Digital Task Force for Planning – Focus Group

Liam Curran recently participated in a focus group organised by the Digital Task Force for Planning, an independent panel tasked with empowering the planning profession in the digital era. Liam was involved in a focus group for young planners, asking questions such as “What should digital planning look like? How can we unlock the full potential of the planning profession? How can the planning curriculum and education be used to upskill planners?”

The Digital Task Force for Planning is made up of leaders in the planning and digital technology industries and is chaired by Professor Michael Batty FRTPI, chairman of the Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, and Dr. Wei Yang FRTPI, president of the RTPI, is the co-chair.

The research group is currently undertaking various studies over the initial twelve-month research period and at the end will provide a roadmap for the future of planning in the digital domain, supported by experts papers. The group will identify the ideas and tools considered to be required for planning and outline the actions needed to unlock the full potential of the profession. To read more about the Digital Task Force for Planning, have a look at their Vision or read their Motivation on their website.

The purpose of the focus group was to ask for young planners opinions as to what they thought digital planning should look like, where the industry should be in ten years, how can the industry be upskilled and how can the planning curriculum and education be used to develop the digital skills for the future.