I understand as part of my CEng application, I have to provide a development action plan. The word plan suggests that it's a forward looking document that maps out my short term and long term goals and how I intend to achieve them, why, and by what timescale. I have a plan, I put together myself in a word document, a single page with 3 sections; Short, Medium and Long term, with 4 bullet points each, what, how, why, when.


Looking back at the guidance I see:
"You are required to provide a development action plan to accompany your application for registration.  This shows a demonstration of your commitment to maintaining and continuing your professional competence.  This does not need to be linked to an organisation and can be self-managed.  Your development action plan is not a record of past development – this will be evidenced in your application; this is a plan for the future with short and long term goals and how you are going to achieve them"


In particular note when it says "Your development action plan is not a record of past development", then when I look in the application bundle there is a template document called "Development Action Plan.docx", which has 2 sections:


"Section 1 Achievements since last Development Action Plan (DAP) or equivalent
(including report on actions agreed then)"


"Section 2 Development Actions agreed for next DAP period
(Capture any individual career plans and development activities agreed with line manager or human resources department.) Specify action, competence areas targeted and timescales."


There are 2 things I'm not clear on:

1) If it's a forward looking plan, what is the purpose of section 1? This doesn't sound forward looking at all, it sounds like a record of progress on previous action plans, which contradicts the guidance. Can somebody provide an example of what precisely should go in this box.

2) There's a signature at the bottom for my line manager, this have to be signed off in pen by my line manager? It's a commitment made by me to professional development, and from what I can tell seems to be a self reporting system, so i'm not clear why my line manager would be involved with this?

3) Do I have to use this form? Or can I use my own format provided it outlines what I plan to do over the short, medium and long term in terms of development.