The challenges to economic, social and political development are complex and, therefore, unpredictable. Effective programming by governments, non-governmental organisations and international agencies therefore requires a shift in emphasis – moving away from a heavy reliance on planning and pre-intervention analysis towards monitoring, learning and adaptation. How, then, can policy makers, managers and practitioners best plan in the face of complexity? Does complexity make planning an irrelevant exercise?
This guide elaborates how planning and strategy development can be carried out despite complexity. First, the guide describes the features of complex situations, and explains why they pose a challenge for traditional planning approaches. This should give the reader the necessary tools to assess whether and in what way they are facing a complex problem (and, therefore, whether the guide is relevant for them). Second, it outlines key principles for planning in the face of complexity. This should give the reader an understanding of how planning and strategy development need to differ from more traditional approaches when confronted by complex problems. Third, the guide provides examples of approaches that have been used for planning in situations of complexity. This should give the reader a deeper understanding of the principles involved, and some ideas about how they can be applied in practice.