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NEEDS ASSESSMENT

NEEDS ASSESSMENT. Planning by Design…………… Not by Default. PLANNING. “Don’t approach planning as a precise science. Planning is an imprecise art.” ~Harry Beckwith, Selling the Invisible ~. CONSTRAINTS. Money Time Information “Adapt, Don’t Adopt”. WHERE TO BEGIN?.

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NEEDS ASSESSMENT

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  1. NEEDS ASSESSMENT • Planning by Design…………… Not by Default

  2. PLANNING “Don’t approach planning as a precise science. Planning is an imprecise art.” ~Harry Beckwith, Selling the Invisible~

  3. CONSTRAINTS • Money • Time • Information “Adapt, Don’t Adopt”

  4. WHERE TO BEGIN? • Be clear in your purpose…….. “When a man does not know what harbour he is making for, no wind is the right wind.” ~Seneca, Roman Philosopher~ 3 B.C.-A.D.65

  5. ANDREW HAYDON PARK

  6. FUDDLE DUDDLE DEV’T • No Vision • No Consensus • No Purpose • No Strategy • No Integrated Design

  7. DEFINE THE SCOPE • Strategic Plan/ Master Plan • Needs Assessment • Feasibility Assessment • Concept Plan • Working Drawings • Implementation • Evaluation

  8. THE TOOLKIT: INTERNAL DATA • Existing Reports: Master Plans/ Operational Reviews/ Studies • Internal Documentation: Budgets, Annual Reports, Minutes, Audits

  9. THE TOOLKIT: EXTERNAL DATA “Demographics explain about two-thirds of everything.” ~ David Foot, Boom, Bust and Echo~

  10. THE TOOLKIT: DEMOGRAPHICS

  11. THE TOOLKIT: DEMOGRAPHICS

  12. Age Cohort Longfields Graham Park Baby-Boom Echo 0-14 26.1% 16.6% Baby-Bust 15-29 21.7 16.6 Baby-Boom 30-49 42.5 25.0 WW11 50-54 3.4 7.6 Depression Babies 55-64 3.4 16.3 Roaring Twenties 65-74 1.8 13.1 WW1 74-79 1 3.3 Pre-WW1 80+ 1 1.4 Total Population 3413 1822 Average Household Income $65,134 $119,260 THE TOOLKIT: DEMOGRAPHICS

  13. THE TOOLKIT: DEMOGRAPHICS

  14. THE TOOLKIT: TRENDS • The Big Picture:

  15. THE TOOLKIT: TRENDS • Your Picture:

  16. THE TOOLKIT: TRENDS Sources of Information: • Statistics Canada • LIN/ PERC • Professional Publications/ Conferences • Provincial Associations • University Publications • Data Collection over Time • Other [www.canada25.com]

  17. THE TOOLKIT: CONSULTATION • One-on-One Interviews • Focus Sessions • Site Visits • Forums/ Working Sessions • Open House • Public Meetings/ Presentations

  18. One-On-One Interviews • Structured/ Semi-structured/ Open • Confidentiality • Build rapport first • Explain benefits of Study • Talk less, listen more • Fact Finding/ Not Arguing

  19. FOCUS SESSION “Beware of focus groups; they focus only on today. And planning is about tomorrow.” ~Harry Beckwith, Selling the Invisible~

  20. FOCUS SESSION • 1.5-2.5 hours; 6-12 people • Can be taped for analysis • Looking for ‘common themes’ • Good pre-survey information • Exchange ideas/ build understanding • Listen more than talk • Brainstorming

  21. SITE VISITS “Qualitative” Analysis

  22. PUBLIC MEETING • Often at the beginning and end of a Study Process • Presentation required giving overview • Feedback from the public encouraged • Can develop on-going mailing lists/ communication • Promoted in local press

  23. OPEN HOUSE • When Preliminary Results are ready • Want to encourage one-on-one exchange • Want to avoid confrontation • Want to dissipate the crowd • Excellent for Design Input • Provide opportunity over longer timeframe

  24. FORUMS WORKSHOPS • Exchange information • Eradicate the ‘myths’ • Resolve issues/ design • Spend concentrated effort/ time • Build Consensus

  25. ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILES • Volunteers – Not Staff • Keep Simple • Past Patterns • Projected Needs • Watch for Exaggeration!

  26. QUANTITATIVE TOOLS: THE SURVEY • Contract Out • University/ College Assisted • Internal [staff] • Volunteers

  27. THE SURVEY • What’s the Purpose? • What information do you need? • What sample size? – entire population/ random sample/ stratified sample • Sample Method: Telephone/ mail/ web-based/ face-to-face

  28. SURVEY LESSONS: • A ‘Committee Survey’ is a camel • If you think it’s too long, it’s really too long • Pre-test, Pre-Test, Pre-Test • Pay attention to ‘process’ – methodology will always be questioned

  29. SURVEY RESULTS “There are three kinds of Lies: Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics” ~Disraeli~ “Statistics are like alienists – they will testify for either side.” ~ La Guardia, , 1933~

  30. THE ART & THE SCIENCE MULTIPLE LINES OF INQUIRY

  31. FROM RESEARCH TO REALITY

  32. GREENSPACE STRATEGY

  33. HAVE FUN!!

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