In several occasions, most people focus on the education requirements for any career forgetting that the accompanying skills are equally important as their educational background. To become a town planner, one has to acquire certain skills that will help in improving the public and private development decisions that influence people, places, and environment. Here are some of the requisite skills.

Ability to Work in Team Setting

Urban planners have a duty to bring together a clear action plan that integrates best ideas of experts and knowledgeable participants. To successfully accomplish their goals, the town planner has to bring the team members and stakeholders together.  Some of the stakeholders that work with the town planner in a team include engineers, architects, citizens and the political class. To have a great plan of an urban town, the town planner has to embrace teamwork.

Ability to Understand Data and Numbers

Town planners use a variety of data that include population statistics, social and economic data, different resource inventories, geographical information and environmental indicators. This means that anybody who is looking forward to being an urban planner must be competent in handling data. Data is important in crafting policy frameworks and planning of project proposals. Analysis and interpretation of relevant data assist the town planners in coming up with the best decisions and plans for the towns.

Understanding the Community Needs

Communities are made up of different demographics which may include families, single people, the aged and people of diverse ethnic backgrounds. It is imperative that a town planner understands the needs of the different members of the community. For instance, when planning a town, the town planner has to take cognizance of different housing needs of these demographics.

The singles would just need small rooms mainly the single rooms or bedsitters while the families will require large houses such as maisonettes or even 2-bedroom houses. Those who are affluent enough may need enough parking space reserved for them while those from low-income groups may not be so much interested in the luxuries. 

Understanding the community needs gives a town planner an advantage on his career and can work seamlessly with all the stakeholders.

Conflict Management

In several instances, the town planners face situations where there are competing viewpoints on land use proposals. For instance, in a place where a dam is to be constructed some of the community members may prefer different town layouts. Such scenarios require proper mediation and conflict management. The urban planners need to respect the conflicting views, mediate effectively and seek to compromise where necessary to be able to sort out difficult decisions such as the competing needs.