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Planning Analysis: |
Developing
Alternatives
Policy
Analysis Involves Choices...about weighing choices
Key is......Trying to Select the Most Appropriate
Solutions
Typically,
appropriate solution is selected from range of alternatives....do not always
just
appear...analyst often has to develop alternatives....
Thus,
someone interested in policy analysis needs to have some understanding of
how policy alternatives are developed
Developing
Alternatives: General types (Park
system example)
a.
Keep existing system
Keep
b.
Modify existing system
Add Equipment, etc...
c.
Use a prepackaged design
NRPA, Other Communities
d.
Create a new system design
Survey....
Developing
Alternatives: Specific methods
Now,
the real question is how to you develop distinct alternatives around a issue...
No simple formula.....as with a lot of policy analysis...but some ways to
think about it...
a.
Researched Analysis
(Basic....survey....define problem....)
b.
No-Action
(Benchmark....EIS)
c.
Quick Surveys
(collegues....experts....collect ideas)
d.
Literature Review
e.
Case Studies
f.
Passive Collection
g.
Development of Typologies
h.
Brainstorming
i.
Comparison with Ideal
Characteristics
of Good Alternatives p 230 P&S
Cost
- can afford, is cost effective?
Stability
- is it stable when implemented, can it sustain disturbance?
Reliability
- Is it reliable?
Will it continue to work over time?
Invulnerability
- Will it continue to work if one of the components is damaged?
Flexibility
- can it be modified if necessary?
can it serve more than one purpose?
Risk
- does it have a high chance for failure?
Communicability
- can it be understood by the client or public?
Merit
- does it appear to address the problem?
Simplicity
- is it easy to implement?
Compatibility
- is it compatible with the existing policy framework?
Reversability
- how difficult will it be to return to prior conditions?
Robustness
- can it succeed in a different environment?
Developing Alternatives: Problems to avoid