Evaluation and Urban Planning Charting New Territory Mark

Evaluation and Urban Planning: Charting New Territory Mark Seasons, Ph. D. School of Planning University of Waterloo 15 May 2000

Presentation Background Study Finding Implications for Practice

Context New ways of doing business Response to resource constraints Concerns about effectiveness Demands for accountability Efficiency-driven organizations Focus on performance measurement

Study What role(s) for monitoring and evaluation? Directions from theory and literature? Realities of practice? Comparison and contrast Lessons learned Best practices

Study Monitoring and evaluation (M+E) - lots of discussion in literature Part of rational planning model Big issue in 1960’s, early 1970’s Focus on quantitative techniques Examples: cost-benefit, impact analysis

Typical Monitoring Activities Demography Population Economic patterns Development trends Infrastructure capacity Natural environment (impacts)

Study Issue: what is nature of practice? How much and type of M+E? Gap between theory and practice – why so little M+E? Research: literature review, content analysis and interviews Senior planners from Ontario’s regional municipalities

Study Findings M+E done by every regional municipality Nature and type varies widely Typical: tracking development trends, demographics, staff performance Atypical: probe for values, perceptions, use of sophisticated indicators Innovations: report cards, focus groups

Study Findings Monitoring a regular activity Evaluation episodic Most do basic M+E Issues: resource constraints, political will, organizational culture, time Issue: evaluable plans and policies Issue: appropriate indicators

Enabling Factors Staff, time, expertise Learning organization Evaluable goals, objectives, policies Respect for policy, long-term planning Clear, supportable rationale Indicators – qualitative and quantitative Consultation and participation

Impediments Resource constraints – real and perceived Insecure organizational culture Focus on “action”, short-term Reliance on traditional quantitative data Absence of political, administrative support Ineffective indicators Poor communications strategy

Implications M+E essential in performance-based decision-making environment Process must be tailored to context Must be easily managed, maintained Indicators a critical element Quantitative and qualitative data essential Must be introduced incrementally

Leaders Hamilton-Wentworth (VISION 2020) York Region (Report Card) Seattle (Sustainable development) Calgary (Transportation Plan)

Applications Land Use Policy Plans Process Monitoring Staff Performance Special Purpose Policies Support for Corporate Benchmarking