The challenge of measuring what truly matters: why I practice social planning
How do we measure social impact in a way that truly reflects community wellbeing? Traditional methods often rely on data-driven metrics, but social planning goes beyond numbers—it considers the human experience, social sustainability, and real-world outcomes. Measuring what matters in social planning is complex, requiring a balance of quantitative and qualitative insights. In this post, we explore the challenges of measuring social impact and why a broader perspective is essential for shaping better communities.
A personal backstory
Those who have heard me speak on why I became a planner know that a trip to Nepal when I was 11 years old was pivotal. For context, growing up, our family holidays were not your typical family holidays. My dad, Stephen Codrington, is an intrepid traveller and geographer himself, and he would take us off the beaten track, spending time with local people—understanding how they lived and enabling us to experience the sights, smells, and landscapes of other cultures.
These trips had a profound impact on me. They shaped the way I saw the world, ignited my love of human geography, and ultimately led me down the path of social sustainability in which I work today.
I have a vivid memory from our to Nepal in 2011. In the photo my dad took (shown below), I’m at the front, trying to play a simple hoop and stick game that the local children played, with my brother and my dad behind me. We wandered alongside them, laughing and trying to master the technique. I was hopeless—unable to get more than a couple of steps with the hoop before it tumbled to the ground. They, on the other hand, kept it rolling with ease, barely glancing at it, chatting away and clearly enjoying themselves, bemused at our hopeless lack of coordination, I'm sure!
Photo of the game we played in the mountain villages of Nepal, 2011 [Photo credit: Stephen Codrington]
But what struck me most wasn’t their skill—it was their happiness. Genuinely happy—smiling, friendly, welcoming. Language was no barrier. They welcomed us in and showed us their neighbourhood. They seemed to have so little, and yet the joy that they shared was palpable.
At 11, I didn’t have the words for what I was experiencing. I just knew that the contrast between our worlds was confronting. These children seemed to have so little, yet their sense of contentment was something I couldn’t ignore. I remember coming home to our newly renovated home, and tearing up at just how much we had in contrast to them. I sat on our carpeted stairs and cried.
That contrast—and that feeling—is imprinted in me.
Today, as a social planner, I still wrestle with a question that formed in my mind all those years ago:
How do we measure what truly makes communities thrive?
Happily playing on basic playground equipment with my brother, 1987, Gyula, Hungary [Photo credit: Stephen Codrington]
The challenge of measuring social sustainability
In my work, I frequently encounter the tension between what can be measured and what truly matters. Decision-makers often want hard data—clear, quantifiable metrics to justify investment. Economic and environmental sustainability are relatively straightforward to measure. There are GDP growth rates, emissions targets, and infrastructure benchmarks. These are tangible, reportable, and trackable over time.
But social sustainability? That’s harder. Sure, we have measurable indicators like access to healthcare, education, and housing—all crucial. But how do we quantify things like belonging, connection, resilience, and wellbeing? How do we measure whether a community feels safe, supported, and included?
So often, the measures end up being proxies—qualitative data, community insights, and social impact assessments. While these are incredibly valuable, they are frequently dismissed as "soft" evidence because they lack the crisp numerical precision of economic data. And yet, when we fail to prioritise these social dimensions, we create places that may function but don’t foster human thriving.
I’ve seen firsthand how strategic planning that accounts for social needs—through well-designed public spaces, accessible services, or opportunities for connection—can transform a development from merely functional to truly liveable.
Example of social sustainability considerations for connection, wellbeing and liveability [Photo credit: Liesl Codrington]
The importance of measuring social sustainability
Social planning is often seen as the "soft" side of urban and regional development, but I would argue it is the foundation of any place where people genuinely want to live. Without it, we risk creating environments that meet technical planning criteria but fail to support the people who inhabit them.
I’ve worked on projects where the economic case for a development was clear, but the social case needed to be made separately—almost as an afterthought. It’s something planners frequently face: an uphill battle to ensure that people's lived experiences are considered alongside financial feasibility and infrastructure plans.
But we know what happens when social sustainability is ignored or downplayed. We see it in communities where:
Public spaces are designed for efficiency but lack places for people to gather and connect.
Infrastructure is built without considering accessibility, leaving some people behind.
Economic growth is prioritised, but rising social inequities make life harder for vulnerable populations.
Planning that integrates social sustainability principles doesn’t just benefit communities—it makes developments more successful long-term. A well-designed urban precinct that fosters social connection will be more vibrant, attract more visitors, and contribute positively to economic sustainability as well.
Livvi's Place, an inclusive playground, Canberra, 2013 [Photo credit: Liesl Codrington]
Challenges in quantifying community wellbeing
Thirty years after that trip to Nepal, I still think about those children laughing as they rolled their hoops down the street. Their joy, their sense of place and community—these are the elements of social sustainability we should be striving for.
If we only measure what is easy to quantify, we risk missing what is truly important. The challenge for planners, policymakers, and decision-makers is to ask:
Are we designing places that genuinely foster human wellbeing?
Are we making space for social sustainability, even when it’s harder to measure?
Are we investing in people, not just places?
It’s time we start valuing what we cannot easily count, as the first point of call, not an afterthought —because in the end, those immeasurable moments of connection, resilience, and belonging are what make a place truly sustainable.
Those trips with my Dad and the rest of my family... they really mattered. [Photo credit: Stephen Codrington]
Strategies for effective social planning
One of the most important shifts I’ve seen is the increasing focus on social sustainability in recent years —ensuring that urban planning considers long-term social well-being, not just short-term development goals.
But we still face challenges. Many decisions are data-driven, but can data alone truly capture the nuances of human life? How do we measure belonging, equity, or social resilience?
I’ll be exploring some of these aspects in my next articles:
Why Social Sustainability Must Be at the Heart of Urban Development
Can We Understand Communities Through Data Alone?
👉 In the meantime
What drew you to your career? Do you have similar stories to tell?
How do you think we are doing with incorporating social sustainability in our urban and regional planning? Have you seen any approaches that work well?
Comment below - I'd love to hear your perspective.
