Unit 2

Definition and Types of
Plans and Importance of

Planning
• What is plan?
– It refers to a course of action that is
predetermined.
– A method, scheme, or program mapped
out ahead in order to attain an objective.
– It contains the details of what needs to be
done, when and how to do it and by
whom should it be done.
• Development planning
– A process of identifying the actions
or series of activities to be
formulated in order to attain goals
to answer community needs.
– Also refers to the strategic
measurable goals that a person,
organization, or community plans to
meet within certain amount of time.
• Development plan
– A documentation by a planning body
of the current socio-economic
conditions, proposed public
expenditures, or development
involving the private sector, micro-
economic projection of the economy
and review of government policies.
• Project Plan
– Also known as „project management
plan‟
– A document that contains the
project scope and objective.
– Commonly represented in the form
of a Gantt chart, to make it easy to
communicate to stakeholders.
• Project planning
– The process of establishing the
scope, defining the objectives and
steps to obtain them.
– One of the most important
processes that make up project
management.
– The output of the project planning
process is a project management
plan.
• On the basis of time
– Long-term plan : More than 3 years
– Medium-term plan : 2-3 years
– Short-term plan : 1 year or less
• On the basis of levels in the
organization
– Strategic plan
– Operational plan
– Tactical plan
– Contingency plan
• Strategic plan
– This is the detailed action mapped out to
reach strategic goals.
– Applicable to the entire organization.
– Inline organization in terms of
environment and address broad issues
such as:
• Changing condition
• Allocation of resources
• International competition, etc.
• Operational plan
– The plan that managers use to
accomplish his or her job
responsibilities.
– Supervisors, team leaders, and
facilitators develop operational
plans to support tactical plans.
• Tactical plan
– This plan is concern with what the lower-
level units within each division must do,
how they must do it, and who is in-
charge at each level.
– Tactics are the means needed to activate
a strategy and make it work.
– Tactical plans are concerned with shorter
time frames and narrower scopes that
strategic plans.
• Contingency plan
– This type of plan is needed in case
the original plans fail.
“Plans are nothing, planning is everything”
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
From this quotation, it is clearly stated that
planning is indeed very important.
• Planning is said to be the most
powerful and effective way to
attain what one wants.
• A road map that helps to reach
one‟s desired destination.
1. Creation of goals
– One important activity in the
planning process is the creation of
realistic goals, so without planning,
no project goals will be created.
2. Provides direction
– Through planning, the direction is
provided as to where the efforts
should be channeled in order to
efficiently achieve the desired
results.
3. Reduces overlapping and
wasteful activities
– Effective planning will always
prevent overlapping and
duplication of efforts as well as
reduce wastage of resources.
4. Promotes innovative ideas
– Part of the discussion during the
planning process is the promotion
of innovative ideas necessary to
exceed the competition in today‟s
world with growing and dynamic.
5. Facilitates decision making
– Planning plays an important role
not only in make important but also
efficient decisions.
6. Establishes standards for
controlling
– Planning plays an important role in
facilitating the functions of
controlling and coordinating.
Project Management
Cycle & Program Planning
• Just like any program or project, an
extension program follows a definite
management cycle.
• Typical project management life cycle
contains five steps: Initiation,
Planning, Execution,
Monitoring/Control and Closure.
Programming
Closure/Phase Identification
Out/ Scaling up
Evaluation Appraisal
Implementation Financing
1. Programming
– This refers to the development
“negotiation” process undertaken at a
governmental level and is multi-annual
and indicative.
– Purpose:
• Identify the main objectives and sectoral
priorities for cooperation
• Provide a relevant and feasible programming
framework within which projects can be
identified and prepared.
2. Identification Phase
– This phase focuses on the analysis of the
relevance of project ideas, stakeholders,
and the likely target groups and
beneficiaries as well as their situation.
– This includes:
• Problem analysis
• Identification of options and relevant projects
and partners to address identified problems.
3. Appraisal Phase
– Also known as “Project Formulation
Process” where project ideas are
developed into project plans.
– During this formulation phase, given
important consideration are the
feasibility, sustainability, and quality of
the suggested intervention and project
plan.
4. Financing
– After the appraisal, a decision is made by
the donor agency whether or not to draw
up a formal financing proposal to provide
funding for the project.
5. Implementation/project execution
– Once the financial support has been
secured, project implementation starts,
and agreed resources are used to
achieve the project purpose and the
overall objectives.
– Monitoring is also done to assess project
progress and to make necessary
adjustments to changing circumstances.
6. Evaluation
– This is a systematic and objective
assessment of an ongoing or completed
project or program.
– It aims to determine the relevance and
fulfillment of objectives, efficiency,
effectiveness, impact and sustainability.
– It provides useful information as well as
lessons learned both to the recipients
and donors.
7. Closure/Scaling Up
– A vital step in the project lifecycle as it
allows the team to evaluate and
document the project and move on to the
next one.
– A part where a manager use previous
project mistakes and successes to build
stronger processes and more successful
teams.
• Project planning is at the heart of
the project life cycle.
• It tells everyone involved where
are they going and how are they
going to get there.
• Project Identification (Project ID): This
steps includes the following activities:
– Analysis of the socio-economic and
political environment of the project area.
– Search for promising investment
opportunities to overcome problems of
potential target beneficiaries.
– Conduct community needs/situation
analysis using participatory tools.
• Project Proposal Preparation
– Done by preparing a detailed design of
the project addressing technical and
operational aspect.
– It involves preparing the ff.
• Project Concept Paper
• Full-blown project proposal
• Pre-feasibility study
• Feasibility Study
• Operation Plans
• Appraisal/Review
– This is the link between project designing
and implementation. It involves the
following.
• Critical review of important assumptions
• Analysis of the project from technical,
financial, economic, gender, social,
institutional and environmental aspects.
• Approval and Financing
–This involves securing the
approval for project
implementation and arranging
sources of funds.

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Definition and Types of

Plans and Importance of

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