Digital Technology Use and Future Expectations

Claire Daniel, Elizabeth Wentz, Petra Hurtado, Wei Yang and Christopher Pettit

Journal of the American Planning Association, 2024, vol. 90, issue 3, 405-420

Abstract: Problem, research strategy, and findingsThe implications of digital technologies for planning practice are receiving renewed interest in the wake of ever-improving capabilities in Big Data and artificial intelligence, as well as the rapid uptake of new technologies that allowed planners to work remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this interest, there has been little cross-country comparative research regarding the adoption of technology within the planning profession and even less that addresses planners’ expectations and desires for future digital tools. We undertook a multinational online survey of planners in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand to gain a comprehensive understanding of current and expected future use of data and software in planning practice. Although the current use of data-intensive digital tools was limited, we found widespread expectations of change across the planning profession. Remarkable similarities were observed across the countries surveyed. The biggest differences in tech use were among planners undertaking strategic, specialist, and regulatory roles.Takeaway for practicePlanning organizations around the world should prepare for a new wave of digital change as many technical obstacles that previously hindered the rapid exchange and analysis of vast amounts of data have now been overcome. Continued development of digital skills among planners is important but should be paired with career pathways for digital specialists within the profession. Planners should not complacently assume that adopting digital technologies will automatically lead to more effective and equitable planning outcomes. They should use digital processes to actively address biases in the underlying planning system.

Date: 2024
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/01944363.2023.2253295 (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:taf:rjpaxx:v:90:y:2024:i:3:p:405-420

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.tandfonline.com/pricing/journal/rjpa20

DOI: 10.1080/01944363.2023.2253295

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of the American Planning Association is currently edited by Sandi Rosenbloom

More articles in Journal of the American Planning Association from Taylor & Francis Journals
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Chris Longhurst ().