Page 71 - Urban water supply handbook

STRATEGIC PLANNING FRAMEWORK FOR SMALL WATER SYSTEMS

2.4 HISTORY, PLANNING, OUTSOURCING

TABLE 2.1 Planning Steps and Key Questions

Planning step Key questions to guide planners
Step 1: Specify ● What is the water system’s mission?
mission and goals ● What values guide the water system?
● What are the system’s immediate and long-term goals?
● Are values and goals established in an open and participatory
process that includes employees, customers, and other stake-
holders?
Step 2: Assess ● How is the water system structured in terms of the hierarchy
structure and roles from governance, to management, to operations?
● What service functions does the water system presently
provide?
● What operational tasks does the water system perform?
● What is the role of the water system for each service function?

Step 3: Identify ● What are the principal change factors or drivers affecting the
challenges and water system?
opportunities ● What challenges are presented?
● What opportunities are presented?
Step 4: Evaluate ● Does the water system have adequate technical,
system capacity financial, and managerial capacity?
● What are the systems strengths (performance-enhancing fac-
tors) and weaknesses (performance-limiting factors)?
● Can the system manage change and effectively respond to
external challenges and opportunities?
Step 5: Identify ● What strategic options are available to the system
strategic options for achieving its goals?
● What benefits and costs are associated with each option?
● How are the system’s technological and structural options
interrelated?

Step 6: Choose ● Which strategic option (or combination of options) can best
a strategy provide the system’s service roles and functions?
● How do options compare in terms of cost-effectiveness?
● Which alternative is optimal in terms of the selection criteria?

Step 7: Implement ● What implementation issues are presented by the strategy and
and monitor how will they be addressed?
● How will the strategy be monitored over time to ensure suc-
cess?
● Is the plan producing desired outputs and achieving desired
outcomes?

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