Planning for a department of dietetics

Planning means projecting management; it is often irregular, non-linear, and erratic. It is important to identify aspects of high predictability. Planning is the process of knowing the needs of the areas to be served, deciding on objectives for the food service, and making changes in these objectives. Good planning occurs before design decisions are made. Most important, the dietitian should be prepared to play a key role in planning--from the visionary concept to the functioning operation--while bearing in mind the practical aspects of the "real world" of planning.