Planners need tools to understand and connect with people’s aspirations, needs, and desires. Their users may range from other colleagues from within their organization to external users, such as clients, community members, planning commissioners, department heads, mayors, and funding agencies. They need to explain why and how they do their work. In understanding their users, planners are better able to meet the mandate of serving the public. So what happens when we introduce design thinking to planners?
Read MoreMy colleagues and I just finished teaching our Civic Dreams, Human Spaces intensive studio, a Stanford d.school course that focuses on creating public space opportunities through rapid protoyping and engaging directly with users. It has been a fun 2.5 weeks of learning and testing in the field with our students. We concluded with the Re-imaginations of Public Space Expoand celebration today.
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