Tech planner speed dating?

My a-ha moment at the New Technology for Participatory Planning workshop occurred afterwards - over a beer, Shin-pei from TA spoke about the need to bring planners and open tech/source/data people face to face in conversations.

So many possibilities… perhaps -

• Planners and open tech speed dating: fill a room with planners and have open source tech geeks circulating. Two minutes discussion for each, and then a regular happy hour after. The planners come with questions or problems and the tech people think of solutions - or perhaps the tech people pitch ideas and the planners noodle on possible applications. And like real speed dating, you keep track of the pairings that you want to investigate further.
• Open planning surgery: the doctor is in! Convene on the first Wednesday of the month, and bring your planning problems to the rotating panel of tech people and get a diagnosis. Each week is a different panel and different questions (the planning-tech version of Gardeners’ Question Time).
• Buddy/mentoring: less public than a workshop, and longer term. Planners and agency staff pair up with technology implementers to get a deeper understanding of needs. For example, at a planning or urban design firm, open tools advocates present at a couple of  lunchtime meetings, attend project meetings and join after-work drinks.
• Traveling roadshow: A rolling tour of planning studios, town halls and village supervisors’ offices, taking open planning ideas to the planners on the ground who make decisions and spend (your) money. All openness and participation makes the job of elected and government staff easier - better services and engagement for less expense and hassle, so all chances to hear about these tools are valuable. Could even get AICP credit?

Obviously, this is not a ying-yang situation. Planners and technology people are not distinct and mutually exclusive.

But pushing the dialog beyond the already-converted/on-the-cusp-ers could create some solid opportunities for both sides. With all problems, discussing specifics always helps. For technology people, hearing needs can only help with developing more useful tools. Planners are always on the lookout for case studies and new ideas, and always have challenges to share.

Sign me up for speed dating.

(The workshop was great - TOPP delivered their usual high standards of convening, program, and hosting. The crowd was engaged and there’s plenty of potential for follow-up. Lots more to talk about).