Introduction: Smart Evaluation, the Aim and Stages of a Work in Progress

The most recent turns in scholarly discussion have brought out the fact that the action of evaluation distinguishes itself during the planning process as a technique that supports decision-making (Alexander, 2006; 2009; Lichfield et al., 1998; Miller and Patassini, 2005), becoming progressively more effective and useful the more it is integrated with the planning process. This is the feature that defines the basic characteristic of evaluation, bringing out its facet as a technical argumentation. It clarifies that there are substantive reasons for seeking out the highest level of integration with the planning process in order to further social and institutional innovation. From the perspective that rationality is oriented to the approach of communicative planning (Healey, 2005; Forester, 1989; 2009), it is evident that evaluation can function as ‘teaching and learning’ as it promotes a process of collective learning that supports decision-making. These brief considerations are the necessary starting points for introducing the experimentation that this book presents. Smart Evaluation and Integrated Design in Regional Development presents an alternative approach to evaluation in spatial planning, an approach that was experimented with in the Autonomous Province of Trento and involves the design of territorial scenarios. Specifically, Smart Evaluation introduces Territorial Integrated Evaluation (TIE), an innovative evaluation methodology for designing local development scenarios, thus linking the theory and the practice of planning.