Evaluating the Outcomes of Plans: Theory, Practice, and Methodology

Lucie Laurian, Jan Crawford, Maxine Day, Peter Kouwenhoven, Greg Mason, Neil Ericksen and Lee Beattie
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Lucie Laurian: Urban and Regional Planning, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
Jan Crawford: Planning Consultants Ltd, 14 New St Mary's Bay, Auckland, New Zealand
Maxine Day: PO Box 103, Waihi Beach, New Zealand
Peter Kouwenhoven: International Global Change Institute, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand
Greg Mason: Inform Planning Ltd, 5 Galway Avenue, Hamilton, New Zealand
Neil Ericksen: International Global Change Institute, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand
Lee Beattie: University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland 1142, New Zealand

Environment and Planning B, 2010, vol. 37, issue 4, 740-757

Abstract: Despite calls for performance-oriented and evidence-based planning, the outcomes of land use and environmental plans are rarely monitored or assessed ex post facto (that is, post implementation). As a result, planners cannot know whether or why plans achieve their goals, or learn from the results of past interventions to improve planning practice. This evaluation gap is caused by a lack of methodology to evaluate the outcomes of plans and the difficulty of attributing changes to planning activities. We address this gap by proposing and testing a plan-outcome evaluation (POE) methodology. We demonstrate its broad applicability and usefulness in the context of local plans in New Zealand. The POE methodology will be useful to practitioners and academics seeking to assess the outcomes of plans in countries with western planning traditions.

Date: 2010
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:envirb:v:37:y:2010:i:4:p:740-757

DOI: 10.1068/b35051

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