AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
ACSP/AICP Conversation on Core Competencies
Lee M. Brown, FAICP
AICP President


AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
What is Planning? What do Planners
need to know to be effective?
 Are there answers that will stop us
from reexamining these questions?
 Isn’t it healthy to periodically check
whether our standards for planning, as
an activity, as a course of study and as
a profession, are high enough?
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
6 Themes from the Anchor Points
The Strategic Marketing Committee of the ACSP
-- 1997
 Planning focuses on improving human settlements,
 Planning focuses on interconnections among
distinct community facets,
 Planning focuses on the future and pathways of
change over time,
 Planning focuses on diversity of needs and the
consequences of distribution in human settlements
 Planning focuses on open participatory decisionmaking, and
 Planning links knowledge and collective action.
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
Is there a difference between what
planning is and what planning should
be?
Or, what planners do and what they
should be doing?
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
Job Criteria
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Knowledge of a Delphi
Problem-solves like Einstein
Speaks like Dale Carnegie
Draws like da Vinci
Writes like Shakespeare
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
Visiting Japanese Planning Educators
 What do planners need to know, and
what do they need to be able to do?
 What distinguishes a Certified
Planner?
 How do Planner’s remain Certified and
relevant?
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
Sources for an answer:
 PAB Accreditation Criteria
 Ethical Principles in Planning; and, the
AICP Code of Ethics and Professional
Conduct
 AICP Exam Eligibility Criteria; study
guide and reference material
 Job Descriptions
 Anecdotal Evidence: Satisfactory
Outcomes
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
The AICP Commission’s One Goal:
Assure that the AICP credential is worth achieving and
worth maintaining.
• Set high standards for ethics and professional behavior and
enforce them
• Provide training and access to professional resources
• Provide opportunities for planners to meet their ethical
obligations to give back to our communities through volunteer
services
• Recognize our most accomplished members and encourage
their contributions to success of emerging professionals
• …
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
…and, oh, yeah,
the Exam and the requirements to
maintain certification through CM
credits.
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
AICP Certification: Our measure of
professional competence
 Members, Employers and
Communities want to be confident that
there is a difference
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
Certification Requirements
Planning Education
Planning Experience
Passing the Comprehensive Exam
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
Certification Requirements
Planning
Education
Planning
Experience
Exam
Eligibility
Passing
Exam
Certification
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
4 Criteria for Demonstrating Experience
 Applying a planning process
appropriate to the situation
 Apply and appropriately
comprehensive point of view
 Involve a professional level of
responsibility and resourcefulness
 Influence public decision-making in
the public interest
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
Hypothetical Growth Curve of Planning
Knowledge (as seen by a Planning Director)
25
20
15
10
5
0
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
Hypothetical Growth Curve of Planning
Knowledge (as seen by Emerging Professional)
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
Hypothetical Growth Curve of Planning
Knowledge (as seen by AICP Commission after
CM requirements)
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
One Set of Core Competencies?
 What are the skills and knowledge necessary to get a job
in planning?
 What are the skills and knowledge necessary to be
eligible and to pass our AICP exam?
 What do we expect to be the skills and knowledge
commensurate with the work of Principal Planner or
Director
 What are the categories of planning competence, and
where do we anticipate most planners gain this
competence...as knowledge-based or experience-based
sources?
 Are the skills at any of these levels consistent over time,
or are there trends that make certain skills relevant or
come into necessity.
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
Advanced Specialty Certification
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
Planning
Knowledge
Specialty
Competencies
Specialty
Competencies
Specialty
Competencies
Specialty
Competencies
Core
Competencies
Specialty
Competencies
Specialty
Competencies
Specialty
Competencies
Planning
Practice
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
Recently Adopted PAB Criteria
Required knowledge, skills and values of the
profession: The Program shall offer a curriculum that
teaches students the essential knowledge, skills, and
values central to the planning profession. These
required components will be taught in such a manner
that it is possible to demonstrate that every graduate
has studied them. Ordinarily, this means that they are
included in core courses required of all students,
although other approaches are possible. Specifically:
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
General planning knowledge:
The comprehension, representation, and
use of ideas and information in the
planning field, including appropriate
perspectives from history, social science,
and the design professions.
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
General planning knowledge
a) Purpose and Meaning of Planning: appreciation of why
planning is undertaken by communities, cities, regions, and
nations, and the impact planning is expected to have.
b) Planning Theory: appreciation of the behaviors and
structures available to bring about sound planning
outcomes.
c) Planning Law: appreciation of the legal and institutional
contexts within which planning occurs.
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
General planning knowledge (cont.)
d) Human Settlements and History of Planning:
understanding of the growth and development of places
over time and across space.
e) The Future: understanding of the relationships between
past, present, and future in planning domains, as well as
the potential for methods of design, analysis, and
intervention to influence the future.
f) Global Dimensions of Planning: appreciation of
interactions, flows of people and materials, cultures, and
differing approaches to planning across world regions.
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
Planning skills: The use and application
of knowledge to perform specific tasks
required in the practice of planning.
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
Planning skills
a) Research: tools for assembling and analyzing ideas and
information from prior practice and scholarship, and from
primary and secondary sources.
b) Written, Oral and Graphic Communication: ability to
prepare clear, accurate and compelling text, graphics and
maps for use in documents and presentations.
c) Quantitative and Qualitative Methods: data collection,
analysis and modeling tools for forecasting, policy analysis,
and design of projects and plans.
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
Planning skills (cont.)
d) Plan Creation and Implementation: integrative tools useful
for sound plan formulation, adoption, and implementation
and enforcement.
e) Planning Process Methods: tools for stakeholder
involvement, community engagement, and working with
diverse communities.
f) Leadership: tools for attention, formation, strategic
decision-making, team building, and
organizational/community motivation.
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
Values and ethics: Values inform ethical
and normative principles used to guide
planning in a democratic society. The
Program shall appropriately
incorporate issues of diversity and
social justice into all required courses of
the curriculum, including:
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
Values and ethics
a) Professional Ethics and Responsibility: appreciation of key
issues of planning ethics and related questions of the ethics of
public decision-making, research, and client representation
(including principles of the AICP Code of Ethics).
b) Governance and Participation: appreciation of the roles of
officials, stakeholders, and community members in planned
change.
c) Sustainability and Environmental Quality: appreciation of
natural resource and pollution control factors in planning, and
understanding of how to create sustainable futures.
d) Growth and Development: appreciation of economic, social,
and cultural factors in urban and regional growth and change.
e) Social Justice: appreciation of equity concerns in planning.
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
AICP Exam Study Materials
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
History (15%)
Plan Making and Implementation (30%)
Functional Areas of Practice (25%)
Spatial Areas of Practice (15%)
Public Participation and Social Justice (10%)
AICP Code of Ethics and Professional Practice (5%)
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
History, Theory and Law
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History of planning
Planning Law
Theory of planning
Patterns of human settlements
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
Plan Making and Implementation
A. Visioning and goal setting
B. Quantitative and qualitative research methods
C. Collecting, organizing, analyzing, and reporting
data and information
D. Demographics and economics
E. Natural and built environment
F. Land use and development regulations
G. Application of legal principles
H. Environmental analysis
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
Plan Making and Implementation
(cont.)
I.
J.
K.
L.
M.
N.
O.
P.
Q.
R.
Growth management techniques
Budgets and financing options
GIS/spatial analysis and information systems
Policy analysis and decision making
Development plan and project review
Program evaluation
Communications techniques
Intergovernmental relationships
Stakeholder relationships
Project and program management
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
Functional Areas of Practice
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
Community development
Comprehensive or long range planning
Development regulation or administration
Economic development and revitalization
Economic analysis and forecasting
Educational, institutional, or military facilities
planning
G. Energy policy
H. Food system planning
I. Growth management
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
Functional Areas of Practice (cont.)
J.
K.
L.
M.
N.
O.
P.
Q.
Hazard mitigation and disaster planning
Historic preservation
Housing
Infrastructure
Labor force or employment
Land use
Natural resources and the environment
Parks, open space and recreation
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
Functional Areas of Practice
R.
S.
T.
U.
V.
W.
Planning law
Policy planning
Public services
Social and health services
Transportation
Urban design
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
Spacial Areas of Practice
A. Planning at national
level
B. Planning for multistate or bi-state
regions
C. Planning for state
D. Planning for sub-state
region
E. Planning at county
level
F. Planning for urban
areas
G. Planning for suburban
areas
H. Planning for small
town
I.
Corridors
J. Neighborhoods
K. Waterfronts
L. Historic districts or
areas
M. Downtowns
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
Public Participation and Social Justice
A. Public involvement planning
B. Public participation techniques
C. Identifying, engaging, and serving underserved
groups
D. Social justice issues, literature, and
practice
E. Working with diverse communities
F. Coalition building
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
AICP Code of Ethics and Professional
Conduct
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
Outcomes of the Initiative
• Confidence in the correlation between the AICP exam and
what planners should know;
• Relevant and useful Study Guides and reference material;
• Refinement of the separation of core competencies and
advanced specialties competencies;
• Confidence in the match between our training/education
offerings and the needs of members to advance their careers;
• Dialog and exchange of perspectives between planning
educators and planning practitioners on the skills, knowledge
and experiences that lead to greater success of planning school
graduates, and better planning outcomes;
• Increased academic interest in assuring success of graduates as
practicing planners;
• Assure that the AICP credential is worth achieving
and worth maintaining.
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
AICP’s Core Competencies
Initiative
Lee M. Brown, FAICP
AICP President
AICP’s Core Competencies Initiative
http://goo.gl/CuCi05
Lbrown@TeskaAssociates.Com