Planning

"Forethought" redirects here. For the defunct software company, see Forethought, Inc.
This article is about the concept. For urban planning, often referred to as simply "planning", see urban planning. For other uses, see plan (disambiguation).
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Planning is the process of thinking regarding the activities required to achieve a desired goal. Planning is based on foresight, the fundamental capacity for mental time travel. Some researchers regard the evolution of forethought - the capacity to think ahead - as a prime mover in human evolution.[1] Planning is a fundamental property of intelligent behavior.[citation needed] It involves the use of logic and imagination to visualize not only a desired result, but the steps necessary to achieve that result.

An important aspect of planning is its relationship to forecasting. Forecasting aims to predict what the future will look like, while planning imagines what the future could look like.

Planning according to established principles - most notably since the early-20th century[2] - forms a core part of many professional occupations, particularly in fields such as management and business. Once people have developed a plan, they can measure and assess progress, efficiency and effectiveness. As circumstances change, plans may need to be modified or even abandoned.

In light of the popularity of the concept of planning, some adherents of the idea advocate planning for unplannable eventualities.[3][4]

  1. ^ Suddendorf T, Corballis MC (June 2007). "The evolution of foresight: What is mental time travel, and is it unique to humans?" (PDF). The Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 30 (3): 299–313, discussion 313–51. doi:10.1017/S0140525X07001975. PMID 17963565. We maintain that the emergence of mental time travel in evolution was a crucial step toward our current success.
  2. ^ Friedman, Elisha M. (6 July 2017) [1933]. Russia in Transition: A Business Man's Appraisal. RLE: Early Western Responses to Soviet Russia (reprint ed.). Abingdon: Taylor & Francis. p. 61. ISBN 9781351618625. Retrieved 27 January 2024. One of the cardinal doctrines of the Marxian system is the necessity for planning. [...] Lenin was the genius back of the Soviets' ideas of a planned economy.
  3. ^ Read, Steven R. (1990). Planning for the Unplannable: Branches, Sequels and Reserves. School of Advanced Military Studies, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  4. ^ Coffey, William R. (10 March 2011). Industrial Emergency Planning: Planning for the Unplannable. John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated. ISBN 9780470053669. Retrieved 27 January 2024.