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The Field Guide to Human-Centered Design
2015by: IDEOThis guide presents extensive recommendations for using design thinking to solve collective problems. -
Video Series: Three Design Thinking Lessons for Building Smart Cities
Stories, June 2020This video series discusses design thinking in the context of smart cities and how cities can utilize technology and resident feedback to better service and prevent congestion. -
Learning Brief: Design-Thinking to Accelerate Solutions for the Sustainable Development Goals
July 2020This briefing paper explains how teachers and other community stakeholders can use design thinking concepts to engage youth in projects to advance the United Nations’ sustainable development goals. -
Design Thinking for Inclusive Community Design: (How) Does it Work?
EdMedia + Innovate Learning 2018, June 2018by: Stefanie Panke, Thilo HarthThis article analyzes how a workshop on inclusive community development in Germany used design thinking. -
Explainer: What Is “Human-Centered Design”?
Bloomberg Cities, January 2019by: Bloomberg CitiesThis article explains that concept of “human-centered design” and examines how and why cities should be using it to garner wider and more meaningful engagement. -
Design Thinking Is Fundamentally Conservative and Preserves the Status Quo
Harvard Business Review, September 2018by: Natasha IskanderThis article critiques the use of design thinking in many risk-averse organizations. -
Human-Centered Design and Community Engagement
National Civic Review, Spring 2019by: Michelle CrandallThis article explores the concept of human-centered design in the context of local governmental community engagement processes. -
Design Thinking for Social Innovation
Stanford Social Innovation Review, Winter 2010by: Tim Brown, Jocelyn WyattThis article provides a brief overview of design thinking and its applications to social enterprises. -
Harnessing Design Thinking to Transform Organizations and Inspire Innovation
ICMA, May 2013This article briefly explores the potential benefits of applying design thinking to local governmental processes. -
Design Thinking: Utilizing Hand Graphics to Explore Ideas
APA Chapters and Divisions Planning Webcast Series, April 2021by: Kona GrayThis webinar explores how planners can use hand drawings and computer graphics to explore and communicate important nonverbal ideas. -
Driving Down Emissions: Transportation, Land Use, and Climate Change
October 2020This report evaluates the role of car-oriented land use and design on the nation’s transportation emissions and the impact on climate change. -
A Practical Guide to Implementing Integrated Water Resources Management & the Role of Green Infrastructure
May 2016This guide aims to help municipalities with the creation and implementation of integrated water resource management. -
Guide to Climate-Smart and Water-Wise Cities
Policy Brief, March 2023by: Malin Ingemarsson, Jakob Schabus, Maria SkoldThis briefing paper highlights the threat that cities in the 21st century are currently facing due to climate change and the impact it is having on water management. -
Re-Legalizing Middle Housing
2023This model state act presents statutory alternatives to help states develop and adopt laws that authorize medium-density, or middle, housing types, such as duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhouses, and cottage courts. -
Fannie Mae: Green Building Certifications
2019This web page lists all green building certification systems for multifamily buildings eligible for preferential pricing on loans. -
Active Transportation and Real Estate: The Next Frontier
March 2016This report argues that off-street active transportation facilities spur economic development. -
Mitigation of Urban Heat Islands: Community-Wide Summary
Updated November 2021This web page provides a summary of local-level actions to address the urban heat island effects. -
Cycling Towards Sustainability: The Transformative Potential of Urban Design Thinking in a Sustainable Living Lab
Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives, 9: 100269, 2021by: Julian AlexandrakisThis article discusses how multi-sectoral partnerships that engage users in innovation to advance sustainable living can use urban design thinking to analyze problems and implement solutions. -
Vision Zero Design Thinking Workshop Report
March 2022This report details the feedback local officials in Bellevue, Washington, received during a design thinking workshop focusing on transportation safety. -
18F Methods
March 2023This toolkit provides links to descriptions of various methods project leaders can use for specific human-centered design processes or process steps. -
Design Enters the City: Requisites and Points of Friction in Deepening Public Sector Design
International Journal of Design, Vol 16(, No 3),: December 1–19, 2022by: Antti Pirinen, Kaisa Savolainen, Sampsa Hyysalo, Tuuli MattelmakiThis article explores the challenges and opportunities local officials in Helsinki, Finland, faced when applying design thinking principles to service design. -
Collaborative Planning, Transitions Management and Design Thinking: Evaluating Three Participatory Approaches to Urban Planning
Australian Planner, 54(1):1-10, May 2018by: Katrina Raynor, Andreanne Doyon, Tanja BeerThis article analyzes three participatory approaches to planning: collaborative planning, transitions management, and design thinking. -
City Mobility: Easing Urban Citizens Transportation Via Design Thinking
Bootcamp, December 2021by: Anthony CotsThis blog post describes the design thinking process a user experience (UX) designer used to develop a trip planning mobile application. -
Co-Creating Smart Cities — Design Thinking for 21st Century Urban Planning
European Research Studies Journal, XXV(2): 301–3015, 2022by: Maria SchuldersThis article details why design thinking and co-creating smart cities as a planner is important to interact and conceive a city in as many different angles as possible. -
Design thinking to co-creating cities of the future
URBACT, February 2018by: Jim SimsThis blog post highlights how design thinking emerged as a key theme at the 2017 City Development Forum in Poznan, Poland. -
Why Design Thinking Works
Harvard Business Review, September 2018by: Jeanne LiedtkaThis article briefly explores how design thinking can help organizations overcome common barriers to innovation. -
Innovating the Planning Process Through Community-Centered Design
Planetizen, August 2015by: Sean O'Malley, Andrew Watkins, AICPThis article describes how planners and architects can use human and user-centered design concepts in their work. -
Neighborhood Planning
2005by: Louis Colombo, Ken BalizerThis web page provides links to pages that provide short introductions and supplemental resources for a variety of neighborhood planning topics. -
The Toolkit for Health, Arts, Parks and Equity
July 2020by: Matthew Clarke, Geneva VestThis toolkit offers health advocates case studies, and policy guidelines regarding place-based arts and culture in order to reach health equity. -
Art & Creative Placemaking (We-Making) Repository
2021This clearinghouse is searchable to find recent or current examples of projects within the WE-Making theory of change, while also centering pandemic recovery and/or racial justice. -
The Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper Transformation of Public Spaces
April 2015This article discusses the use of "Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper" (LQC) projects to bring revitalize community public spaces in a way that is not expensive or labor intensive. -
A Design Guide for Winter Placemaking
2020This guide provides design guidelines and suggestions for cities, towns, and community organizations to use to activate community spaces during winter. -
Creative Placemaking: How, Why, Outcomes
September 2012This video highlights successful creative placemaking efforts across the county. -
Grundy County, IL, County Code
Updated May 2019The county's unified development code allows accessory solar collector systems in all districts and solar farms as special uses in agricultural and industrial districts, providing detailed standards for both. -
Extraordinary Partnerships: How the Arts and Humanities are Transforming America
2020by: Christine HenselerThis book collects essays focused on changing the direction of our communities thought arts and humanities partnerships, with entries from community leaders, artists, educators, scholars and professionals in the arts and humanities. -
Using the Arts to Connect Neighbors and Cultivate Inclusivity
September 2018by: Jordan ClarkThis podcast discusses how arts can connect, humanize, and empower a neighborhood. -
How Design Thinking Transformed A Neighborhood’s Creative Placemaking Strategy
January 2020by: Sarah Corlett, Caitlin BehleThis article describes how the design thinking process can strengthen creative placemaking strategies. -
Transformative Placemaking: A Framework to Create Connected, Vibrant, and Inclusive Communities
November 2019by: Jennifer Vey, Hanna LoveThis report defines a transformative placemaking framework, using integrated practices. -
Home-Based Business: An Economic Development Alternative
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet AGEC-915by: Glenn Muske, Mike WoodsThis fact sheet recommends several strategies for supporting home-based businesses at the municipal level. -
Greensburg, KS, Sustainable Comprehensive Plan
Adopted May 2008The city's comprehensive plan belongs to the Solar Energy and Wind Energy collections. -
The Community Visioning and Strategic Planning Handbook
Third printing, 2000by: Derek OkuboThis guidebook offers step-by-step guidance on the time-tested community visioning process developed by the National Civic League focusing on widespread community inclusion and participation. -
New York City, NY, Neighborhood Planning Playbook
December 2015by: NYC Planning, New York City Economic Development Corporation, NYC Small Business ServicesThis guide explains the city’s neighborhood planning process and establishes recommendations for process participants. -
Old Saybrook, CT, Zoning Regulations
Updated March 2019The town’s zoning code establishes standards for sidewalks along public roads that facilitate alternatives to driving and sets design standards that signal pedestrian areas. -
Kansas City, MO, Transit-Oriented Development Policy
Adopted 2017This plan presents a detailed strategy for supporting transit-oriented development (TOD) through regulatory updates and public investments. -
Community Visioning Process: A Tool For Successful Planning
Vol. 13., No. 4., January 2010by: Danny Bivins, Leigh Elkins, Langford HolbrookThis article discusses how group participation and its principles create creative problem solving processes where all interests and expertise. -
Envisioning Local Futures: The Evolution of Community Visioning as a Tool for Managing Change
May 2005by: Paula DingThis article discusses how and why community visioning is a process that exemplifies democracy but also gives citizens direct input in government processes. -
Linking Community Visioning and Highway Capacity
2012This book discusses and details both the steps to take during community visioning activities as well as the community visioning process as a whole. -
A Guide to Hosting a Community Visioning Session
May 2022This guide details out how and why a community visioning sessions can facilitate a diverse and varied perspective to help shape ideas, recommendations, and resources. -
"Where There is No Vision, The People Perish": The Importance of Having a Community Vision
May 2022This guide details out from lived experience how influential and important community visions are for communities that are striving to keep what makes them special. -
Washington Shoreline Master Program Handbook
June 2017This guide details the Shoreline Master Program handbook with Chapter 10 specifically talking about community visioning in the handbooks process.