Transforming Precedent: A Systematic Review Methodology for Informed Planning Decisions

Urban planners are often tasked with locating, assessing, and integrating multilevel policy, regulatory, administrative, and governance information. Through a recent systematic literature review (SLR) of Canadian municipal interventions targeting women’s equity, this paper answers the following research question: how can planners use an SLR methodology to increase the rigor and transparency of precedent research within practice? This article highlights the contributions and limitations of applying an SLR methodology to research within practice and demonstrates how planners can modify and apply this approach to standardize the collection and assessment of precedent to contribute to informed planning decisions.