public diplomacy in practice

PD in Practice: Appendix G -  Planning assumptions

Paul Kruchoski

— 1 min read

PD practitioners often have to make plans and decisions with incomplete information.  You may be uncertain about such things as the availability of staff time, funding, the Ambassador’s schedule, or the state of local affairs.  Key planning assumptions should be both made explicit throughout the planning process and reassessed when new information is available.  In some cases, you may want to outline a course of action for more than one assumed condition.  When making a plan for a PD initiative or activity, identify a decision point for choosing one course of action or the other.   

1.  Example: Planning assumptions 

Budget/resources 

  • Planned activities are contingent upon budget appropriation by X DATE in order to secure contractors, vendors, and obligate funding.  Decision point to hold/cancel activity is X DATE. 
  • Contingent on partnership w/ X ORGANIZATION to contribute money for awards and supplies. 

Availability 

  • Request for AMB presence at kickoff, or other plenary event.  Will shift schedule as necessary to accommodate.  ALT:  Record AMB speech/welcome via video. 
  • Contingent on availability of X SPACE to host this event.  Alternate locations include:  A, B, C, although all of these have associated costs.  Need decision two months out. 
  • Scheduling based on speaker availability, have capacity to flex this event any time between February and May. 

 Local conditions 

  • Speakers series to be held in person, as a ticketed event, if public health guidelines allow.  If not, will switch to invitation-only Zoom with an option to record.  Decision point:  two weeks in advance of the meeting. 
  • Post-election unrest will be minimal; if unrest is widespread, reconsider this campaign.

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