Walkshops

A Walkshop is a workshop that's undertaken in the streets, while walking. Walkshops provide an opportunity to observe, learn, and discover the built environment from user experience. They allow insights and conversation that might not otherwise occur within a typical meeting environment. 

 

Walkshops can help humanise the built environment, reflecting on the 'why' for transport planning, traffic engineering, asset management and development.  

 

They're fun, but also quite serious. Walkshops are a practical approach to help shift the conversation beyond compliant technical and infrastructure solutions to outcomes shaped for local communities, embedding social value.  

 

Walkshops help build empathy and understanding into project outcomes and allow us to deliver healthier places to live for everyone in our community. They're a great opportunity to combine subject matter expertise with lived experience to influence decision making and delivery outcomes. 

 

Walkshops allow us to 'make it about people'. This can be achieved by considering the following during a walkshop: 

• Who is prioritised; who is this place designed for? 
• Would you feel safe here at different times of day or night? 
• How would different weather – such as intense heat or rain – impact your ability to walk here? 
• Does this environment provide everything it can to make walking, wheeling, bike riding and use of public transport the easy, convenient, safe option? 
• How comfortable, welcoming, and inviting is this place? 
• Is it equitable for everyone – can everyone use this space easily and safely? 
• How well does this place serve different uses and purposes? 

 

You can also assign different personas to walkshop participants, including the use of props if available: 

• An older person who walks slowly 
• A young parent with a pram 
• A person in a wheelchair 
• A young child walking 
• A group of three wanting to chat as they walk 

 

Sepcific design features to consider during a walkshop include: 

• footpath connectivity, quality and maintenance; route directness 
• road crossing experience – wait time; length of time allowed to cross; crossing distance 
• kerb ramps and treatments at crossings 
• tree canopy and shade 
• availability of and access to quality public open space 
• amenity 
• lighting and passive surveillance 
• places to stop and rest 
• air and noise pollution. 

 

It doesn't matter where you walk, there's always something to discuss: the good, the not-so-good and the 'room for improvement'. It's great to invite observations from all participants during a Walkshop – everyone's experience is valid. 

 

We've prepared a Walkshop guide to help you conduct your own Walkshops with colleagues, decision makers and community membres. You can access it here: 

https://www.healthyactivebydesign.com.au/resources/healthy-active-by-design-training-resources 

 

We also invite you to talk to us about conducting a Walkshop for you. Email HealthyActivebyDesign@heartfoundation.org.au