Planning Theory

Front 1

Synoptic Rationalism/Synoptic Planning

Back 1

This is also known as the rational comprehensive approach, and is the point of departure for most other planning approaches.

Front 2

What are the 4 Elements of Synoptic Rationalism/Synoptic Planning?

Back 2

1) Goal Setting; 2) Identification of Policy Alternatives; 3) Evaluation of Means against Ends; 4) Implementation of Policy

Front 3

Incremental Planning

Back 3

This theory is a practical response to rationalism, and was espoused by Charles Lindbloom in The Science of Muddling Through. Planning is seen as less of a scientific technique and more of a mixture of intuition and experience. Major policy changes are best made in little increments over time. This describes what actually happens in most planning offices on a daily basis.

Front 4

Transactive Planning

Back 4

Like Incrementalism, Transactivism does not view planning purely as a scientific technique. Transactivism espouses planning as a decentralized function based on face-to-face contacts, interpersonal dialogues, and mutual learning. Transactivism is roughly behavioralist-style planning.

Front 5

Advocacy Planning

Back 5

Advocacy Planning abandons the objective, non-political view of planning contained in rationalism. Planners become like lawyers: they advocate and defend the interests of a particular client or group (which is preferable economically disadvantaged and/or politically unorganized or underrepresented).

Front 6

Paul Davidoff

Back 6

Early champion of advocacy planning. He argued that there is no one public interest for planners to serve, and thus, that planners have no choice but to become non-objective advocates for specific interests and groups.

Front 7

Saul Alinsky

Back 7

Developed an advocacy-centered vision of planning that is centered around so-called "organizations". Alinsky's organizations develop where people feel powerless. These organizations then hire planners (which Alinsky largely sees as political organizers) to identify problems, develop an awareness of these problems, and generate action.

Front 8

Alan Altshuler

Back 8

Argued for abandoning the objective, non-political view of planning. He felt that to be effective, planners must become actively involved in the political process.

Front 9

Radical Planning

Back 9

In a sense, radicalism takes transactive planning to its logical extreme. Radicalism hates centralized planning and domineering professional planners. It argues that planning is most effective when it is performed by non-professional neighborhood planning committees that empower common citizens to experiment with solving their own problems.

Front 10

Utopianism

Back 10

Utopianism believes that planning is most effective when it proposes sweeping changes that capture the public imagination. Examples include: Burnham's Plan of Chicago, Frank Lloyd Wright's Broad-Acre City, and Le Corbusier's La Ville Contemporaine.

Front 11

Methodism

Back 11

Methodism addresses situations in which the planning techniques that should be used are known, but the ends that should be achieved by these techniques are not. Such a situation would be making a population projection just to have it handy when it is needed. Methodism views planning techniques as ends in themselves.

Front 12

Dissecting Techniques

Back 12

Dissecting Techniques are used to produce theories about planning's function in society. These techniques are based on describing what planners actually do, and not on idealized visions of what planners should be doing. Incrementalism and methodism are partially products of dissecting techniques.

Front 13

Arnstein's Ladder of Participation

Back 13

Divides public participation into 3 main levels - based on the power that the general public actually has.
1) Non-participation: The general public is manipulated.
2) Tokenism: The general public is informed, consulted, and placated.
3) Citizen Power: The general public becomes a partner with actual control over policy.

Front 14

Concentric Theory (Burgess 1925)

Back 14

A city is seen as a set of concentric rings. As the city grows, each ring invades and overtakes the next ring out - a process called Invasion/Succession (theory sometimes referred to as Invasion/Succession Theory).

Rings:
The CBD
Independent Worker Housing
Better Housing
Commuter/Suburban Housing

Front 15

Sector Theory (Hoyt, 1939)

Back 15

High-density residential, commercial, and industrial uses radiate out from the CBD in "sectors" that follow major transportation routes. More expensive housing also radiates out from the CBD - towards large open spaces and higher ground. Less expensive housing takes whatever land is left over.

Front 16

Multiple Nuclei Theory (Harris and Ullman 1945)

Back 16

Certain land uses group together to take advantage of unique facilities (e.g. universities), specializations, co-dependencies, or externalities. This theory is often applied to cities with more than one CBD.