Toolbox
Field Research
Toolbox Themes
- Climate action
- Participation
- Socio-spatial inclusion
- Sustainable Urban Mobility
Objectives
Collect and/or produce additional data needed for the analysis of the city.
Results
New data produced through multiple activities (surveys, participatory mapping, field visit, etc.)
Maps, diagrams and data visualisations
Description
If there is limited information available, additional participatory or on-the-ground activities can be carried out to complement it. Field research is also a useful practice to validate data that has been previously collected or to gather more detailed information of a specific component or location. Data collection, especially on the field, should be aligned with the plan’s objective and focused on the specific area, scale and topics of interest. Furthermore, it should also consider thematic areas relevant to the specific context, such as coastal areas, presence of informal settlements, predisposition for tourism, vulnerability to climate change, etc.
There are different ways of conducting field research. In a reconnaissance survey, the technical team identifies on-the-ground features or elements that are relevant for the analysis and notes them down on a base map, using appropriate software, such as GPS tracking. Moreover, participatory activities with a group or a specific stakeholder, such as community mapping workshops, interviews, and household surveys, provide high quality information based on the empirical experience (e.g. the identification of climate risk hotspots by the community) and the technical knowledge of the residents and experts. This kind of exercise allows to build capacity and knowledge to the local stakeholders and officers at city level. Lastly, high-resolution satellite imagery can be bought, or drone imagery can be taken to increase the level of detail of the existing information.
Steps
- Review the available data gathered during the desk research activity, identify key topics and/or areas to prioritise during the field research, and consolidate the list of data to be gathered in this activity.
- Select the methods that will be used to conduct the field research.
- Identify knowledge gaps at the local level and prepare training and capacity building activities to perform before the data collection.
- If needed, identify a representative sample of the population or invite any relevant stakeholder from the advisory committee to conduct the activities.
- Prepare all the materials required to carry out the T16 Participatory Incremental Mapping (PIM).
- If relevant, develop T15 Matrix of Functions (MoF) to further understand the spatial structure and the land use.
- Organise bilateral meetings with relevant stakeholders to collect official data and additional information.
- Plan field visits in key areas and important locations in the city to gather more specific information.
- During the field research, observe, listen, take notes, save locations, and do not jump to conclusions.
- Compile the newly gathered data and combine it with the existing data into a series of base maps (T14 Desk and Field Research - Maps and Data Checklist).
Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Action
To assess the vulnerability to hazards in a specific settlement or community, one of the first activities to prepare is anImpact Chain Diagram, which will be done through a participatory approach. The Impact Chain Diagram will help visualise how hazard events and their impacts are interrelated. This tool helps to shift from local impact observation (eg. “There are more power outages during the hot season”) to understand which hazard is at the root of the impact (eg. longer periods of drought).
Additional resources:
Planning for Climate Change
Climate Proofing Toolkit
CityRAP Tool City Resilience Action Planning Tool
Sustainable Urban Mobility
Field research is essential following desk research to refine and validate initial findings with on-the-ground data. This phase includes engaging directly with transport users and stakeholders through interviews and surveys to capture key insights on travel behaviours, needs, and challenges.
Additionally, fieldwork involves vehicle counts, mapping street use, and assessing mobility mode partition (e.g., public transport, private vehicles, cycling, walking) to analyse traffic flows across various urban areas. Documenting existing traffic-calming measures, such as speed bumps, pedestrian crossings, and bike lanes, also allows for an evaluation of their effectiveness in managing traffic and improving safety. Field research grounds the sustainable urban mobility plan in real-world conditions, ensuring its accuracy and responsiveness.
Additional resources:
Guidelines for Developing and Implementing a SUMP in Kosovo's cities (Chapter 2)
The Tool for the Rapid Assessment of Urban Mobility in Cities with Data Scarcity (TRAM) (Chapters 4 and 5)