Action Planning

The action planning phase of an intervention consists of laying out the specific procedures or activities that will most likely achieve the agreed upon priority goals. These plans will describe who is doing what, when and where and requiring what resources. This detailed planning is often turned over to a planning or steering committee to work out. When the proposed plans are completed—there is often more than one approach to the achievement of the goal—they are presented to the stakeholders for modification and ratification.

It is vital that the final plan describes objectives and activities that can be monitored as the implementation starts. This includes a very dear time line (what is supposed to happen when) intended outcomes along this time line. Figures 15 and 16 show the layout of a typical project for a human service organization and examples of project success indicators are shown in the program evaluation chapter. It is important to extensively involve the stakeholders at this phase, especially if a steering committee has done the work.

Sessions involving the stakeholders can be built around the following design:

1. Introduction of the plan(s) and the rationale for them.
2. Clarification oriented questions and discussion of the plans (very brief).
3. Brainstorming a list of the strengths of the plan(s).
4. Brainstorming a list of the weaknesses of the plan(s).
5. Brainstorming suggestions to improve the plan either by building on its strengths or especially by reducing the impact of its weaknesses.
6. Arranging for next steps to brush up the plan and start its implementation.

It is assumed that the lists would be analyzed by the steering committee and used to make appropriate modifications in the plan. If serious resistance to the plan surfaced, another round of consideration might be worth it to increase stakeholder commitment and the credibility of the plan.

The major features of the action planning phase of the ICC model start with who is to do what, when and where, and necessary resources. Following these basics special attention is given to:

• How can we effectively involve the stakeholder in this action planning phase?
• How can we reduce the resistance or restraining features of the action plan?
• Who are the appropriate people to champion the implementation of various parts of the plan (people who will lead and be responsible for the activities)?

Another consideration is dealing with the 5th Assumption About Changing Social Systems, namely 'change in one part of a system will produce strain in related parts and require changes in them.' This means figuring out who the people or sub groups in this system or in related systems are, that will be impacted by the plan over time and establishing some contingency strategies to deal with them.

The final consideration of the action planning stage relates to the usual lull or slow down of momentum that takes place shortly after implementation has started. This is the point where interventions most frequently break down. It is a challenge to keep the stakeholders involved during early implementation and the new ways of doing things take a while to catch on. Or to put it differently, identifying needs, collecting and analyzing data, and goal setting and action planning are intellectual activities that are fun. Implementing action plans requires new behaviour that is stressful and perhaps unpleasant. Ideas are a dime a dozen, as I say, its the implementation that counts.

Definite procedures with realistic time frames to monitor the 'doing' phase should be incorporated into the action planning. Provisions should be made to modify the plans if they are not meeting expectations or to switch to an alternative back up plan. And if they are meeting expectations, celebrations involving all the stakeholders have been incorporated into the action plan.

Next Section - Action Taking