Use of Technology-based Citizen Participation Methods and Instruments for More Inclusive and Just Cities, A Critical Literature Review

Authors

Keywords:

inclusive urban design, citizen participation, just city, digital technology

Published

2024-07-14

Abstract

One of the fundamental principles of realizing an inclusive and just city involves designing an accessible environment for all, including physically disadvantaged groups, such as the elderly, children and people with a physical disability (Martin et al.,2019). This paper offers a critical literature review on technology-based citizen participation methods and instruments designed to enhance the accessibility of open public spaces - streets, parks, squares - for all inhabitants, including physically disadvantaged groups. Digital technologies, such as AI, can be powerful means to facilitate active and effective citizen participation in design and planning decision-making processes (Goodspeed, 2015). However, these technologies often have limitations for those disadvantaged groups due to the following: (1) these groups often have limited access and capacities to use new technologies (Vaportzis et al., 2017), (2) lack of diversity and biases in datasets used for technology development (Münster et al., 2017), and (3) there are different levels of trust in technologies in different political and cultural contexts (Aristeidou et al.,2017). Improving digital technologies and tools for active citizen participation is crucial in achieving inclusive and just cities by efficiently involving disadvantaged groups throughout urban design interventions’ design, testing, and evaluation processes.

This paper presents a critical literature review on existing technologies for citizen participation, particularly for disadvantaged groups, to develop a conceptual framework linking accessibility, representation, and utilization of emerging participation technologies. This framework provides insights into the complexities of integrating emerging participation technologies into cities’ social and spatial landscapes. Additionally, it aims to guide future research efforts towards creating citizen participatory technologies that are technologically advanced and, at the same time, socially equal.

Author Biographies

  • Prof Bige Tunçer, Eindhoven University of Technology

    Bige Tunçer is a Full Professor of Information  Systems in the Built Environment at Eindhoven University of Technology, Faculty of Architecture. Her work focuses on the complex relationship between use and usage patterns of (urban) spaces, users’ perception and appreciation of these spaces, and the influence of physical attributes of these spaces on these. The goal is to develop data-driven methodologies for creating design support tools and platforms that are used by designers, planners, policy makers, and other stakeholders within the built environment sector. Tunçer is an established leader in the field of evidence-based design and urban science. She leads and participates in various large multidisciplinary research grants in evidence informed design and planning, IoT, urban science, and big data.

  • Prof Christoph Hölscher , ETH Zurich, Singapore ETH Center

    Christoph Hölscher is Full Professor of Cognitive Science at ETH Zurich since 2013, specializing in Applied Cognitive Science. Christoph is Program Co-Director at the Singapore ETH Center (SEC) Future Cities Laboratory Global, heading research on ‘Architectural Cognition in Practice’ and serves as Program Director of Future Resilient Systems FRS. He holds a PhD in Psychology (University of Freiburg), served as honorary senior research fellow at UCL, Bartlett, and as visiting Professor in the Architecture Department at Northumbria University Newcastle.

  • Prof Panos Mavros , Télécom Paris, Institut Polytechnique de Paris

    Panos Mavros is an Assistant Professor in Applied Psychology, Design and Digital Technology, at the Interact team and the Interdisciplinary Institute of Innovation (i3) of Télécom Paris, Institut Polytechnique de Paris. His research focus is the use of technologies at the intersection between cognitive science with architecture and planning. He has led several research grants as an early career researcher and in 2024 he will start the funded 2-year project SPACIOUS (Sciences des utilisateurs et Participation dans la Conception Urbaine).

References

Aristeidou, M., Scanlon, E. and Sharples,M. (2017). “Profiles of engagement in online communities of citizen science participation”. In: Computers in Human Behaviour 74 (2017), pp. 246-256. DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2017.04.044.

Goodspeed, R. (2015). “Smart cities: moving beyond urban cybernetics to tackle wicked problems” In: Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society 8.1, pp. 79–92. DOI:10.1093/cjres/rsu013.

Martin, C., Evans, J., Karvonen, A., Paskaleva, K., Yang, D., and Linjordet, T. (2019). “Smartsustainability: A new urban fix?” In: Sustainable Cities and Society 45, pp. 640–648.

Vaportzis, E., Giatsi Clausen,M. and Gow, A.J. (2017). “Older adults perceptions of technology and barriers to interacting with tablet computers: a focus group study.” In: Frontiers in Psychology, 8, p. 1687.