Planning Agency Experience with Urban Development Models and Data Processing

Abstract Reports of experience with computer models of land development and processing of planning data were obtained from a survey of 26 agencies believed to include most of the leaders in this field. Problems of communication between model development and data processing specialists are very common, and are a major reason for keeping much of this work within the planning agency. Other common problems reflect the underdeveloped state of the art of urban development and policy evaluation modeling, a shortage of technical personnel, and a strong preference for models and data systems specifically designed to fit local situations. Despite the problems, agencies with experience in these fields feel that computer techniques lead to substantially better planning both directly from the analytical results and indirectly through substantive education of staff planners. Most of the agencies that reported difficulties in developing and using models and data files plan to continue and generally to expand their opera...