PLAN40630 Planning Methods, Skills & Techniques

Academic Year 2024/2025

This module is concerned with the array of methods and techniques which planners use to inform decision-making at strategic and development management level. The formulation of national, regional and local plans requires planners to have a good working knowledge of how to gather, interpret and forecast key socio-economic information; to set strategic options; to appraise the plan environmentally and to set indicators for performance measurement. With regard to development management, techniques such as project managemetn, demographic forecasting and environmental impact assessment and allow planners to evaluate the likely impact of development proposals. The module thus seeks to introduce students to, and develop a proficiency in, some of the main practical methods and means by which planners seek to achieve the goals they have set.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of the module the student will:
1)Understand the need for accurate and comprehensive information in order to aid the decision-making process.
2) Be familiar with key information sources, their uses and their limitations
3) Understand the logic and operation of key decision-making techniques.
4) Be able to interpret and criticise key decision-making techniques.

Indicative Module Content:

Unit 1: Leadership and Project Management

Leadership involves the ability to promote specific goals and to garner the support and aid necessary for achieving them. To be effective, planners have to exercise leadership, enable and empower their teams to use their capacities, and stay in control of the planning and development process. This element of the module will review different leadership and management principles and styles.

Project Management
Within the planning system, it has been identified that sometimes planners lack knowledge of project management. This part of the module assists in addressing that deficit. The key principles of project management are introduced, focusing on problem identification and analysis, generation of solutions, project appraisal techniques, implementation, management and leadership skills. Project management principles are applied to a number of planning projects, with an in-depth examination of all planning aspects from inception to completion, including studying plans and drawings.

Unit 2: Population and Housing Analysis
- Understanding population analysis
- Forecasting population trends
- Housing Needs and Demand Analysis

Unit 3: Environmental Assessment
- Environmental Impact Assessment
- Strategic Impact Assessment
- Appropriate Assessment

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Autonomous Student Learning

176
Lectures

18
Laboratories

6
Studio

14
Total

214
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The module is based on a mixture of lectures, seminars and studio work.
One of the highlights is that leading planning practitioners deliver much of the module content.
 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): Focuses on project managment and leadership Week 10 Graded No

35

 No
Group Work Assignment: Focuses on demography and housing, using Census data Week 12 Graded No

35

 No
Report(s): Focuses on environmental assessmetn techniques Week 12 Graded No

30

 No

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Online automated feedback

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