Impact

Impact is a measure for the (expected) magnitude of an undesired outcome. It is an important attribute of risk. The term consequence is frequently used as synonym of impact.

Types of impact

• Economic / financial
• Loss of life / wounded
• Societal impact
• Loss of primary function
• Immaterial damages
• Loss of image
• Ecological damage

In the context of the urban planner, all possible effects can be described as a loss of one or more of the functions of the urban object. As the functions of an urban object describe the value the object is designed to have, any impact that can not be expressed as a loss of function, is not included in the design and consequently not the responsibility of the urban planner. This means all impact can be described in terms of the loss of one of the urban functions.