION OF THE INSTITUTE PLAN
PURPOSE:	GIVEN THE INSTITUTIONAL CONSTRAINTS, TO REVIEW THE SUMMARY OF PROGRAMME PLANS TO DETERMINE IF THE SUMMARY EXCEEDS THE INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY TO IMPLEMENT THE PLANS.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP, BECAUSE IT GROUNDS THE PLANNING PROCESS IN REALITY.