SALT’s planning method is based on the Technology of Participation (ToP) Strategic Planning framework. The uniqueness of this framework is that it includes components of traditional planning approaches (long-term, project, operational planning) with a cohesive participatory process to help an organization make choices related to its overall organizational purpose. Structured participation enables deeper levels of commitment and a greater capacity for sharing wisdom and owning decisions arrived at collectively. The framework of strategic sessions allows groups to:

• deal with more data in less time,

•  recognize and honor the contributions of all involved,

•  pool individual contributions into larger, more informative patterns,

•  foster strategic thinking that leverage creativity and wisdom,

•  promote high levels of group ownership for the resulting plan, and

•  welcomes diversity while minimizing polarization and conflict.