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6
C H A P T E R PLANNING

PART ONE
PROJECT
PLANNING

PART TWO
PLANNING FOR
DEVELOPMENT
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PART ONE P R O J E C T P L A N N I N G
■ The Elements of a
Plan
The most important part of any endeavour is the time spent planning the activity. Good
■ The Project planning can save time, effort and resources. If, as in the case of most national athletic
Planning Process
federations, these are in limited supply, the ability to plan effectively would seem to be an
■ Tips on the Planning essential management skill. Yet, when asked, many experienced athletics leaders will admit
Process
that planning is a major weakness in their organisation and that their skills are not

■ Monitoring and developed. Perhaps this is because most people would rather be doing something than
Evaluation
talking or thinking about it. In some cases it may be because the planning process is not
well understood or a normal part of the operational routine.

As a leader in a federation, however, it is your duty to ensure your organisation makes the

best use of its resources. Good planning can help. As with all skills, your ability to plan
effectively can be developed. By analysing the planning process you can increase your

understanding; through regular practice you can improve your proficiency.

"Those who fail to plan are planning to fail."

Anonymous

A The Elements Of A Plan

Just as projects and activities vary, plans can take different forms. Generally speaking, the

more resources involved or complex the project the more detailed the plan should be.
However, most plans address the following key elements:

■ Goals/Objectives – What is the project or activity trying to accomplish? What would be

considered success?
■ Steps and Tasks – What are the operational steps and the tasks involved in achieving
them? Which are the critical tasks which must be completed before others can
proceed?
■ Resources – What will be required to complete the planned project or activity? (Be
sure to consider the human, material and financial resources.) At what stages will
these resources be needed? How will the resource requirements be met?
■ Organisation – Who is involved? Who has overall responsibility? Who is responsible for
ensuring the various steps and tasks are completed correctly?
■ Timeline – When are things supposed to start and finish?

B The Project Planning Process

There is no single way to plan. Planning does not have to be a linear, step-by-step task
even though that is how a finished plan might look. Very often, plans are created through a

process which involves having initial ideas, then considering new information, adding,
taking away, refining. It is only at the end of the process that a plan we would recognise

"comes together".

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With that said, there are certain common elements of group situation or by individual members of the group.
the planning process which can be utilised to plan a Involving all the group's members in a brainstorming
project (such as an AGM, a competition, a coaching session before the planning process becomes too
course, or a fund- raising drive) or an on-going activity formal or structured is one way to increase input and
(such as the running of the federation office, a build a team feeling.
development programme or a member services

programme). The elements listed below provide a Brainstorming is a meeting designed to generate as
relatively simple guide for the process: many ideas as possible in an allotted amount of time.

A small group of people focus on an issue, problem or

1 The project leader project and make suggestions. Originality and
Whatever the project or activity, there is a need for creativity should be encouraged while criticism and
someone to be responsible for the outcome and to comment on ideas should be discouraged.
lead the project group. This person must be closely
involved in the planning and then be able to lead the One way to conduct a brainstorming session is as
group through the completion of its task. You should follows:
be satisfied that the person chosen for this role is
■ A brief description of the background of the project
prepared for the responsibility and committed to the or activity is made by the Project Leader.
success of the project. ■ All members of the planning group are given a
sheet of paper to write down all the factors they
Note: See Chapter 5 for further discussion of the think are needed to make the project successful.
role of a leader. The time limit should be fairly short – 5 to 10
minutes.
■ The ideas are then amalgamated on to a master
sheet – a flip chart, marker board or chalk board
2 The planning group
can be very useful here – and discussed by the
While planning involves quiet thinking and analysis, it whole group.

normally benefits from a group or team input. By ■ At this point additional questions should arise.
These should be encouraged and noted.
involving a number of people from the start of a

project or activity you can build team commitment and

ownership of the ideas which emerge. In the amalgamation, the participants will see that
some will have overlooked different items or taken a

Careful thought should be given to the composition different approach, but together most things will have

and size of a planning group. Enthusiasm, been covered. More importantly, each person can see

commitment, reliability, experience, knowledge or their own ideas being included in the total framework

contacts related to the activity, and ability to work with and this will help them feel more involved and be more

others are all factors which should be considered. committed to the success of the project.

The group should not be too big, as this will affect its

ability to work efficiently, but it should be large enough 4 Considering the elements of a plan
to have credibility with volunteers and other groups In the next stage each of the key elements of a plan

who must support the plan in some way. outlined above must be discussed and reference

made to the list of ideas produced in the

3 Brainstorming brainstorming session. This process will give focus

Many planning groups do not function as well as they and structure to the ideas. Each element should be

should because the ideas and talents of those carefully considered from the point of view of its

involved are not fully utilised. People can be relevance to the project and the detail involved.

intimidated by a challenging task, by working in a Input from the entire group should be sought and

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notes should be taken – again, a flip chart, marker a large or complex project is called a flow chart. The
board or chalk board can be very useful. flow chart is a graphic presentation showing the tasks,

how they relate to each other and to the timeline of

Special emphasis should be given to the tasks and the project (See the box on next page).
steps. A list containing the following information should
be constructed : Once the written plan is completed, the project should

be under way. Depending on the size and nature of

■ Tasks.
the project, the entire planning process may take an
■ Tasks which depend on the completion of other
tasks or activities. hour or it may take several days spread over a period

■ Time required for each task. of time.

■ When each task must be complete.

■ Resources needed for the task. Remember, time taken at the planning stage is an
■ Who will do each task. investment in the success of the project.

Often, a decision on one element will necessitate

changes to the ideas already expressed regarding the
Tips on the Planning
other elements. If the project is important or involves a C Process
lot of resources it is essential that this process is not

rushed. When developing a plan it may be helpful to keep the

following in mind:

Another reason for making sure there is enough time

■ Plan far enough in advance, do not leave it to the
for the planning process is the fact that it may be last minute and do a rush job.

necessary to carry out some research to answer ■ Prepare the plan in close co-operation with those
affected by its implementation.
questions which have come up in this step or during
■ Check if the plan is realistic, i.e., can the activities
the brainstorming session. In this case, someone actually be accomplished as the plan describes?
should be assigned to get the information and report ■ Make sure tasks are manageable.
back to the group, meaning this step could be ■ When assigning responsibilities, be careful not to
overload one individual or group within the
prolonged
organisation.
■ Individuals assigned tasks must be able to answer
5 Getting it down on paper questions such as:

Once the group is satisfied that all the elements of the • 'What am I being asked to do?'

plan have been properly addressed, the final plan can • 'What is the expected outcome?'

be written out. • 'When is it due?'

• 'How much time will it take?'

The detail and wording of the final plan should be • 'What resources and support do I have to
complete this task?'
considered from the point of view of who will need to
■ Be sure to agree to deadlines for critical tasks and
see it – nobody wants to read volumes about a simple write them into the plan.
task, yet it should not be assumed that because the ■ Spread time-lines over the full period of the plan;
most people have a tendency to plan everything
planning group discussed a matter everyone else will
for the first or last quarter of the time available.
understand it.

A tool which can be effective for presenting the plan of

Monitoring and
Evaluation

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FLOW CHART FOR MAKING A CUP OF TEA

The diagram below is a simple flow chart illustrating the "project" of making a cup of tea. The project steps are set out in
sequence and a timeline shows the time each step will take and the total time (10 minutes) for the project.

Each arrowhead indicates a point where a task or tasks must be completed before the next can be started eg. the kettle
must be filled with water before it can be put on the heat. Note that while the kettle is boiling, another task, putting the
tea in the pot, can take place simultaneously and that both are completed before the next task starts. This is often the
case in larger, more complex projects. Note also that putting milk and sugar in the cups are shown lightly shaded as
these are optional steps.

By adjusting the list of tasks and the timescale, a flow chart can be created for almost any project. It can be studied to
identify problems, such as the timing of critical tasks, the over-commitment of human and material resources, or the
omission of important tasks.

should meet one more time for an honest and frank

D
Monitoring progress and developments during the appraisal of all aspects of the project.
course of a project and evaluation at completion or at

an agreed point are important elements of the Questions to ask in the evaluation of a project include:
planning process. They actually begin when the goals
■ 'Did we accomplish what we wanted to?'
and objectives for the project are set.
■ 'Were the goals realistic?'

■ 'How well did things go?'

Monitoring includes:
■ 'How might things be done better?'

■ Measurement of the progress of the overall plan by ■ 'Did people get the information, resources, time,
comparing "what is" to "what ought to be". support, etc., they needed to complete the task
they were asked to do?'
■ Identification of any changes needed in the overall
plan (additions or deletions), based on the success ■ 'Were people properly motivated and committed to
(or lack thereof) of the tasks and the changing the plan and project?'
environment.
At this time, points on the master sheet produced in
Evaluation of the project or activity, and of the the brainstorm session can be checked to find out if
planning process itself, after completion will improve factors emerged during the project which were not
your planning skills. Ideally, the original planning group envisaged originally. Based on this discussion,

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adaptations for planning of future projects can be

made.

SUSTAINING COMMITMENT TO A PLAN

To sustain commitment by the project team you should

keep in mind the following principles:

■ Participation – Participation in the planning

process significantly increases commitment to the
plan and the project.
■ Leadership – The leadership of the team and the
organisation must demonstrate their ongoing
commitment to the plan in a consistent and visible
manner.
■ Challenge – The plan must provide challenging
assignments that are delegated with sufficient
authority to permit independent work and a sense
of accomplishment.
■ Recognition – People need reinforcement to
continue implementing plans. Even simple
recognition of the work done motivates and builds
further commitment.

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PART TWO P L A N N I N G F O R D E V E L O P M E N T
■ What is
Development
Planning? In the past it may have been possible for many national athletic federations to do more or
less the same thing year after year and remain successful. There was no real reason to
■ 5 Key Steps for
Creating a plan for development and the planning that was done was focused on individual projects
Development Plan and short-term issues. These days the situation is very different. Development is no longer

■ Monitoring and
a luxury, something that just happens as a result of things working out well. Development is
Refining a a necessity to attract and retain athletes, volunteers and resources. Federations must plan
Development Plan
to develop. They must ensure that their services and structures meet the needs of the
customers of tomorrow – otherwise they will be marginalised and possibly cease to exist.

Development planning, therefore, is a management skill which has become essential for
the leaders of a federation.

A What is Development Planning?

"If you don't know where you want to go, you might end up some place you
don't want to be."
Anonymous

Development planning, often called strategic planning, is the process of determining where

an organisation is going – in other words, what it wants to be in the future – and how it
intends to get there. It involves looking carefully at the organisation and the environment it

must work in, setting worthwhile but realistic goals and putting together a co-ordinated plan
of action for reaching those goals.

A well-prepared development plan can help a federation in many ways including:

■ Saving time, misunderstandings and duplicated effort by getting everyone in the

federation working in the same direction towards the same goals.
■ Providing a frame of reference for decisions on human and financial resource allocation.
■ Creating a basis for measuring performance.

Having a development plan is like having a road map for a journey; it is not a guarantee

that the destination will be reached but it is a very valuable tool. With a development plan a
federation can be in control of its destiny in a changing environment and in a position to

capitalise on unforseen advantages. Even if it must react to negative events or changes it

can do so in a more controlled way than if it had no plan.

Moreover, creating a development plan is a demonstration of a serious and professional

approach on the part of the federation which can provide value by:

■ Developing credibility with government, sponsors and other sources of support.

■ Developing a positive image for the federation and the sport.

5 Key Steps for Creating a Development

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B Plan recognise and agree signal the time is right for a

change.

1 Building readiness
Development planning is, by its nature, planning for WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN
DEVELOPMENT PLANNING?
change. The creation of a development plan will
probably alter current ways of doing things within the Development planning is as much a political exercise
as a logical, rational process. Though the process can
federation and could lead to resistance on the part of be managed by a co-ordinator or small group, it
should not be simply delegated to a planner.
some of those involved. Therefore, it needs to be

introduced in a logical and carefully thought-out All elements of the sport, and as many individuals as
possible, should have some input and involvement in
manner. the planning process. This will contribute to wide
ownership of the plan and support for its
implementation.
The most important test of any plan is in its
It is particularly important that the views of the
implementation; without commitment and support from
athletes are well represented in the process.
those who must be involved in the implementation Throughout the planning process the visible and
whole-hearted involvement of the leadership and other
even the best plans will fail. The following suggestions
key personnel of the federation are essential.
may assist in minimising resistance and building
commitment and enthusiasm for implementing a 2 Situation analysis
development plan:
It is important to take stock of the current state of the

■ Build dissatisfaction with the status quo, promote federation and its environment. The insights gained
the need for new direction and planned change. will provide a basis for deciding what the federation
■ Educate people about development planning; can accomplish and where it should be going. Simple
make sure they know about how a development
plan can help the federation and the process questions are often used as a way of gathering
involved.
information in the situation analysis:
■ Make the desired outcomes of the planning
process clear. ■ 'What is the federation doing well?'
■ Involve people in the decision making process ■ 'Is the federation meeting the needs of its
around the planning process through formal and members and other customers?'
informal consultation.
■ 'What does the federation need to improve?'
■ Keep people informed by sharing information
about the process and the outcome. ■ 'What is blocking the federation from being more
effective?'
■ 'Is the federation's structure and organisation
helping or hindering activities?'
"There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, ■ 'Who is the federation's competition and what are
more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in they doing?'
its success than to take the lead in the
introduction of a new order of things, because Make sure that all aspects of the sport are considered
the innovator has for enemies all those who
carefully, look at both the grass roots and elite sides.
have done well under the old conditions, and
luke-warm defenders in those who may do well The more people in the federation who can contribute
under the new." to the situation analysis the better. This will ensure a

Niccolò Machiavelli (1446-1507): The Prince wide spectrum of opinions and perceptions – and
gathering the information will be a chance to educate

Many organisations use a significant date or milestone people about the planning process and gain their

as a motivation for creating a development plan. The support. If only selected people are consulted, the

coming of a new decade, the turn of the century, the range of responses will be more limited.

75th anniversary of foundation, the hosting of a major For clarity, the results of a situation analysis can be

competition are the type of events which people presented in the form which looks at:

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analysis. Gaps or areas to be worked on will appear

■ Strengths.
between the present reality and the desired future.
■ Weaknesses.
These gaps are where work must be done to achieve
■ Opportunities.
the vision and the main gaps are often called Areas of
■ Threats.
Emphasis. Common examples of areas of emphasis
include:
3 Strategic framework
The strategic framework is the part of the ■ Structure and organisational effectiveness.

development plan which tells where the federation ■ Marketing, and communications.

wants to go and what it has to do to get there. It starts ■ Officiating.

with the creation of a picture of what people would like ■ Events.

the federation to be like in the future. The expression ■ Coaching.

of this vision describes a federation that is better than ■ Athlete development.

that which exists now. It sets out the future ■ Facilities.

expectations of the federation, and how it will be ■ Sponsorship and fund raising.

perceived by its customers and the public at large. Most development plans contain five or six areas of
emphasis. This number is a good guideline for
Remember that the needs and interests of the maintaining a realistic and manageable plan.
athletes must be at the heart of the vision.

Within each area of emphasis two or three goals

Once it is possible to articulate, the vision must should be set. These should be carefully considered
become an integral part of the federation and kept at as they are what it will take to close the gap between
the forefront of its activity at all times. No major the present reality and the vision. They are also the
decision should be made, no programme or activity outline of the federation's working programme for
designed or evaluated, without reference to the vision. reaching the vision. Goals do not have to bring the
The question must be constantly asked: 'Does what federation to the vision in one jump. In fact, it is better
we are doing contribute to achieving our vision?' if they relate to a specific period of time and are
The spark for the process of creating a vision should updated later when they have been accomplished.
come from the federation's leaders, but in the end, the
vision must be widely shared and the more people 4 Operational plan
who can be involved in talking, debating and writing The operational plan turns the development
about the vision, the better. Again, wide participation framework (what) into a working programme (how).
will promote wide ownership. In the operational plan each of the areas of emphasis
When a federation has a vision of where it wants to becomes a project with its own project plan.
be, it is time to compare it carefully to the situation

SAMPLE PLANNING ANALYSIS

Strengths: Weaknesses:
■ A strong individual athlete ■ No top class women athletes
■ Good administration ■ Few young players coming through
■ Quality coaching ■ Poor facilities

Opportunities: Threats:
■ Potential sponsor ■ Increased costs
■ School/club link evening ■ Volunteers going to other sports
■ District Youth Development meetings ■ Kids prefer TV to physical activity

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and external credibility of the organisation will be

Project leaders and groups should be appointed. damaged.
If the process up to this point has included
participation and ownership, there should be a number Monitoring and Refining
of individuals and groups willing to take on a Development Plan
assignments. Sometimes planning a project is best

assigned to an existing committee or sub-committee C Development planning and implementation of a

and sometimes it is better if a completely new group is development plan must become a continual process.
formed. A regular evaluation of the working programme will
allow the federation to think about how things have
The task of each group will be to start with the goals been going, whether the right things have been
set in the development framework and produce plans attempted and whether there are other things which
for activities which include: should be done.

■ Steps and tasks needed to accomplish the goals.

A monitoring process should be added to the
■ Resources required.
federation's meeting schedule. Using the areas of
■ Organisation – the people involved and
responsible. emphasis as agenda items, the project leaders can

■ Timeline. report on progress and difficulties, set new goals

when the original goals are reached and, if necessary,

It is recommended that the project groups follow the
suggest any changes which need to be made.
project planning procedure outlined in the first part of
Regular discussion will help to ensure that the plan
this chapter.
stays at the forefront of the federation's ongoing

operations.
5 Implementation
Implementation is action. Without implementation
In the end, a development plan cannot remain
going through an elaborate planning process is a
completely static. The situation and environment will
waste of time and resources. Too often a great amount
be different at some point in the future – the
of effort is given the situation analysis and production
competition faced by the federation, the expectations
of plan but less is given to the implementation.
of the membership, the political and economic climate
Ideally, however, the greatest amount of effort should
are all subject to change. While it is essential to keep
be in the implementation phase.
sight of the vision the federation has set for itself,
flexibility, modification and adaptation are also very
It is vital that implementation of the plan and the core
important.
operation of the federation become one and the same
thing. Regular communication from the leadership is a

key factor. Everyone involved – volunteers, staff,

athletes and even those outside the organisation –

must be shown, over and over again, how every

activity is related and contributes to the

implementation of the plan.

If the development plan is not seen as central to all

that the federation does, the plan will fail, expectations

that have been raised will be dashed, and the internal

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