Group Reflective Practice for Planning Commissioners

Problem, research strategy, and findingsIntending to create surprise and reflection, this research started by testing outlandish staff reports with planning commissioners. Commissioners provided insights into what they want from staff reports, but unexpected results were the benefits of adding group reflective practice to planning commissioner training. Through fashion thinking and art, staff reports were reimagined as avant-garde and, using temperature-taking questions, discussed with focus groups of planning commissions across the United States. The major finding was the value of group reflective practice for planning commissioner training. Commissioners engaged with each other and their staffs on the work they do month-to-month discussing, commiserating, questioning, and sharing their experiences. For staff reports, results indicated the rational model is firmly established, but improvements can occur through communicative formats and collaborative understandings. Limitations of the research included the small number of planning commissions.Takeaway for practiceFor planning commissioner learning, group reflective practice fits into the category of development (rehearsals), supplementing training (competencies for the job at hand), and education (broad knowledge). Group reflective practice allows planning commissioners to hone skills and learn from real-life experiences. Staff reports make for an ideal starting point for this type of planning commissioner development as they occur regularly, allowing for trialability and reflecting-in-action. Other uses of group reflective practice can be for improving public hearings, dealing with ex parte contacts, examining bylaws, best uses of study sessions, and community engagement, to name a few.