ABSTRACT

If planning research is to inform practice, it must be crafted in a way to gain the attention and trust of the appropriate audience for research. This implies the use of certain “soft” skills such as experience, understanding of context, and personal or reputational trust, which are rarely addressed concretely within a formal curriculum, or specifically with regards to research design. This chapter discusses the teaching of research design in planning with an eye towards fostering such “soft” skills and recognizing the unique position of planning within the social sciences. It includes discussion of how to situate research design in the appropriate space and time, understanding the planner’s relationships with multiple potential audiences, and the additional training that might be required to do research in a culturally unfamiliar environment.