Appendix A: Questionnaire
Local Government Urban Design Skills Survey
Final Online Questionnaire (#3395)
May 2006
Introduction screen
Thank you for agreeing to take part in this survey.
Again we would like to reassure you that all information that you provide is totally confidential. Research New Zealand provides the results to the Ministry for the Environment in the form of statistics and anonymous comments only, and your individual responses will be known only to Research New Zealand staff.
Please answer all questions, by selecting the appropriate button or by commenting in the spaces provided. As you move through the survey please use the arrow buttons provided - do not use your browser buttons.
If you wish to view the complete list of questions before beginning this online survey, please download a copy of the survey here. INSERT PDF COPY OF SURVEY
It should take you no more than 15 minutes to complete the survey.
To continue the survey, please enter your password that was provided in the email.
If you have any questions about the research, or any problems completing the survey, please contact Michelle Simpson-Edwards at Research New Zealand on 0800 500 168 or email michelle.simpson-edwards@researchnz.com
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About you
3. First of all, which of the following best describes your current role within your council?
- Chief Executive
- Director
- Manager
- Team leader
- Senior technical advisor (non-management position)
- Technical advisor
- Other, please specify: INSERT TEXT BOX
5. And how long have you been in this role?
INSERT TEXT BOX Years
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6. What is your main background (i.e. training, experience, qualification)? Select all that apply
- Urban design
- Architecture
- Landscape architecture
- Strategic planning
- District plan/resource management planning
- Resource consents processing
- Strategic planning
- Transport planning/engineering
- Sub division planning/engineering
- Surveying
- Recreation/open space planning and management
- Heritage planning and management
- Other, please specify: INSERT TEXT BOX
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7. In your current role, which of the following do you do, and which areas (if any) do you specifically provide advice on urban design? Select all that apply.
|
Areas of current role |
Provide urban design advice |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Provide policy advice as part of strategic policy development processes (excludes RMA land use policy and planning), e.g. urban development, transport, economic development, housing, community outcomes, built environment |
1 |
1 |
|
Provide policy advice as part of spatial planning processes e.g. structure planning, master planning, place making, planning for the development of communities |
2 |
2 |
|
Provide policy advice on land use planning and policy, e.g. district plans, regional land use, regional coastal plans, open space and recreation plans, reserve management plans |
3 |
3 |
|
Process resource consent applications for land use and subdivision activities |
4 |
4 |
|
Provide specialist advice for resource consent application assessment, e.g. heritage, roading, engineering, urban design, landscape, open space |
5 |
5 |
|
Prepare or provide advice on the development of design guidelines |
6 |
6 |
|
Provide design advice or input into the design of Council projects throughout the design and construction phases e.g. new facilities and buildings, parks and reserves, street improvements, roading proposals, other infrastructure |
7 |
7 |
|
Prepare or provide advice on the development of council asset management and operational policy, e.g. asset management plans, safety audits |
8 |
8 |
|
Provide or assist with training for council staff, politicians, consultants or developers |
9 |
9 |
|
Provide a mentoring role for new staff or staff interested in upskilling |
10 |
10 |
|
Provide executive leadership, set or contribute to organisational direction, champion new council initiatives and strategic directions |
11 |
11 |
|
Other, please specify: INSERT TEXT BOX |
12 |
12 |
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8. How satisfied are you with each of the following methods, which you personally use, to keep up-to-date with urban design issues? Select all that apply.
|
Do not use |
Not at all satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Neutral |
Somewhat satisfied |
Extremely satisfied |
Unsure |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Continuing education |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
|
Attending conferences, seminars, and workshops |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
|
Networking at formal events with others involved in urban design |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
|
Informal networking via email/phone/catch-ups over coffee |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
|
Regional-level meetings/catch-ups |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
|
Sourcing urban design information from the internet |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
|
Reading books and periodicals |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
|
Other, please specify: INSERT TEXT BOX |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
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9. To what extent would you support the development of a web-based urban design information resource, which is specific to New Zealand's needs? (This could include links to NZ and overseas urban design related websites, recent publications, research, and case studies etc.)
- Support it enthusiastically
- Somewhat support it
- Neither support nor do not support it
- Do not support it
- Unsure
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Others involved in urban design
"Urban design is concerned with the design of the buildings, places, spaces and networks that make up our towns and cities, and the ways people use them. It ranges in scale from a metropolitan region, city or town down to a street, public space or even a single building.
Urban design is concerned not just with appearances and built form, but with the environmental, economic, social and cultural consequences of design. It is an approach that draws together many different sectors and professions, and it includes both the process of decision-making as well as the outcomes of design."
10. Including yourself, how many of the following people within your council are encouraged to have an understanding of urban design as part of their role?
11. And of these, how many provide urban design advice as part of their job?
For each, please provide the number of people this applies to.
|
10 Number who have an understanding of urban design |
11 Number who provide urban design advice |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Urban designers |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
|
Architects |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
|
Landscape architects |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
|
Resource consent planners |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
|
District Plan advisors/planners |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
|
Strategic advisors/planners |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
|
Heritage advisors/planners |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
|
Transport planners/ roading engineers |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
|
Subdivision planners/engineers |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
|
Surveyors |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
|
Parks planners or recreation planners |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
|
Project managers |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
|
Other, please specify: INSERT TEXT BOX |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
|
Unsure ;E |
1 |
1 |
|
No one else ;E |
2 |
2 |
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12. Including yourself, does anyone in your council have a specific urban design qualification?
- Yes
- No ] SKIP TO 14
- Unsure ] SKIP TO 14
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13. To the best of your knowledge, can you please provide the following details for those who have a specific urban design qualification? Please indicate where this was obtained, and approximately when they obtained this.
|
Job title |
Qualification e.g. Masters in Urban Design |
University or training institution obtained from e.g. University of Auckland |
Year graduated e.g. 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
INSERT TEXT BOX |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
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|
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|
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14. Including yourself, does anyone in your council have other urban design related qualifications?
- Yes
- No ] SKIP TO 16
- Unsure ] SKIP TO 16
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15. To the best of your knowledge, can you please provide the following details for those with urban design related qualifications? Please indicate where this was obtained, and approximately when they obtained this.
|
Job title |
Qualification e.g. Graduate Diploma in Design, or Landscape Architecture paper |
University or training institution obtained from e.g. Victoria University |
Year graduated e.g. 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
INSERT TEXT BOX |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
|
INSERT TEXT BOX |
INSERT TEXT BOX |
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|
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External Urban Design Assistance
16. Has your council ever employed external consultants or contractors to provide urban design advice?
- Yes
- No ] SKIP TO 22
- Unsure ] SKIP TO 22
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17. Approximately, how often does your council employ these external consultants or contractors?
- More than once a month
- About once a month
- About twice a year
- About once a year
- Less often than once a year
- Unsure
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18. Which of the following types of consultants or contractors provided this urban design advice? Select all that apply.
- Architects
- Urban designers
- Landscape architects
- Urban planners
- Open space planners
- Surveyors
- Engineers
- Other, please specify: INSERT TEXT BOX
19. And are these consultants or contractors based in New Zealand or overseas?
- New Zealand
- Overseas
- Both New Zealand and overseas
- Unsure
20. And for which of the following reasons did your council employ these consultants or contractors? Select all that apply.
- Seeking a particular skill set, please describe:
- Capacity constraints with internal Council resources
- Providing independent advice
- Assisting to develop internal capability
- Other, please specify: INSERT TEXT BOX
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21. And what particular types of projects and/or work areas were these contractors involved in, in the last 12 months? Select all that apply.
- Providing policy advice as part of strategic policy development processes (excludes RMA land use policy and planning), e.g. urban development, transport, economic development, housing, community outcomes, built environment
- Providing policy advice as part of spatial planning processes e.g. structure planning, master planning, place making, planning for the development of communities
- Providing policy advice on land use planning and policy, e.g. district plans, regional land use, regional coastal plans, open space and recreation plans, reserve management plans
- Processing resource consent applications for land use and subdivision activities
- Providing specialist advice for resource consent application assessment, e.g. heritage, roading, engineering, urban design, landscape, open space
- Preparing or providing advice on the development of design guidelines
- Providing design advice or input into the design of Council projects throughout the design and construction phases e.g. new facilities and buildings, parks and reserves, street improvements, roading proposals, other infrastructure
- Preparing or providing advice on the development of council asset management and operational policy, e.g. asset management plans, safety audits
- Providing or assisting with training for council staff, politicians, consultants or developers
- Providing a mentoring role for new staff or staff interested in upskilling
- Other, please specify: INSERT TEXT BOX
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Building Urban Design Capacity
22. Thinking about the urban design capability in your council, to what extent do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?
|
Strongly disagree |
Disagree |
Neutral |
Agree |
Strongly agree |
Unsure |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
There is a sufficient number of experienced people in my council to provide quality urban design advice |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
It is easy to contract external urban design experts because they always have available capacity |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
It is easy to recruit people in New Zealand with urban design experience |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
It is easy to recruit people from overseas with urban design experience |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
It is seen as a priority to recruit people with urban design skills in my council |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
Our council prefers to outsource urban design skills than to specifically develop our internal urban design capacity |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
The location of our council makes it easy to recruit and/or keep people with urban design experience |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
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23. At present, which of the following, if any, is your council doing to develop its internal urban design capability? Select all that apply.
- Induction for new staff and elected members
- On the job training/peer mentoring
- Sponsoring staff and elected members to attend urban design training courses
- Encouraging staff and elected members to attend seminars, conferences, workshops
- Advertising for new additional urban designers (i.e. with urban design qualifications)
- Advertising for new additional staff with urban design knowledge and experience (i.e. not necessarily with urban design qualifications)
- Fact finding tours of other Council's both in NZ and overseas
- Other, please specify: INSERT TEXT BOX
- Do not do anything in particular to develop capability ;E
24. And in which of the following ways, if any, does your council support staff doing any urban design related study, and upskilling? Please select all that apply.
- Providing financial support to pay for fees, materials, etc.
- Providing time off for study
- Paying for conferences
- Organising or supporting attendance at meetings with other urban design professionals from other regions, cities and districts
- Providing structured internal training programmes
- Purchasing periodicals/books etc.
- Providing other support, please specify: INSERT TEXT BOX
- Providing no support ;E
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Urban Design and your council
25. Overall, how important is urban design in your council?
- Not at all important
- Somewhat unimportant
- Neither
- Somewhat important
- Extremely important
- Unsure
26. Which of the following statements do you agree or disagree with?
|
Strongly disagree |
Disagree |
Neutral |
Agree |
Strongly agree |
Unsure |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Urban design principles are taken into account in most major council projects |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
Senior management in this council strongly support (s) urban design |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
The elected representatives strongly support urban design |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
We take a cross-divisional approach to urban design in this council |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
Urban design concepts influence new policy development in this council |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
A quality urban environment is identified as a key priority in our community outcomes |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
We take a multi-disciplinary approach to urban design in this council (i.e. a variety of skills are applied to a project) |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
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27. And thinking about the organisational structure within your council, which of the following apply?
|
Yes |
No |
Unsure |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
There is a specific urban design team or section which provides input to a range of council processes and projects |
1 |
2 |
3 |
|
Urban design roles are spread across a number of teams and functions in the council |
1 |
2 |
3 |
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28. Thinking about the policies and plans your council is responsible for (both statutory and non-statutory), in which of the following are urban design principals recognised and incorporated? Select all that apply.
- District Plan
- Long Term Council Community Plan
- Regional Policy Statement
- Regional plan(s)
- Regional Land Transport Strategy
- Regional growth/development strategy
- Structure plans
- Economic development strategy
- Open space and recreation strategies
- Urban development plan/strategy
- Transport plan/strategy
- Housing strategy
- Asset management plans
- Codes of Practice (e.g. urban/land development, subdivision, roading design)
- Specific design guidelines, standards and targets
- Other, please specify: INSERT TEXT BOX
- None of the above ;E
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29. In your opinion, which of these skills are the most effective at influencing good urban design decisions and outcomes in your council?
|
Not effective |
Somewhat effective |
Extremely effective |
Unsure |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Technical expertise |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
|
Conflict resolution, facilitation and negotiation |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
|
Networking |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
|
Verbal and written communication |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
|
Influencing skills |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
|
Seniority of position |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
|
Other, please specify: INSERT TEXT BOX |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
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Overall
30. What would you say were the main things influencing or assisting the acceptance and utilisation of urban design advice in your council? (Including both internal and external influences)
INSERT LARGE COMMENT BOX
31. In your opinion, what are the main barriers to increasing the understanding and application of urban design in your council?
INSERT LARGE COMMENT BOX
32. Finally, what other additional comments, if any, do you have regarding the subject of this survey?
INSERT LARGE COMMENT BOX
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33. Would you be happy for your name and contact details to be passed back to the Ministry so they can better understand the issues raised in this questionnaire?
- Yes
- No
- Unsure
Closing Screen:
Thank you for taking the time to participate in this survey today. Your responses have now been submitted.
Again we would like to reassure you that the information you have provided is totally confidential. Research New Zealand will provide results to the Ministry for the Environment in the form of statistics and anonymous comments only, and your individual responses will be known only to Research New Zealand staff.
If you have any questions about the research, or any problems completing the survey, please contact Michelle Simpson-Edwards at Research New Zealand on 0800 500 168 or email michelle.simpson-edwards@researchnz.com
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