Interpretive Planning

If you clicked on this link hoping to find examples of interpretive plans, you’re probably going to be a little disappointed. I’m not actually posting examples of plans, but I am going to explain why I’m always hesitant to provide someone who is learning how to plan with specific document examples.

It’s pretty simple, really. I strongly believe in principle #4 – Every process will be different because every project is unique. What that translates to in plan documents is that the same table of contents probably won’t work for any two (or two hundred) projects. Interpretive planning that follows a template approach isn’t really planning in my way of thinking. Filling in the blanks is just that and doesn’t require much thought. It also doesn’t help you to assess whether your decisions make sense when tested against the filters of management objectives, budget, staffing, maintenance, and other variables. Cutting and pasting whole sections from other plan documents is never a good idea.

The good news is that without a template, you’re free to approach your project in whatever way makes the most sense, as long as you remember to pay attention to all of the 5-m areas (management, message, markets, mechanics, and media). The bad news is that without a template, there’s very little structure to give you guidance if you’re new at this. And therein lies the problem. I’ve watched people look at plan examples and assume that because a particular approach was used in the example, that all interpretive plans should have that same approach. Nothing could be further from the truth.

One interpretive planning class participant recently brought up how confusing and overwhelming the process can be without specific instructions for how to complete a reasonable plan. I wish there were some way to make it really easy and still have it be effective, but I haven’t figured that out yet. The truth is, planning isn’t always easy. It requires a thoughtful process with consideration of a lot of variables and that’s work, any way you slice it.

Having said all of that, I’m now rethinking the sharing of plan samples a bit. I showed a couple of examples of plans I have worked on to the last planning class and was pleased by the response afterwards. I literally walked the class through the process showing what information I was given to start with and how that was applied throughout the process to result in a document. With the explanation that I could offer in person, I was comfortable with this . . . but I still would not have wanted to simply lay the plans on the table or post them on the website without the opportunity to explain why they included the elements they did and didn’t include other elements that some people might have felt compelled to put in.

One of the reasons we do a hands-on real project during the planning course is to provide the opportunity for one on one coaching so that you can see how your approach to the project might be tweaked for greater effectiveness. Granted, the class project may be very different than your own project waiting for you back at your office, but at least it will get you thinking about process and where to start with things and what questions to ask along the way.

In short, there is no one right way to “do” an interpretive plan. Every project is unique, so every process will be a little different to accommodate the variables. And consequently, each document will be a little different as well. Understanding where to start, how to proceed, what to sift in or out, what and when to test, and how to put all the pieces together takes experience and lots of it. But the only way to get that experience is to start . . . and don’t be afraid to ask questions. It’s the only way to get better. In my role here at NAI, I’m available as a resource to help answer questions to the best of my ability. I’m hoping to experiment with some other ways to share examples with explanations – webinars or other on-line tools – as ways to augment what we do in the class and provide some help for those who can’t make it to a class. In the meantime, please feel free to pick up the phone . . . I’ll look forward to hearing from you.

Your boss has just walked in the door and said, “we need an interpretive plan and you’re going to write it.” Because you’re a good employee, you nod and smile and agree to get it done as efficiently as possible. But you’ve never done it before – maybe you know something about interpretation and maybe you don’t, but you’ve never had to actually write an interpretive plan. Where do you start?

Even experienced planners find themselves asking this question with every project. And the logical starting point is not always the same (remember principle #4 – Every process will be different, because every project is unique). But there are some simple questions you can ask to get the ball rolling.

First, ask if you can have help. Is there any money to hire this done or do you have coworkers who can serve on a planning team? If you can hire it done, it doesn’t mean you can abandon the project once your contractor is hired – you’re still going to need to know how to do this so that you can work with your contractor to get what you want and need. If you can put together a coworker planning team, be sure to assign someone (maybe you) as the project leader to make sure that the project continues to move forward. If you have time, consider taking an interpretive planning class or reading a book to get some familiarity with process and products.

Next, determine the scope of the project and what purpose you want the plan to serve. Is it long-range, short-term, for a single location or multiple units? What is the planning “bubble” that your work will encompass? Perhaps the most important question to ask is what are you really trying to accomplish? Once you know that, then you can begin to look at background material that might be relevant to the challenge you’re trying to resolve.

Certainly, reviewing (or creating) the mission of the organization is critical at this stage because it can help you determine whether the project you’re attempting is even appropriate to the agency. Some plans get, or should get, stopped in their tracks at this point because a quick review of organizational mission and goals reveals that the project isn’t a good fit and shouldn’t be pursued.

Next, you might want to create the impact and outcome levels of your logic model (see previous blogs on logic models). These will help inform what you’re going to do next and what background resources you will need to create the most effective plan.

From there, you’re going to have to start making choices about what to do next. Certainly, gathering information about your resources (not just the natural or cultural artifacts and features, but also operational resources like staffing, facilities, and budget), and your audiences is critical. The analysis of the information you gather and matching that analysis against your objectives will begin to reveal what options you might want to pursue next.

Simply put, the interpretive planning process can be fairly simple and straightforward or it can be extremely complex, depending on the individual project situation. But you have to start somewhere. Pick your starting place and get going – it’s the only way it’s going to get done.