IPR Praha: Activity 05 - Setting Up a Detailed Process Plan

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A comprehensive process setup will help you in assessing whether external human resources are required and, if so, when they are needed, or if all roles can be managed by your team and colleagues from the city district/City of Prague. We therefore recommend creating a process plan with the awareness that it can serve as the foundation for a public tender. In this tender, you can hire a contractor to carry out Activities 6 - 11 or provide expert consultation to your office throughout the entire process.

5.1 Description and objective of the activity

The purpose of this activity is to continue the discussions among stakeholders, establish the overall structure of the project from needs analysis to implementation (or construction), consult the roles and responsibilities of the individual involved actors and agree on the most suitable participatory processes for the project.

A process plan functions as a detailed timeline, aiding in the planning of activities, setting objectives for each phase, identifying responsible individuals, outlining involved actors, budget allocation (or procurement), and defining necessary steps for successful activity implementation. Within the process plan, the following aspects will be precisely outlined:

Planning process plan
Participation plan outlining the topics and methods of participation (public and stakeholder involvement)
Communication plan
Budget and contractors

Keep in mind that the success of public participation significantly depends on political support for the process and a commitment to integrate its outcomes into decision-making. As such, it is advisable to introduce the participation plan early on and present the results of public engagement to the council or main political body in later stages. If the aim is to secure broad political backing, it could be beneficial to address the participation process at a local government council meeting.

5.2 Responsible person

Planning Coordinator of the City District

5.3 Who to contact

City District Mayor's Office
IPR (relevant office/section) - for review of individual proposals (consultation)
IPR Participation Office - for project planning support (consultation)
City of Prague Departments (relevant offices and persons according to the nature of the project for consultation)
City of Prague Organisations (relevant offices and persons according to the nature of the project for consultation)
Administrators (city district, City of Prague)
Owners
Key local institutions
Others as appropriate (developers, government organizations, etc.)

5.4 Individual steps (recommended)

A. Review existing documents

Draw on experience and insights gained from previous projects! Review existing process plans utilized in past projects of similar scope within your city district or other districts. Document the steps and timeframes (start to finish). Simultaneously, if accessible, examine monitoring reports, project reports, or final reports of these projects. Compare how the initial process plan diverged from the actual implementation (reality), taking note of any delays, unforeseen obstacles, unexpected additional costs, required materials and insufficient know-how, etc.

B. Outline the process plan and other documents

Utilizing an existing template, create a preliminary outline of the process plan, incorporating insights from Activity 2, "Roundtables with stakeholders." Develop the draft process plan in collaboration with your core team, consulting stakeholders by phone or electronic communication (individual meetings can be organized for complex activities). Draw upon knowledge and information gathered in previous steps. Acknowledge that this draft serves as a foundation for discussion with stakeholders and the design expert, who will be directly involved in the project. Ensure that individual project phases and activities are:

Clearly described, specific and understandable. No ambiguities; it should be clear what each activity aims to achieve.
Achievable. Clearly state the objective of each activity, the final output, and how this output is relevant to the overall project.
Relevant. Ensure that each activity is necessary for the success of the project.
Attainable within a specified timeframe. Confirm that each activity can be completed within the project's duration.
Measurable. Establish criteria to evaluate the correct completion of each activity (e.g., the number of people involved, the number of studies prepared).

C. Outline the initial budget

Effective participation and coordination require dedicated financial resources for implementation. The budget should encompass all the necessary items for carrying out participation activities. Consider potential delays in the preparation of certain orders or contracts when developing the process plan.

Essential budget components include:

Venue rental (space, refreshments, sound system, projection equipment, placement permits, etc.).
Cost of materials related to the preparation, implementation, and processing of participatory activity outputs, along with their promotion (printing, panel rental, design models, etc.).
Preparation of documents and other analyses.
Human Resources involved in the preparation, implementation, and processing of participation activity results (external contractors). The amount allocated to this item depends on the necessity of engaging external contractors and consultants, such as conducting the analysis of needs, facilitation, mediation, production, etc.

D. Workshop with representatives of stakeholders (optional)

Consider this option for highly complicated and intricate projects. In most cases, maintain correspondence and communication following the roundtable meeting (Activity 2).

Conduct a half-day workshop and invite representatives of stakeholders identified in Activity 1 (Identifying Stakeholders). This includes institutions/organizations responsible for investment, decision-making/endorsement, and authorization, who will play direct roles in the project's implementation. There is no necessity to invite department heads or directors directly; instead, target responsible officers and project managers from each institution. Familiarize the actors with the outlined process plan (TIP: it is advisable to share the document at least one week before the workshop to allow time for thorough review and preparation of comments). Provide an explanation of the various phases, rationale for employing each participatory method, associated costs, and the roles of each actor. The workshop serves as an opportunity for stakeholders to provide feedback on the proposal, specify the time required for each phase, identify potential ambiguities in the process, and address any gaps.

E. Address comments and finalize the process plan (optional)

Following the workshop, integrate received comments, make necessary adjustments to the budget, and consult with the IPR Participation Office for finalization.

5.5 Outputs of this activity (recommended)

Examples of outputs for inspiration; not all are mandatory:

Output 5A: Approved and annotated process plan
Output 5B: Meeting minutes from the workshop
Output 5C: Tender for an external participation contractor

5.6 Budget

This activity does not require any costs from the budget. One of the main steps of this activity is to create a budget for the remainder of the project, which includes involvement of external contractors.

5.7 Timeframe (indicative)

Approximately 3 weeks, covering invitations and preparation.

5.8 Note of caution

When assigning roles for the implementation of different phases/activities outlined in the process plan, it is possible to assign multiple roles to the same person/institution (e.g. the same person can facilitate activities and process outputs). However, careful attention should be given to the capacities of those in charge, considering factors such as their prior experience, skills, familiarity with the process, and time availability for successful implementation.

Remember to allocate sufficient time! It is crucial to provide ample time for the preparation, execution, and processing of participatory activities. Additionally, compliance with applicable legislation (e.g., public consultation on the draft zoning plan) must be taken into account. Sufficient time should also be reserved for the individuals responsible for creation of planning documentation/project proposals to incorporate the outputs of participation.

5.9 Communication guidelines (indicative)

5.10 Parallel activities

Activity 5 marks a significant milestone in project preparation, involving detailed process planning for Activities 6 - 11, drawing on data and findings from Activities 1 - 4. Therefore, only Activity 3 can be implemented concurrently with Activity 5 (i.e., expert studies and site analyses can be completed). Activities 6 - 11 will follow.