Principles and Practices of Planning

Author: Leng Zhaosong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-05-01
Features: Whether a plan is outstanding or not is determined by its results after implementation. In planning practice, planners often complain that working with clients is difficult—they treat you like an "expert" at first, then like an "ordinary person," and eventually like a "stranger" or even an "enemy." I believe the relationship between planners and clients depends on the effectiveness of the planning. Only when a plan achieves results can the client be satisfied. Otherwise, if the problem isn't solved and no benefits are gained, the client will inevitably leave the planner. Therefore, for any type of planning, planning effectiveness is the only standard for evaluating the plan and the planner. Outstanding planning is one that successfully solves the client's practical problems. The so-called "idea king" is no longer suitable for the requirements of the knowledge economy era. Planning is a capital of knowledge, where planners use their brilliant and innovative thinking to creatively find the essential and key connections between background knowledge and practical tasks, generating the most effective action plans for this time, place, and matter. I think this is the essence of the "solution to planning" advocated by the editor-in-chief Leng Zhaosong and Liu Xiangqian in their book "Principles and Practices of Planning." Under the conditions of a socialist market economy, planning should aim for the highest goals of economic prosperity, social justice, and the all-round development of people. The planning process, planning solutions, and their implementation should focus on two points: first, a sense of legal compliance and credibility; second, a spirit of humanistic care. Winning for oneself does not necessarily mean putting competitors in a position of defeat. In planning, there may be "opponents" and "imaginary enemies." Except for military war planning and terrorist planning, the best outcome of planning is not to have a "win-lose" situation but rather for "everyone to live better," achieving "win-win" or "multi-win" results.