Information systems for planning in developing countries: Some lessons from the experience of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat)

Abstract

To this end, Habitat has taken a leading role among multilateral and bilateral agencies in introducing and applying microcomputer systems to urban and regional planning in the Third World. Habitat has provided software, systems, training, management, evaluation/assessment, special advisory and consulting services to government agencies all over the world. The purpose of this paper is to present a number of case studies based on Habitat experience and to try to draw from this experience some lessons about computerised information systems for urban and regional planning in developing countries. Case studies are drawn from India, Mexico and Sri Lanka. The paper concludes with three main guidelines for the development of planning information systems in the Third World.