ABSTRACT
"Community design" is a term widely used in planning and design disciplines, and it has a variety of definitions. In the contemporary planning and design world, understandings of community design generally fall into one or the other of two main purviews. Community design, then, is participatory decision making with people. The objectives, stages, and outcomes of community design provide a platform on which to mount a set of community design principles. Consequently, planners and designers must acquire a rich understanding of people's needs, wishes, and aspirations, for which they will create plans or design proposals. Participatory decision making, by involving the ultimate users of the built environment, brings planners and designers closer to unique solutions, and thus good design. The community design process provides a unique venue for community members and designers to learn from each other. When people come together to discuss ideas for the future of their communities, they start talking about the reasons behind their ideas.
