Stan Geertman

GIS and models of accessibility potential: an application in planning

Abstract This paper focuses on the integration of models, especially potential models, in a geographical information system (GIS). This exercise was prompted by the inability of common geographical information systems to deal adequately with the problem of accessibility. Attention is devoted to the technical aspects of integration as well as to the use of GTS—based potential modelling in Dutch physical planning practice.

Bottlenecks blocking widespread usage of planning support systems

Research on planning support systems (PSS) is characterized by a strong emphasis on the supply side, whereas little research has been undertaken on the successes and failures in the adoption of PSS within the planning community (demand side). What becomes clear from the existing research is that usage is not widespread. In this paper we aim to find the main bottlenecks blocking the widespread use of PSS in spatial planning. To achieve this, a global online survey was conducted in which almost 100 PSS experts participated and for which a theoretical framework from the field of business studies served as a basis. The results show that a multitude of factors cause the underutilization of PSS, their characteristics being human, organizational and institutional, as well as technical. In particular, the lack of awareness of and experience with PSS, alongside the relative lack of recognition of the value of PSS within the spatial planning community, tend to block widespread usage and adoption of PSS in planning practice. On this basis, we offer recommendations for the enhancement of PSS adoption, namely to disseminate more profoundly information and knowledge about the existence and benefits of PSS within the spatial planning community. Real-world example projects and in-depth research on potential benefits of PSS application in planning practice will be crucial in this.

Planning support systems: an inventory of current practice

Abstract Planning support systems are a subset of computer-based geo-information instruments, each of which incorporates a unique suite of components that planners can utilise to explore and manage their particular activities. The components may include data sets, computer algorithms and display facilities, as well as more abstract theoretical constructs, knowledge and modelling capabilities. PSS are used to support the planning process by communicating information as well as by generating solutions. An Internet-based inventory was established in 2000–2001 to identify the existence and use of PSS in planning practice worldwide. In this paper we take a closer look at the instruments recorded in the inventory and some of their main characteristics. Some recommendations are made for the development and application of PSS in the future.

Geographical information and planning

Preface Introduction JOHN STILLWELL, STAN GEERTMAN AND STAN OPENSHAW Developments in Geographical Information and Planning Part I: Urban Planning and Design IAN MASSER AND HENK OTTENS Urban Planning and Geographic Information Systems MICHAEL BATTY, MARTIN DODGE, BIN JIANG AND ANDY SMITH Geographical Information Systems and Urban Design Part II: Physical and Land Use Planning STAN GEERTMAN Geographical Information Technology and Strategic Physical Planning GUY ENGELEN, STAN GEERTMAN, PETRA SMITS AND COEN WESSELS Dynamic GIS and Strategic Physical Planning Support: A Practical Application HENK J. SCHOLTEN, ROB VAN DE VELDE, PIET RIETVELD AND MAARTEN HILFERINK Spatial Information Infrastructure for Scenario Planning: The Development of a Land Use Planner for Holland ERIC RAPAPORT AND FOLKE SNICKARS GIS-based Road Location in Sweden: A Case Study to Minimize Environmental Damage, Building Costs and Travel Time ILYA ZASLAVSKY AND NAUM NAIMARK Development of the Urban Planning Cadastre in Russia MICHEL BERNARD AND PHILIPPE MIELLET Geographical Information and GIS in French Planning Part III: Environmental Planning CHRISTOPHE CLARAMUNT, CHRISTINE PARENT, STEFANO SPACCAPIETRA AND MARIUS THRIAULT Database Modelling for Environmental and Land Use Changes DAVID KIDNER, ANDREW SPARKES AND MARK DOREY GIS and Wind Farm Planning ADRIAN MCDONALD, JIM FOSTER, ANDY SMITH AND HARRIET CANDY GIS Applications in the Water Industry JEAN-PAUL DONNAY Use of Remote Sensing Information in Planning Part IV: Socio-economic Planning JOHN STILLWELL AND COLIN WINNETT Geographic Intelligence for Regional Planning DAVID MARTIN The Use of GIS in Census Planning SERAPHIM ALVANIDES AND STAN OPENSHAW Zone Design for Planning and Policy Analysis JOHN STILLWELL AND ROBERT LANGLEY Information and Planning in the Education Sector MARTIN CLARKE GIS and Strategic Business Planning MANFRED FISCHER Intelligent GI Analysis Part V: Geographical Information and Planning on the Internet STEVE CARVER AND ROBERT PECKHAM Using GIS on the Internet for Planning CRISTINA GOUVEIA AND ANTONIO CAMARA Multimedia and Urban Planning CHRISTINE LEIGH, PETER DEW, RICHARD DREW AND JAYNE CURSON Integrated Information Directory Services: Facilitating the Transfer and Exploitation of Science and Technology on the World Wide Web Future Developments STAN OPENSHAW Geocyber Planning in the Digital Democracy of 2099 Acronyms Bibliography Figures Tables Contributors

Participatory planning and GIS: a PSS to bridge the gap

The fields of spatial planning, geographical information systems (GIS), and information and communication technology (ICT) are all developing at their own pace and in different directions, thereby obstructing the widespread acceptance of GIS as an integral part of planning practice. In this paper I take a closer look at their divergence and outline the role that a planning support system (PSS) can play in bridging this growing gap. I consider the benefits of participatory planning and show how my prototype of a PSS can contribute to its success. To that end, the functionality of this PSS is described in the context of the initial experience with its application in a diversity of planning circumstances. Some conclusions are then drawn on how a PSS can overcome some of the barriers to GIS support within planning practice.

Potentials for Planning Support: A Planning-Conceptual Approach

Over the course of many years, professional planners have used a plethora of methods and tools to support their planning activities. Nevertheless, it can be argued that planning practioners have never fully embraced the much wider diversity of available methods, techniques, and models developed in the research laboratories. On the basis of this observation, this study poses several questions about why there is an apparent mismatch in planning practice between supply, demand, and applications of planning-support instruments (including ‘planning support systems’) and their outcomes (dedicated information and knowledge), and how this mismatch can be solved. In order to arrive at an answer, a conceptual framework is constructed, which constitutes crucial factors that influence the potential planning support roles of information, knowledge, and instruments. With the help of this framework, a developmental overview is interpreted of the theoretical planning traditions that exerted an influence on planning practice during the last half millennium in the Western world. From this interpretation, some lessons can be learned about the improvement of the planning-support role in factual planning practice, and moreover, it opens up some new questions and discussion points.

A SWOT analysis of planning support systems

Insight into the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of planning support systems (PSS) is fragmented between users and system developers. The lack of combined insights blocks development in the right direction and makes potential users hesitant to apply PSS in planning. This study presents SWOT of PSS from a combined user–developer perspective. We first express them in terms of combinations of planning task, PSS information function, and user, and subsequently use a literature survey, a series of interviews, and a web survey to gather views from developers, users, and PSS experts. The analysis shows that planners mainly use simple information storage and retrieval systems for exploration tasks, while the majority of PSS are technically much more advanced and aim to support complex tasks. The potential of these advanced PSS can only be realized if planners and system developers start to share knowledge and demands and identify opportunities in a cooperative PSS-development process. Without such a process, the advantages and opportunities of PSS will remain unexploited.

Planning Support Systems: An Introduction

This introductory chapter begins with an initial discussion of some of the trends that have characterised planning in recent years and that provide the context for the development and application of Planning Support Systems (PSS). Given the focus of the book on demonstrating the application of PSS in practice, it was necessary to create an inventory of systems either in prototype form or in use in different planning environments. Many of the entries in the inventory have been extended into more detailed contributions for this book. The latter part of the chapter is devoted to outlining the structure of the book and its contents.

Planning Support Systems for Sustainable Urban Development

Since its introduction, geographic information science has witnessed a tremendous growth and can build on enormous achievements (e.g. Cheng et al. 2012). Current geographic information systems and the decision support systems and models that have been accompanying these systems have a strong ‘geography’ identity, typical of the era in which geographic information system were introduced. Systems are mostly based on spatial entities (mostly grids or polygons). To the extent that commercial and open source geographic information systems have been enriched with models, a similar strong geographic flavor can be discerned. Most models of spatial choice behavior are related to the aggregate spatial interaction models, models of land use change are often based on cellular automata. The question then becomes whether dominant spatial decision support systems, fundamentally based on aggregate spatial interaction, cellular automata and similar models, are suitable for adequately predicting consumer response. We content that in light of the increasing complexity of the decision making process and increasing personalization of decisions and lifestyles, these systems and their underlying models have increasingly become inadequate and obsolete. The field should shift to the development of more integral microscopic models of choice behavior, allowing more integral policy performance assessments. Moreover, mobile computing should allow and stimulate the development of real-time information and decision support systems that support the management of urban functions and include persuasive computing. Uncertainty analysis should play an integral role in these developments. This chapter is an expanded and elaborated version of the keynote address, delivered by Timmermans at the 13th CUPUM Conference in Utrecht, July 3, 2013. S. Rasouli H. Timmermans (&) Urban Planning Group, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands e-mail: h.j.p.timmermans@tue.nl S. Geertman et al. (eds.), Planning Support Systems for Sustainable Urban Development, Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-37533-0_2, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013 19

The added value of Planning Support Systems: A practitioner's perspective

Abstract Planning Support Systems (PSS) are geo-information based tools to support planning. Since the term PSS appeared for the first time in the late 1980s it has evolved into a serious academic subfield. In this debate, little systematic attention has been paid to the added value of PSS for planning practice. In particular the perspective of users requires more empirical attention. This paper attempts to fill this gap by answering the question: What is the practitioner’s perception of the added value of PSS? In doing so we first develop a conceptual framework including the most important added values of PSS observed in the literature. Next, we describe an empirical study of the MapTable PSS, a support tool that is relatively frequently used in the Netherlands. Fifteen interviews were conducted and a Group Decision Room workshop was organized in order to systematically gather perceptions of users about the added value of this PSS. Added values that particularly emphasized are improved collaboration and communication among stakeholders, something which resonates with recent trends in planning. The added value of a better informed outcome is, somewhat surprisingly, considered less important. In order to deepen our understanding, we recommend more research in different contexts and with different tools.