Planning a local network should take account of possible technical and other developments. The advisors to the community should provide a continuing assessment of the possible changes in technology, policy, and local conditions that might affect the options that they consider.

This can be done in a way which involves the key interests. One example is work that members of the Making the Net Work team have done with the Royal Institute for Chartered Surveyors Research Foundation.

In this exercise participants invented a town and were then briefed on possible technology developments. They then considered the changes this could bring.

Below is a summary of the briefing prepared by futurologist David Greenop, and David Wilcox. For more information on this technique mail David Wilcox <david@makingthenetwork.org>

Technology driven changes

Below are some of the likely short and medium term technological developments that could affect our towns and cities. The possible positive changes have been summarised by William Mitchell, author of 'E-topia' as:

• Dematerialisation. Commerce, government, leisure become more virtual as activities move online.
• Demobilisation. Journeys to work and other places can be replaced by online interaction.
• Mass customisation. Products and services can be tailored to individual needs.
• Intelligent operation. Our homes, workplaces, towns and cities can be more effectively managed.
• Soft transformation. Changes brought to our urban fabric can be less destructive than those of earlier revolutions.

It is possible, of course, to argue that benefit will be limited to the better off - just as clean water, sanitation, good roads, power and telephones reached the rich first. That is one of the challenges for central and local government.

Always connected

More information, more networking….. on the move, at home and at work. Greater connectivity will give people more knowledge, control and purchasing capability wherever they are.

• Always on Internet: 'always on, always connected' Internet available via mobile phones.
• Electronic purses: micro-payments made possible by mobile phone and smart credit cards.
• Positioning and guidance by mobile phone: you know where you - and others - are, and where to go.
• Home networks will link digital devices, and 'smart' appliances will be online for service monitoring
• Personal knowledge all the time, through software agents, mobile phones and PDAs, linked to home networks.
• 3D representation of the town available online

Working and shopping everywhere

For many, the distinction between work and personal activities will reduce still further. New skills will constantly be needed…. education will become increasingly work related. Shopping patterns and places will change.

• Live/work homes. Home will be an extension or alternative to the office for many.
• Live/work neighbourhoods. Shared workspaces and social spaces will proliferate.
• Learning online. Formal and informal learning opportunities will increase as courses are available everywhere.
• Distributed employment. More people will work for several employers, online, and form virtual teams.
• Online shopping and local delivery will increase, with neighbourhood collection points.

Health, Leisure and friendship online

Hobbies, sport and DIY interests will be targeted by commercial interests offer online services and networks. Technology may focus personal activities - yet also expand contacts. People will still want to meet.

• New health monitoring technology will offer those who can afford it constant personal health checks
• Hobby nets will develop for people with shared interest and DIY activities.
• Virtual friendships will develop into real relationships as people meet online - then offline.
• Local lifestyle shopping will be more recreational through increased home delivery.

Smarter towns - or big brother rules?

Wealth and employment remains concentrated in cities. Pressure for rural housing - and car usage - increases. Technology is deployed to enhance public services and management.

• Surveillance and tracking of people, vehicles and all activities increases.
• Cars online. Cars are more like homes and offices, with improved navigation devices.
• Smarter public transport. Bus and taxi services converge to become more available on-demand.
• Places online. Physical places are represented virtually, for management and marketing.
• Enhanced urban management. Traffic, pollution etc can be monitored and managed.

Empowered citizenship, more effective partnerships

New technologies offer the prospect of more effective and transparent government.

• Neighbourhoods online. All neighbourhoods have libraries online or centres to ensure public access and learning.
• Government online. Community information and services are online for home and neighbourhood access.
• More local government. Teleworking and intranets will enable government to decentralise operations.
• Electronic democracy becomes possible through participation and voting, with access to officials and councillors.
• Partnerships online. The many local public, private, community partnerships have intranets for effective working