Our firm has had some clients that object to the term "Master Plan." We have removed "Master Planning" from our letterhead, where we list our capabilities and have replaced it with "Planning." Although we still find ourselves using it, old habits die hard, especially when we receive an RFP from a client asking for "Master Planning." Once we get a job we try to talk to clients about how most people, outside of architecture and design don't really know what a "Master Plan" is, and some people find the term offensive.
Here are some thoughtful articles addressing the topics:
https://whyy.org/articles/should-words-other-than-master-be-used-to-describe-long-range-plans/#:~:text=A%20group%20of%20African%2DAmerican,to%20denote%20important%20planning%20documents.
https://landscapearchitecturemagazine.org/2023/01/01/whose-plan/
Other terms may more accurately describe what we are trying to do in those early, long-range planning exercizes. What about some of these, from the above articles:
- Long-Range Plan
- Comprehensive Plan
- Community Plan
- Campus Plan
- Guiding Plan
- Collaborative Plan
Are any of your firms changing what you call these early, comprehensive plans?
