Quantifying Quality: Assessing the Condition of Public Spaces (or Playgrounds) in a Systematic Way

When evaluating public space interventions, it’s common to focus on changes in people’s behavior or outcomes. But measuring changes to the physical environment can be just as important, especially when trying to prioritize investments and identify areas with greatest need. At KABOOM!, we partner with municipalities to replace and improve low-quality playgrounds. Yet we often faced a challenge: how do we define “low-quality”? In response, we created the KABOOM! Playspace Assessment Tool—a simple, scalable way to score playground conditions. It helps us document a space’s starting point, compare sites across communities, and track changes after a project is complete. In this session, we’ll share how our team designed a practical scoring system that supports better decision-making and clearer storytelling, helping ensure more kids have access to the quality places they need to play, learn, and grow.