Towards better walkability tools: a practitioner-guided framework for urban analysis software

As cities strive to become more walkable, digital tools that assess walkability are increasingly critical. Yet, despite their rapid increase in academic and professional circles, many such tools fall short of serving the practical needs of urban planning experts. Most are not designed with the end-user in mind, leading to a gap between their promise and their real-world application.

This whitepaper presents findings from a practitioner-focused proof-of-concept study, centred on the walkability-analysis tool CTstreets.

Through a hands-on workshop and an online tutorial-based survey with planners, designers, and policymakers, the researchers uncover how urban experts evaluate walkability, which features they value in software tools, and where current tools succeed or fall short. We propose a four-layer framework for developing walkability analysis software from these insights.

This framework emphasises user-centred design, clarity of purpose, alignment with practitioner values, and the ability to translate insights into action.

We conclude with policy-relevant recommendations to guide the development of next-generation walkability tools that are scientifically robust and fit into decision-making workflows.