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 Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 5 Collaboration - with whom? Clients Stakeholders Teaeam m em ber s 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 Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 7 Clients Normal: Involved. Help. Open doors. Quality is important. Fast Amos Brandeis Planning with People ISOCARP Congress, Brisbane 2013 8 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