Amos Brandeis
Title of Speech: Planning for people and with them: Practical lessons from global experience
Abstract: The most important key for successful planning is “Working with People”. The no. 1 challenge we face as planners is: “How can we do it?”. In this talk practical lessons drawn from an analysis of very diverse planning work carried out in many countries, will be demonstrated and discussed. The main conclusion is the essential role of successful collaboration with 4 main groups of people, i.e. clients, stakeholders, team members and the people, who actually live in the place. The best clients demonstrate real leadership, passion and involvement. The Alexander cross border river restoration project (1995), which is the only Israeli-Palestinian environmental collaboration with “on the ground results”, proves that no wall can be an obstacle for real leadership. The success of a project is very much dependent on collaboration with the main stakeholders. They should preferably all be involved from the beginning of the planning process. The plan should try to create a delicate balance between their needs and interests, but without losing our “professional integrity” – no “Jelly Plans”. Everybody wants to be part of a success story, and this means “let the ego go”. There is always enough credit for all. The plan for the largest Bedouin City in the world (winner of the 2013 ISOCARP Award for Excellence), demonstrates how Ministers, Prime Ministers, and even the President of State were involved. Urban and regional plans are prepared by interdisciplinary planning teams. The major challenge of the team leader is how to manage the team and integrate the enormous experience of these experts. How to use their strength and knowledge, as a passionate team, and not treat them as technicians who want to have a free ride. Planning the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth, with a team of 19 consultants, from 3 continents, will demonstrate this approach. The People who live in the place are the real clients. The “Human Factor” is so important in any project, because the mission of the planners is “to plan for the people”. The planner receives his fee and moves on to his next project, but they will live forever with what he has planned for them… People are diverse, but all people have needs, interests, and dreams. Four lessons learned from work with some of the poorest and richest people on earth will be discussed: 1. learning, 2. trust building, 3. planning with the people, and 4. creation of sensitive plans. For each lesson the main challenges will be defined, and a set of tools proposed. Some the main issues are methods to identify common interests, overcome cultural gaps, build mutual trust, and use mediators. Planning in the modern world is complex and extremely challenging. Planning is a very diverse, inspiring and creative profession. Planners should feel privileged to work with people, and to have the opportunity to make a real difference to their lives.
Planning for people and with them: Practical lessons from global experience
Amos Brandeis ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane, 1.10.2013 Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013
Introduction The most important key for successful planning is: “Working with People” The no. 1 challenge we face as planners is: “How can we do it?” In this talk I will try to analyze my projects and draw practical lessons about: Who are the people? Why is the “Human Factor” in planning so important? What are the possible tools we can use?
Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 2
1 20 years ago I was very young and naive… I thought planning is like preparing a drawing and a report
me
Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 3
10 years ago I was less young and less naive… I thought planning is like assembling a complicated puzzle
Kishon River Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 4
2 Now I am older and more realistic… I think planning is like solving the Rubik’s Cube
Before Electricity Water Quality Seismology Communication Sky line
Tourism Sewage Open spaces
After
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Collaboration - with whom? Clients Stakeholders Teaeam me mbe rs The people who actually live in the place - “Our real Clients”
Wanted 47th ISOCARP conference, China, 10.2011 (for credit…) Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 6
3 Clients Bad: Not involved. Quality not important. Cheap & standard plans
(not) me
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Clients Normal: Involved. Help. Open doors. Quality is important. Fast
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4 Clients Excellent: Fully involved. Passion. Leadership. Highest Quality Alexander River
The Planner
Mahmoud J. Nahum I. Former Mayor Former Mayor of Emek Hefer of Tul Karem Regional Council Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 9
Clients - Leadership A polluted cross-border river
Emek The Border until 1996 Hefer Tul Karem
Nablus
The Border now Alexander River Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 10
5 Clients - Leadership The river 1996-2003
Alexander River Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 11
Clients - Leadership Overcome all geo-political obstacles and go to Tul Karem… and sign 2 agreements… and restore the river in collaboration
Alexander River Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 12
6 Clients - Leadership Without real leadership this wouldn’t have happened… Alexander River
Before After Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 13
Stakeholders Everybody has to be on board from the beginning. Full engagement. A delicate balance between needs & competing interests is important (without loosing our “Professional Integrity”- no “Jelly Plans”). Everyyybody wants to be pypart of a success story… “Ego go…” - There is enough credit for everyone…
Rahat
Rahat Alexander River Rahat Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 14
7 Team members “Consultantitis” The sick consultant
me
No free rides Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 15
Team members Bedouin team member’s experience (years): 20+20+29+26+30+35+42+66+31+23+40+38+20+13+23= 456 (Average:27) “By working together, giving up our desire to show that we are supermen, and other people “don’t know”, by giving freedom to others to contribute their strengths to our common goal you can create a superpower.” Mor Lanel Tourism Consultant, Dead Sea Plan
Burkina Faso team Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 16
8 Team members International collaboration between planners and international planning teams have great advantages Israel USA France China
Australia “Ambassadors” and worldwide river planners collaboration IRF, International River Foundation, Brisbane, Australia Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 17
Team members ISOCARP’s tool for young planners to practice team work YPP - Young Planning Professionals Program
Pushchino, Russia Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 18
9 Team members ISOCARP’s tool for senior and young planners to practice team work UPAT - Urban Planning Advisory Team
Shantou, China Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 19
The People - “Our real Clients” Is this part of the talk really relevant to all projects?
The Dead Sea The Dying Lake Ecological Island lowest point on earth Burkina Faso New Zealand
Huge landfill on the Most polluted river in Israel 2 Largest ports in Israel Mediterranean coast (Kishon) (Haifa & Ashdod) Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 20
10 The People - “Our real Clients” Even in the most deadly projects, you have very lively people…
The Dead Sea The Dying Lake Ecological Island lowest point on earth Burkina Faso New Zealand
Before After Huge landfill on the Most polluted river in Israel 2 Largest ports in Israel Mediterranean coast (Kishon) (Haifa & Ashdod) Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 21
The People - “Our real Clients” The “Human Factor” is so important, because our mission as planners is to plan for the people. We receive our fee and move on to the next project. They will live forever with what we have planned for them … Therefore we have to be very sensitive and work with them. (not me) (not me)
Rahat Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 22
11 The People - “Our real Clients” People are diverse, but all people have needs, interests and dreams
Burkina Faso Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 23
Lesson no. 1: Learn - The Challenges Really understand the people - culture, history, identity, etc. Farmers
New Zealand Kibbutz Emek Izrael, Israel
Burkina Faso Bendigo area, Australia Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 24
12 Lesson no. 1: Learn - The Challenges Really understand how they live
Farmers
New Zealand Kibbutz Emek Izrael, Israel
Burkina Faso Bendigo area, Australia Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 25
Learn - The Challenges Are all the Bedouins who live in this town “the same”?
Rahat Photo taken from the helicopter of President Shimon Peres Credit: Jossef Avi-Yair Engel (Jucha) Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 26
13 Learn - The Challenges Understand also the details and nuances
Bedouins
El Amrani Rahat
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Learn - The Challenges Deeply understand transitions and trends
Rahat
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14 Learn - Tools Many meetings with everybody (as much as possible…), preferably at their own homes
El Amrani Um Battin Rahat
Rahat Rahat Abu Kwider Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 29
Learn - Tools Face to Face is usually much better than Facebook… Surveys, emails, websites - good for data, less for desires…
South Tel Aviv-Jaffa urban renewal plan Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 30
15 Learn - Tools Analysis of interests
The Non-conventional Weapon Alexander River Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 31
Learn - Tools Analysis of interests
Ramallah, Alexander River Ramallah, Alexander River
AlexanderThe Non-conventional River Munich, AlexanderWeapon River Munich Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARPAlexander Congress, Brisbane River 2013 32
16 Learn - Tools Analysis of interests
Jerusalem, Alexander River
Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 33
Learn - Tools Analysis of interests
AlexanderThe Non-conventional River Weapon Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 34
17 Lesson no. 1: Learn Conclusions Learning is the basis for lessons no. 2-4 Planners and clients have to understand the importance Time and money consuming Belief / Sensitivity / Passion / Addiction
Abu Tlul Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 35
Lesson no. 2: Build Trust - The Challenges Break “distance”, overcome cultural gaps and language barriers in order to build mutual trust and openness
Alexander River Burkina Faso Dead Sea Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 36
18 Build Trust - Tools Sensitivity to culture Tasks Responsibility Date Prequalification of contractors
Prepare PQ-notice and send to KfW Tulkarem 24-Jul-03 Review of RFQ-notice and submit to Tulkarem KfW 1-Aug-03 PQ-notice in pppaper ( local p ppapers) Tulkarem 7-Aug-03 Prepare and submit PQ-documents Contractors 28-Aug-03
Evaluate PQ-documents and send evaluation report to KfW Tulkarem 10-Sep-03
Review of PQ-Evaluation and give no objections/comments to KfW 18-Sep-03 Tulkarem Tendering and contracting Review tender documents, changes and conments (local contracting, KfW 1-Aug-03 duration 8 months, additional man-holes/pumps) and submit to Tulkarem Nazareth 2000 plan Prepare and issue tender documents Tulkarem 25-Sep-03 (Arch. Arie Rahamimoff head of team) Prepare and submit tenders to Tulkarem Contractors 23. Oct 03 Prepare tender evaluation and submit report to KfW Tulkarem 6-Nov-03
Review tender evaluation and submit no objection/comments to KfW 20-Nov-03 Tulkarem Negotiate and award contract Tulkarem 04. Dec 03
Security permits, licenses, etc. Send BoQ to PWA and to Emek Hefer Tulkarem 7-Aug-03 PWA to send BoQ to Israeli side for approval PWA 9-Aug-03 Approve BoQ Israeli side 15-Sep-03 Prepare and send request for Security Permit for work on Site to Tulkarem 11. Dec 03 PWA and Emek Hefer Prepare and issue security permits Israeli side ? Rehabilitation Carry out rehabilitation works Contractors 4-Aug-04 Alexander River Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 37
Build Trust - Tools Sensitivity to cultural codes
Um Batin Shantou, China Dying of Coffee… Dying for Coffee… Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 38
19 Build Trust - Tools Look the people in the eyes. Spend much time together. Not only at work. Playing and Eating is best…
Burkina Faso Alexander River
El Amrani Alexander River Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 39
Build Trust - Tools Transparency and real (& fair) explanation of constraints “You can "please" some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time but never all of the people all of the time”
President Abraham Lincoln "
El Amrani Tel Aviv - Jaffa
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20 Build Trust - Tools Use of translators
Pushchino, Russia Shantou, China
Rahat Burkina Faso Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 41
Build Trust - Tools Assistance of mediators
1999 2003
Alexander River Ramallah workshop 1999 Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 42
21 Lesson no. 2: Build Trust Conclusions Mutual trust is the basis for lessons no. 3-4. Respect to the people and sensitivity to the culture is essential. Good interpersonal relationships and transparency are crucial. Mediators can do an excellent job.
Burkina Faso Lake Bam - Israel Alexander River Twinning project, IRF, Brisbane Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 43
Lesson no. 3: Plan with them - The Challenge Real participatory planning and community engagement at all stages
Rahat
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22 Plan with them - Tools Public hearings / Public information meetings
Michmoret Netanya
Tel Aviv - Jaffa Kibbutz Emek Izrael Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 45
Plan with them - Tools Workshops and focus groups, with stakeholders, professionals, people, mix
Alexander River Bendigo, Australia
Rahat Jordan, Alexander River Peace Park Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 46
23 Plan with them - Tools Roundtable meetings
Shantou, China Um Batin, Bedouins
Burkina Faso Pushchino, Russia Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 47
Plan with them - Tools Round no-table meetings
Emek Izrael Source: Miri Steinberg Abu Tlul
Abu Kwider Kishon River Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 48
24 Plan with them - Tools Active participation during implementation
Alexander River Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 49
Plan with them - Tools Active participation during implementation
Alexander River annual festival Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 50
25 Lesson no. 3: Plan with them Conclusions Plan with them is the basis for lesson no. 4. Workshops are better than public hearings - create dialog. There are numerous formats of workshops and meetings. The d esig ined f ormat sh ould be peopldjtifile and project specific. Workshops should be structured and moderated. Face to Face is better than Facebook. The use of people specific visual material is crucial.
El Amrani Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 51
Lesson no. 4: Create a sensitive plan - The Challenge A delicate balance between goals, interests, conflicts, identity, culture, and people’s needs and desires. A plan which the people will own and be proud of.
RahatRahat Rahat Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 52
26 Lesson no. 4: Create a sensitive plan - The Challenge A plan which can be implemented, with joy and satisfaction
Rahat Before During RahatAfter Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 53
Summary of Conclusions 1. The most important key for successful plans is “Planning with the People”. 2. The no. 1 challenge we face as planners is: “How can we do it?” 3. Excellent collaboration with clients, stakeholders, team members and the people who live in the place is essential. 4. Leadership can create miracles. 5. The people who live in the place are our real clients. 6. We have to learn, build trust, plan with them, and create a sensitive and balanced plan. 7. There are a few major issues: common interests, overcoming cultural and other gaps, transparency, and the role of mediators. 8. There are no planning prescriptions, but we have many possible tools to plan with people, and each should be used where relevant. Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 54
27 Final Remark Planning in the modern world is complex and challenging. We are privileged. We have a wonderful profession. Diverse. Inspiring. We can make a difference. We can even (sometimes) make a living and enjoy our job…
Electricity Water Quality Communication Seismology Sky line
Sewage Tourism Open spaces Before
After Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 55
Finally…
Quaker Tapestry, Kendal, England Everywhere. Even in the Middle East… www.RestorationPlanning.com Thank you!
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28 PLANNING FOR PEOPLE AND WITH THEM: PRACTICAL LESSONS FROM GLOBAL EXPERIENCE Amos Brandeis Israel/ Architecture, Urban & Regional Planning, LTD. Burkina Faso Russia Hypothesis: The most important key for successful plans is “Planning with the People”. Keywords: planning with people, leadership, collaboration, trust building, sensitive plan, common interest, stakeholders. Summary: All people have needs, interests, and dreams. They are the real clients of our plans. The no. 1 challenge we face as planners is: how can we plan with the people, and create a good, sensitive and balanced plan for them? An analysis of diverse planning work carried out in many countries, leads to 4 practical lessons regarding: real understanding of the people; trust building; planning with them; and creation of sensitive plans. For each lesson the main challenges were defined, a set of tools proposed and conclusions drawn. The main keys for successful plans are: good interpersonal relationships; leadership; excellent collaboration with clients, stakeholders, planning team members and the people who live in the place; identifying common interests; overcoming cultural gaps; the use of tools for building mutual trust and reducing conflicts; transparency; and the use of appropriate visual material. There are no planning prescriptions, but many possible tools for community engagement Bedouins, Israel can be used where relevant. Tel Aviv / Israel 8 mio. EW 200 km x NS 700 km Type: Theory
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