WHAT IS PDP ?

What is Personal Development Planning (PDP) ? 

 Personal Development Planning has been described as “a structured and supported process undertaken by an individual to reflect upon their own learning, performance and/or achievement and to plan for their personal, educational and career development”. 

 The primary purpose of a PDP (Personal Development Plan) is to help you learn and develop more effectively and to be able to:

• learn in a wider variety of ways and a wider range of contexts;

• recognise and be able to list evidence for your own learning and therefore the progress you are making;

• draw upon and use your expanded personal knowledge to achieve particular goals;

• review, plan and take responsibility for your own learning;

• recognise and define your training/learning needs. 

 This document will help you to produce a PDP and analyse your needs and to: • define short and long term aims and objectives

• decide what is needed to achieve these aims and objectives

• be able to list, analyse and understand your strengths and weaknesses

• use the analysis of aims and objectives and strengths and weaknesses to define your need for additional study, training, and further development of all kinds to enhance your skills, knowledge and competencies. Such a process is often described as producing a Training Needs Analysis (TNA)

 • reflect on and take active part in planning and development of your own personal skills

 • be more effective in carrying out tasks (e.g. your research)