Planners’ Technical Expertise: Changing Paradigms and Practices in the Italian Experience

Abstract

Why is a planner hired? What specific knowledge and expertise does he or she contribute to the planning process? These recurring questions arise due to rapid changes in disciplinary approaches and methods, the legal and administrative framework, and the ways in which actors interact. While political and technical aspects are deeply intertwined in planning processes—sometimes giving planners a key role in defining goals—public decisions are often dominated by common knowledge rather than professional expertise. Planners are increasingly required to address issues beyond physical spatial organisation and process management. Their technical expertise has expanded from an architectural–engineering base to encompass socio-economic and environmental concerns, communication methods, and participatory procedures. This evolution challenges both professional practice and educational programmes, responding to the need for more robust methods and effective tools for complex problems. At the same time, it blurs the traditional image of the planner compared to the strong professional roles of engineers and architects, who in many countries retain responsibility for physical planning. The paper analyses the evolution of technical paradigms within Italian planning, highlighting the emerging types of expertise that form the planner’s “toolbox”. It stresses the importance of linking disciplinary progress with professional practice (controlled by professional orders), bridging the theory/practice gap, and aligning legal frameworks with educational systems that still reflect traditional models. The paper proposes several paradigmatic “planning figures” to illustrate the variety of technical expertise now required in contemporary planning.