A spatial survey is a survey in which respondents answer by interacting with a map — dropping pins, drawing routes or areas, and attaching comments to specific locations. Instead of abstract opinions, it captures place-based input that can be analyzed geographically, making it well suited to planning, transportation, and public-space projects.
Why spatial surveys work for planning
Most planning concerns are inherently about place — this intersection, that building edge, this stretch of street. A map-based question lets residents point to exactly what they mean, producing input a design team can act on and a staff report can cite, rather than a general comment box that is hard to translate into changes.
Because responses carry coordinates, results can be mapped as heatmaps or clusters, revealing patterns — a dangerous crossing, a beloved park, a contested parcel — that a list of text responses would obscure.
Spatial surveys and PPGIS
Spatial surveys are a core tool of Public Participation GIS (PPGIS), the practice of using mapping technology to involve the public in spatial decision-making. Modern engagement platforms make this accessible to residents on a phone without specialist GIS software.
