Planning Theory for Practitioners

process by which we attempt to shape the future

(1) the “improvement of human settlements”; (2) “interconnections” among the various facets of the community (again, the “comprehensiveness” theme); (3) “pathways of change over time,” referring to the processes of goal formulation, forecasting, and plan-making for the future; (4) “the diversity of needs and distributional consequences in human settlements,” reflecting concerns about social and economic equity; (5) “open participation in decisionmaking,” involving concerns for citizen participation and representation, negotiation and dispute resolution, and clear communication; and (6) “linking knowledge and collective action,” which refers to recognition of the interdependence between the practice and academic branches of the profession, and the importance of the knowledge generated by both.

planners need not be fearful of, or dismayed by, the political processes that they frequently encounter—that in fact there are ways in which these processes can be harnessed to planning’s benefit.