Project Assessment Game (PAG): A new approach to development planning.

Abstract

In any society, whether "developing" or "developed," those responsible for problem-solving and decision-making at policy levels are confronted with increasingly complex development problems. Since the complexities of today's development planning problems resist the use of traditional techniques, there is a need for new and more appropriate approaches to development planning. These approaches would have to create a climate for change and to deal more successfully with complex and multi-dimensional problems, as well as to be able to integrate many different perspectives and combine the rigor of holistic systems analysis with the creativity and communicative power of structured group techniques. While determining the characteristics of these approaches the following themes, addressing different parts of a development planning process, started to emerge: (1) The complexity of a development planning problem and its environment; (2) Multiplicity of actors and perspectives; (3) Information and knowledge used, and models of reality to which this information and knowledge are applied to; (4) Problem-solving, impact-assessment, and decision-making processes in dealing with development planning problems. Based on these themes a multiple-perspective, small-group problem-solving and decision-making approach to development planning was developed. This gaming/simulation approach was called the Project Assessment Game (PAG). The conclusions were as follows: (1) PAG has successfully insured the conveying of the gestalt of the problem to the participants; (2) PAG has allowed the participants to begin to appreciate the complex interaction of social, economic, technological, environmental, and political forces of the problem; (3) PAG was successful in facilitating, enhancing, and improving communication; (4) PAG was able to enlarge the capacity for seeing the problem from the alternative points of view; (5) PAG was successful in facilitating the generation, communication, recording, and synthesis of knowledge and perceptions of reality; (6) PAG was able to provide for appropriate problem identification, setting, and analysis; (7) PAG has successfully helped in assessing the possible impacts of alternative decisions upon a large number of elements; (8) PAG was able to provide for creative and high-quality consensus judgments, decisions and recommendations, and to enhance satisfaction with and commitment to them.