HOW TO PLAN AN EVENT?

[Gross]

Having read a load of threads on nopesport over the last year or so it seems to me that the ART of course planning is being replaced by the SCIENCE of course planning.... it will soon reach the stage where each course is preety much the same in the same forest. Too many rules, regulations & guidelines... and look at this video or that video & it'll show you how to plan a course. Computers have a lot to answer for... the introduction of OCAD for example might have made map drawing easier & available to all... but being able to draw a map on a computer doesn't mean the ground survey will be any better...

Bring back the ART of course planning, let planners use thier imagination, skills & experience to provide unique courses.... that's what I'm asking Santa for for Christmas

[EddieH]

Very pessimistic Gross. The considerable discussion about TD1/2 courses is very relevant, and these courses do not leave themselves to a lot of art, (although at 1 Lossie event I used the beach and small paths, instead of the usual grid).

There are plenty of excellent courses in the UK, and we have always had a small proportion of planners that somehow seem to have that extra style - it is just the standard 80 - 20 rule that effects just about everything in life.

That doesn't mean that most coures are bad or worthless - they can still be enjoyable. Just as most people don't ONLY go to the areas they consider to be in the top 20% it would be daft to select only the planners you reckon to be so.

[Paul Frost]

Watching a video tutorial does not tell you how to plan a course, but how to make the course that you planned after a visit to the forest presentable.

With the advent of cheap colour laser printers and free software, there is little excuse for not providing pre-marked maps of a high standard at even local events. In fact is probably more important, as participants are often newcomers or juniors. Copying a map standing in a cold car park in the rain is not fun and does not add to the experience. It also leads to errors, so the experience is damaged further.

So if watching a video, and the use of computers helps to improve the experience in the forest, what is lost?

[RJ]

How many opportunities have you (ie. any orienteer) had to plan courses in the last five years. For most clubs it could be a very small number. Years ago when we used to have results booklets... the comment from the planner was often that this was his/her first opportunity to plan....

Clubs that put on loads of informal events provide many 'practiced planners' which feeds through to better quality C4/C3 courses and events. Not always the case, but generally yes (eh? awk).

These regular informal events also give your club members an opportunity to race, to introduce your juniors to competition, regular social interaction, and a steady income stream. Solves a lot of problems!

[Gross]

Copying a map standing in a cold car park in the rain is not fun and does not add to the experience. It also leads to errors, so the experience is damaged further.

Who suggested doing that.... really daft idea!

[Paul Frost]

Computers have a lot to answer for...

Without computers it would not be easy to provide pre-marked maps.

[Gross]

yep agree there.... but I never suggested otherwise. What I did suggest is that computers & technology are reducing the ART of planning orienteering courses to a SCIENCE.... taking the imagination & inspiration out of planning. My feeling is that you tended to get courses that were different before OCAD & CONDES because the imagination & inspiration stayed with the planner... with OCAD & CONDES it's all tweaked out of the courses by numerous chopping & changing of the files......

[Gross]

One example.... take Creg Mhic near Oban. It's a big map & won't show on a computer screen fully at real life size & not many people have an A3 printer to print a copy... therefore it's easy 'not' to plan a long leg across the map because it doesn't jump out at you....

Now planning / controlling on Creg Mhic without a computer you can spot the long legs and other variations... then use the computer afterwards but don't spend ages of time chopping & changing things!

[EddieH]

Excellent point Gross. Do people plan on the computer screen? I wouldn't for the very reason you say - I play around on paper always and would hate to do otherwise.

[Paul Frost]

There is nothing to stop you printing onto 2 pieces of A4 and sticking them together!

[NeilC]

One example.... take Creg Mhic near Oban. It's a big map & won't show on a computer screen fully at real life size & not many people have an A3 printer to print a copy... therefore it's easy 'not' to plan a long leg across the map because it doesn't jump out at you....

Don't understand the printer comment but anyway.. like most things planning on a PC has its advantages and limitations. Yes I like looking at a full size map but drawing on a route, then rubbing it out because you think the leg would be better if you moved the control site 30m east etc can make a bit of a mess of the map (I don't have access to an A3 laminator). Also OCAD allows you to do things like displaying brown-only maps - something I have certainly found helpful.

[FatBoy]

I always print out a map to plan on. More than that I tend to print one out and then leaving it knocking around on the coffee table for casual glances hoping for inspiration for good legs. I can't see how it would be possible to plan a good set of courses solely sitting at a computer.

I do think though that having a set of tutorials on how to correctly use the tools of the trade correctly is good though. Many people who are good planners don't know how to bring their well planned courses into this technological age.

I also think OCAD improves the standard of planning, because of the ease of updating maps. For your average C4 event 15 years ago you would have so many map corrections to work around courses always sufferred.

[Gross]

map but drawing on a route, then rubbing it out because you think the leg would be better if you moved the control site 30m east e

Why draw the route on??? You don't do that out in the forest do you?? And what happened to the old days of planning with studs & drafting film???

[tim sleepless]

map but drawing on a route, then rubbing it out because you think the leg would be better if you moved the control site 30m east e

Why draw the route on??? You don't do that out in the forest do you?? And what happened to the old days of planning with studs & drafting film???

Corkboard, pins and coloured string surely?

[Knee Deep Mud!]

leaving it knocking around on the coffee table for casual glances hoping for inspiration for good legs.

Definitely agree with this. Totally impossible to get the initial inspiration sitting in front of a PC.

Corkboard, pins and coloured string surely?

Always used to follow the coffeetable up with this approach (although with a bit of recycled polystyrene packaging and appropriately coloured cotton to go with the pins). Measure out the correct length of cotton and attach to the start and finish pins. If the cotton won't stretch that far the course is too long... I did however end up with a bit of a pincushion when planning a badge event!

Last couple of events I swapped the pins & cotton for OCAD. Makes minor tweaking much easier and gives a more professional looking result, but I find it is far too easy to stretch the course beyond what it should be whilst doing this. Inspiration still needs to be done in the good old fashioned coffee table manner though.