Last updated: April 2021

SMART Planning Principles

Originally conceived as five “imperatives for change” for the Corps of Engineers feasibility study process, these principles underlie and inform SMART planning process and tools:
1. Uncertainty and Level of Detail. Balancing the level of uncertainty and risk with the level of detail of the study. The level of detail required to make planning decisions will grow over the course of the study, as the study team moves from an array of alternatives to a single recommended alternative.
2. Vertical Team Integration. Early and ongoing vertical team engagement of decision makers.
3. Determine Federal Interest. Identify the Federal interest early in the study, including the level of Federal and Corps interest and level of federal investment.
4. Alternative Comparison and Selection. There is no single "best" plan, and there are a variety of approaches (quantitative and qualitative) to multi-criteria decision making, and
5. Funding and Resourcing. Ensure that all resources needed for the study, including funding, human resources, data and information, are identified and available for the duration of the study.