From Strategy to Execution: A Framework to Assess Alignment Across Urban Planning Instruments—Evidence from Brazil
Year: 2026
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: Although public planning instruments are widely institutionalized, they still lack systematic mechanisms capable of objectively assessing their completeness and alignment. As a result, plans often exhibit gaps and inconsistencies that hinder the translation of strategic intentions into effective actions. This article addresses this limitation by proposing the UPICEF-A framework, designed to assess the completeness and alignment among instruments such as Strategic Planning, the Goal Plan, the Multi-Year Plan, and budgetary instruments. Methodologically, the study combines a conceptual analysis of planning instruments with the development of an evaluation model that structures objectives, goals, initiatives, and indicators into verifiable relationships. The framework enables the identification of gaps, overlaps, and misalignments, as well as the assessment of the completeness of planning artifacts. Results indicate that the consistency observed in formal documents does not fully hold when analyzed relationally, revealing weaknesses in the articulation between strategic and operational levels. By providing an objective mechanism for evaluating these relationships, UPICEF-A contributes to shifting public planning analysis from a purely formal perspective to a structured approach focused on completeness and alignment, supporting the development of more coherent and effective planning processes.
Language: English
Subfield: Geography, Planning and Development
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $5,392
OpenAlex ID: W7208821794