Background

Learn about different digital subjects using the easy to use non technical handbook.

Introduction to the Digital Skills programme

Published in November 2020, ‘Transforming Places Together; Scotland’ Digital Strategy for Planning sets out the Scottish Government’s vision and five missions to deliver and digitally transformed planning system for Scotland.

Mission 3: Ways of working is aimed at creating the conditions for digital to flourish. It aims to fully integrate digital into the planning process and facilitate news ways of working. A partnership between the Scottish Government and RTPI Scotland has been established to support the development of high quality skills in planning.

The Digital Skills Handbook is intended to be a practical tool, highlighting opportunities to build up understanding and confidence in the use of digital throughout the planning system. Digital tools are now regularly being used to unlock the value planning data, to drive collaboration and to innovate with the introduction new technology and platforms. The handbook provides a ‘route-map’ through various stages of the planning system highlighting the ways in which digital can be deployed and skills enhanced. It also demonstrates how digital can support the wider programme of planning reform including the new style development plans and the introduction of NPF4. It sets out how and where digital skills can help to improve user experiences, processes and ultimately, outcomes for people and places.

To improve the useability of this handbook and recognising the excellent work already underway by local authorities, key agencies and other stakeholders across the Scottish Planning profession, relevant examples and case studies are provided.

How to use the handbook

The purpose of the below is primarily to provide detail on digital planning tools for planners, however, this list is not exhaustive and some tools, applications and platforms referred to will also be relevant and useful to communities. Of specific note on the latter is emerging Local Place Plans, and the visual and digital emphasis in the preparation of these.

Some of the tools, applications and platforms referred to below will be transferable aspects of Development Management, Development Planning and Spatial Regional Planning. Many of the tools do not fit neatly into the headings used in this handbook and cross-cut many.

Some digital resources referred to may be helpful to communities in providing graphics and mapping in the preparation of Local Place Plans. These resources are all external to local authorities and are provided for reference purposes only. It is the responsibility of local authorities and local community groups to investigate the extent to which these resources are appropriate for use for their organisation.

What do we mean by Digital Skills?

This need to define and understand the range of digital skills within planning and for planners, has been accelerated by the 2019-2022 coronavirus pandemic but also by the increasing focus through Scottish Government planning reforms on improving accessibility to planning information and increasing engagement. The adoption of Digital skills therefore entails everything from online customer service to remote working, e- commerce to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to improve operations and planning performance.

As found in the ‘Digital Task Force for Planning’ report (‘A Digital Future for Planning1, February 2022); “… it is not expected that every planner be a digital expert in planning, but the overall planning profession should have a diverse digital skillset….” (Page 73, Feb 2022). It is also the case from this and other sources including the Scottish Government Digital Planning Strategy 2020 itself, that by providing access to data and digital technology, including mapping or visualisation tools, at a local level planners will enable digital participation and inclusion to ensure no one is left behind in a digitally transformed planning system.

General overview of the significance of Digital/Digitalisation for planning

In applying Digital Planning Skills, it is important to recognise the distinction between ‘Digitalisation’ and ‘Digital Transformation’. By taking some parallels from business and industry, these distinctions can be summarised in so far as; digitalisation is the process of putting analogue activities into e-systems and digital transformation is the process of solving known and also new customer problems with the best technological possibilities.

This demands therefore that the customer (or user) is at the centre of the analysis and that in tandem with delivering Digital Skills organisations must first adopt a business and service delivery approach rather than simply a technology led one, only. For many organisations including planning authorities and industry or key agency stakeholders, this may indicate that best practice is to grasp this service deliver approach by preparing a respective Digital Planning Strategy. Excellent examples of this are already emerging including perhaps of note that of Historic Environment Scotland and Digital Glasgow.

Information on Digital Skills programme

Published in November 2020, ‘Transforming Places Together; Scotland’ Digital Strategy for Planning sets out the Scottish Government’s vision and five missions to deliver and digitally transformed planning system for Scotland.

Mission 3: Ways of working is aimed at creating the conditions for digital to flourish. It aims to fully integrate digital into the planning process and facilitate news ways of working. A partnership between the Scottish Government and RTPI Scotland has been established to support the development of high quality skills in planning.

The Digital Skills Handbook is intended to be a practical tool, highlighting opportunities to build up understanding and confidence in the use of digital throughout the planning system. Digital tools are now regularly being used to unlock the value planning data, to drive collaboration and to innovate with the introduction new technology and platforms. The handbook provides a ‘route-map’ through various stages of the planning system highlighting the ways in which digital can be deployed and skills enhanced. It also demonstrates how digital can support the wider programme of planning reform including the new style development plans and the introduction of NPF4. It sets out how and where digital skills can help to improve user experiences, processes and ultimately, outcomes for people and places.

To improve the useability of this handbook and recognising the excellent work already underway by local authorities, key agencies and other stakeholders across the Scottish Planning profession, relevant examples and case studies are provided.