Resources

Part 1 — Decision-making and implementation process

• Stage 1 — Issue definition
• Stage 2 — Analysis of activities
• Stage 3 — Decision
• Stage 4 — Preparation of an implementation plan and implementation
• Stage 5 — Review

Stage 1 — Issue definition

The most crucial aspect of any analysis is definition of the issue. This is particularly important when considering the appropriateness of various activities. If a decision is made on the basis of an incomplete or incorrect definition of an issue, it is unlikely to lead to a satisfactory outcome. The key is to avoid jumping to early solutions without thorough issue definition in the context of the specific circumstances.

Analysis should not be undertaken in isolation of relevant external factors that will influence the decision on the most appropriate activity to select. Depending on the nature and scale of the issue being addressed, external factors could be a significant influence on decision-making. Assessment of the following matters should be considered when defining the issue.

Issue definition:

• What is the nature of the issue – safety, congestion, accessibility? Does it impact on children and/or adults, vehicles, cyclists or pedestrians, the mobility impaired? Does it occur at certain times of the day?
• What data is available to support identifi cation of the issue? What data can be readily obtained from existing sources? What further data is required to quantify/qualify the issue?
• What is the scale of the issue? Does it justify priority?
• Does the community have a role to play in the definition of the issue?
• What distinguishes the issue in this specific circumstance from other existing ‘project areas’?
• Does resolving this issue help achieve an integrated, safe, responsive and sustainable land transport system?
• What contribution does resolving the issue make to national, regional and local targets?

External factors to be taken into account:

• Are there relevant council policies to take into account? What impact do these have on the selection of resources?
• Is the community ready to be engaged? Is there an existing forum or does a new group need to be established? What time delay is the community prepared to accommodate? Is the community already committed to other consultation programmes that will impact on consultation for this project (expectation management)?
• Is funding available? What processes have to be followed? What is the timing to secure funding (land transport programmes and long-term council community plan cycles)? What is required to secure funding? (The answers might be different for each of the various resources in the shopping basket.)
• What other relevant issues might exist in the same geographic area, the immediate vicinity and the wider area? Do other issues need to be addressed prior to implementing the plan (or even deciding on the plan) and do they need to be addressed in parallel using a package?
• Do other agencies need to be consulted (eg NZ Police)? Are there other areas of council that should be involved/consulted (eg council officials working in the areas of planning, traffic management, community development)?
• Has the council the resources (eg a coordinator) to manage any implementation of a resource or package of resources?
• Physical works take some time to implement – what are the implications of this?

Add and/or delete further questions as appropriate to local circumstances.

Stage 2 — Analysis of activities

This stage involves the review of available activities and a ‘fit for purpose’ analysis and follows with an evaluation based on the relationships between activities, focusing on the use of packages.

Once the problem has been defined in some detail and with confidence and external factors understood, it is appropriate to review the various activities and analyse their ability to address the issue. This will effectively provide a shopping basket of activities that can be further considered for adoption and implementation. Consideration of a range of questions will help determine if an activity is fit for the purpose required, and the likelihood of any implementation programme addressing the identified issue.

To further assist in making decisions between activities and focusing on the possibility of solutions involving a package of activities, it will be important to understand the relationships between them. This understanding can be achieved through answering questions such as those below and reviewing the relationship comparison information provided for key activities or using the template to carry out analysis of additional activities (see Part 2).

Analysis of activities:

• Is the problem best addressed by physical works, a safety programme or a travel behaviour change programme (or combinations)?
• Is the scope of the activity understood?
• Is the problem fairly complex and therefore suited to a package of activities?
• Is the activity practical to implement in the circumstances (time and resources)?
• Is the activity affordable?
• Is the likely implementation time acceptable?
• What other experiences has the council had with the activities? How do the circumstances of the previous use fit with the current issue? What can be learnt?
• Does the activity unnecessarily offer a ‘Rolls Royce’ answer?
• Will the activity need to be supported by other activities (packages focusing on how elements such as travel behaviour change are integrated with other components)?
• In what order is it appropriate to implement the activities?
• Do the activities being considered support, duplicate or contradict each other?

Add and/or delete further questions as appropriate to local circumstances.

Stage 3 — Decision

Together, stages 1 and 2 provide the framework to make a decision. As a final check, the following template may help present key information in a concise manner.

Stage 4 — Preparation of an implementation plan and implementation

This stage is not covered in this guide.

Stage 5 — Review

The final stage, the importance of which should not be undervalued, is for an objective review to take place of the effectiveness of the activity or package of activities in addressing the issue defined and contributing to stated targets. The outcome of such a review should, where appropriate, be taken into account in the continued application of the activity or activities in the specific situation and also be part of any future consideration of the use of the activity or activities in other situations.

The successful implementation of community programmes can provide the opportunity for wider benefits, including more extensive travel behaviour change, a greater sense of community and other forms of community development. Effective review will help identify these so learning can be shared and built upon.

The assessment table provides a possible template to use for such a review. The template is based on the NZTA's three assessment factors used in the funding allocation process: seriousness and urgency, effectiveness, and economic efficiency.

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Page created: 13 November 2008