How can urban planning students think critically about the impact of their work?

3 Assess the evidence

The third step to think critically about the impact of your work is to assess the evidence that supports or challenges your proposed solution. You need to gather relevant and reliable data, information, and feedback that can help you test your assumptions, hypotheses, and predictions. You also need to analyze, synthesize, and interpret the evidence using appropriate methods, tools, and frameworks. By assessing the evidence, you can avoid making errors, fallacies, or generalizations that may compromise your solution.

4 Communicate the results

The fourth step to think critically about the impact of your work is to communicate the results of your analysis and evaluation to your audience. You need to present your solution in a clear, concise, and convincing way that addresses the problem, the alternatives, and the evidence. You also need to acknowledge the limitations, the risks, and the ethical issues of your solution. By communicating the results, you can avoid misleading, confusing, or persuading your audience without sufficient justification.

5 Reflect on the process

The fifth step to think critically about the impact of your work is to reflect on the process that you followed to reach your solution. You need to review your strengths, weaknesses, and areas of improvement as a critical thinker. You also need to consider the feedback, the outcomes, and the lessons learned from your solution. By reflecting on the process, you can avoid repeating mistakes, ignoring feedback, or missing opportunities for learning and growth.

6 Apply the skills

The sixth step to think critically about the impact of your work is to apply the skills that you developed throughout the process to other planning problems and contexts. You need to transfer your critical thinking skills to new situations, challenges, and opportunities that may require different approaches, solutions, and impacts. You also need to keep updating, expanding, and refining your critical thinking skills as you gain more experience, knowledge, and insight as an urban planner. By applying the skills, you can avoid becoming complacent, rigid, or outdated as a critical thinker.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?