This course is cancelled due to low registrations.

Presented by Christine Coste

When delivered online, this full day course is split over two days to better manage the learning delivery. Participants should be available 9am – noon both days to participate in the course and allowing for 30 mins of short breaks each morning.

This course is designed to introduce key concepts in relation to operating as a planning professional in the digital age. The world has and is changing rapidly, and this has a real impact on how we operate as professionals.

The course will explore:

  • An introduction to some of the pressures of the digital age;
  • How these pressures impact on the ethical and competent practice of planners;
  • What other planning jurisdictions overseas are doing about these challenges; and
  • What concepts we can introduce into our practice to counter these pressures to maintain our ethical responsibilities.

The purpose of this course is to give a solid grounding on what the issues are, and how a planner may overcome these to ensure professional integrity. The course does not specifically cover use of digital technology or other tools.

By the end of the course attendees will:

  • Have an increased awareness of the societal changes resulting from the modern world
  • Understand how these changes impact on planning and planning ethics
  • Understand how to uphold ethical and competent practice against these pressures
  • Awareness of what new knowledge or skills the individual planner may need to gain to adapt individual practice to meet these challenges

Who should attend?

The course is targeted to experienced planners, however is framed to accommodate planners at all levels. The course will be particularly beneficial to team leaders/managers in the public sector responsible for teams of planners, and/or designing public processes. It will also be particularly valuable to those who are responsible for their organisation’s work processes and systems (e.g. those working in sole practice, team leaders/managers in larger organisations).

Presented by Christine Coste, RMA Digital

Christine has 20 years’ experience as a planner including three years in the UK. She holds a Bachelor of Planning from the University of Auckland and is a Full member of the New Zealand Planning Institute. Christine is a certified RMA hearings commissioner and has a Certificate in Public Participation from the International Association for Public Participation – Australasian Chapter.


Christine founded RMA Digital to provide services to RMA practitioners to better meet the challenges of the digital age. Embracing emerging technology is essential to our ability to undertake our work as RMA practitioners now and in the future.

Click here to see NZPI's Cancellation Terms and Conditions