Simulating community dynamics for transitional urban planning processes

Most urban planning projects are implicitly based on the premise that people will adapt their behaviour to a new situation, be that the development of a new railroad, dedicated cycle lanes or the revitalisation of a neighbourhood. Sometimes, such behavioural changes are very smooth and quick, but usually many people are unsure about the implications of a plan and are hesitant about supporting it. Often, the support and exemplary behaviour of key actors convinces others to follow. Such behavioural dynamics add to the complexity of the planning process. Increasingly, collaboration and co-creation with communities are being recognised as more satisfactory ways to plan. Agent-based simulation models can add to this collaborative planning process by sketching out possible developments for discussion. When community behaviour is included in agent-based simulations of a plan, their behavioural responsibility (agency) is recognised and emphasised in the planning process. This chapter elaborates on the behavioural dynamics in communities and the development and use of such agent-based community simulations.