It is likely that you spend much of your your time proposing, designing and overseeing individual street work interventions, and maybe sometimes sourcing and positioning new seating, looking at resurfacing options or designing a crossing or new signage systems.

You may think urban design is not something you need to think about, but your work can have a huge impact on the quality and functionality of public spaces. So we suggest that understanding about urban design and being able to ensure good design within your work could be very useful. The main design skills you might need are:

• developing options for approval including explaining what street elements are needed, where they should go and what they should be like to create and maintain good environments
• advising colleagues and managers on the impact schemes could have on the quality of places
• monitoring the quality of places you are responsible for

We suggest you start by looking at the following sections:

Foundation of urban design:

• Structure of places
• Places that work
  
• Shaping places
• Policy and law
  
• Streets
  

Then add any other sections you think might be useful.

While you are looking at these courses we suggest you try to think about how the content relates to your job.

If you have queries or ideas you would like to share please post them on the forums.