This paper aims to develop a comprehensive approach to innovate urban policymaking and planning to successfully deliver the knowledge-based agenda. The paper, first, examines the concept of knowledge-based urban development, which has become a popular urban development policy and strategy in recent years, through a comprehensive review of the literature. It, then, introduces and discusses a novel methodological approach for effective policymaking and planning mechanism to deliver the knowledge-based agenda of cities. The paper, with the proposed methodology, brings together urban policymaking and planning approaches, and introduces a novel way to assess knowledge-based urban development achievements and potentials of emerging and prosperous knowledge cities. The paper, thus, provides an invaluable instrument to inform local and regional decision and plan making mechanisms to deliver their knowledge-based agendas and help them in moving towards building their sustainable knowledge cities.Keywords: knowledge-based agenda; knowledge city; policymaking and planning; knowledge-based development; KBD; knowledge-based urban development.Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Yigitcanlar, T. (2014) 'Innovating urban policymaking and planning mechanisms to deliver knowledge-based agendas: a methodological approach', Int. J.