This document outlines the process for the 8th World Water Forum to be held in March 2018. It details the milestones in the planning process from the kick-off meeting in June 2016 through the online global consultation period between November 2016 and February 2018. The forum will focus on 6 themes (climate, people, production, waste, ecosystems, governance) and 3 cross-cutting issues (sharing, capacity, stakeholders). The kick-off meeting in June 2016 launched the planning process, and a second stakeholder consultation will be held in April 2017 to finalize the thematic framework.