Shifts in Planning Practice and Theory: From a Functional Towards a Communicative Rationale

This chapter introduces a planning tool that helps to cope with actor-related fuzziness in planning. This tool will focus on the role, motivation, perception and behaviour of the actor within the planning process. An examination of sociological theory firstly helps to substantiate the basis of 'actor-consulting' and secondly helps to define the direction of the questions to be asked while consulting the various actors. Coming out of organization theory, actor consulting focuses on implementation and the 'how to do' question. Traditionally a phase model is used to mediate step by step towards recommendations for achieving commitment and for achieving better results. A model can provide a rational basis for this process, resulting in a plan that prescribes what activities should be carried out, and in what order. 'Competence' can be seen as how the various actors are able to contribute in terms of their 'potential contribution' to planning.