Visioning is the process by which a community decides the future that it wants by planning how to achieve it under realistic expectations. During this process, residents and those with an interest in the future of Sumter County will analyze the community’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and define the community goals and objectives that best articulate the desires of the community about the future of their county.

The main product of a collaborative visioning process is the Countywide Vision Plan which outlines the main strategies that the community has prioritized for the next 20 or 30 years under a shared set of standards and values.

OBJECTIVES

Some of the main objectives of a visioning process are:

• To foster creativity by providing the opportunity to think collaboratively in innovative ways
• To serve as an incentive to mobilize assets and resources in the community
• To generate enthusiasm and to kindle excitement about the direction in which the community is heading
• To provide a focus, purpose, and direction for the ongoing planning process and future investments
• To create a context for consideration and adoption of long-range goals and related policies.

INGREDIENTS OF SUCCESS

A visioning process is considered successful when it:

• Recognizes the uniqueness of the community.
• Takes into account the dynamics of the community’s region
• Conveys a wide and diverse public participation of community residents in the analysis and definition of strategies
• Reflects the desires of participants
• Does not have predetermined outcomes or "recipes"
• Fosters community responsibility
• Encourages local leadership