A co-created digital tool for municipal planning of meeting places. Integrating research and practice-based knowledge.

Background: The goal of developing new meeting places in local communities is that the places are being used by the residents to support active living and wellbeing. To achieve this, knowledge about different users’ needs and preferences is essential.
Purpose: To develop a digital needs assessment tool that could be utilized by stakeholders involved in the planning of new meeting places.
Method: The needs assessment tool was developed through a consensus-based process with researchers and practitioners, which involved several steps. First, a group of experienced practitioners identified factors that promote residents’ use of meeting places. Second, the researchers conducted a review of international literature on the topic. Then, expert knowledge and research knowledge on identified factors were integrated, systematized, and grouped. Lastly, a survey was carried out among stakeholders from relevant networks. The stakeholders rated the importance of each factor and could add new suggestions. The results from the survey were used to reach consensus on factors of more and less importance to promote use of meeting places.
Results: From science and practice combined, a total of 118 factors were identified. These factors covered the social, physical, and natural environment of the meeting place, as well as organizational aspects. Some factors were important across all age groups. However, most of the factors (99) were age-specific needs and preferences of children, adolescents, adults, and elderly.
Conclusion: A diversity of factors promoting use of meeting places were identified, most of them age-related, emphasizing the importance of planning with the intended target group in mind.
Practical implications: Combining local expert knowledge with international evidence ensures that the tool is applicable in a national context. The tool enhances the municipal planners’ ability to plan for the intended user group, ensuring that meeting places in local communities are used.
Funding: Norwegian Research Council.