Citizen participation enabled by technology in urban planning

Caroline Gjørtsvang Kock; Kim Halskov; Nicolai Brodersen Hansen; Peter Lauritsen

Citizen participation enabled by technology in urban planning

Caroline Gjørtsvang Kock^*
, Kim Halskov
, Nicolai Brodersen Hansen
, Peter Lauritsen

^*Corresponding author af dette arbejde

Institut for Kommunikation og Kultur - Afdeling for Digital Design og Informationsvidenskab

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift/Konferencebidrag i tidsskrift /Bidrag til avis › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › peer review

Abstract

Citizen participation in urban planning has long been recognized as a democratic imperative for fostering equitable, liveable, and sustainable cities. Yet urban planning presents a particularly complex arena: it involves heterogeneous stakeholders, unfolds over extended timescales, and results in decisions with far-reaching social and material consequences. To investigate how technology influences citizen participation in this context, we conducted a scoping review that maps how participatory urban planning has been practiced, supported, and discussed in relation to digital tools. This review examines not only whether technologies support participation, but also how, for whom, and to what extent, highlighting the sociotechnical dynamics through which participation and technology co-evolve in planning processes. The paper contributes (1) a comprehensive overview of the field, including intersections among participation modes, planning domains, and technologies; (2) a resource for researchers and practitioners seeking to advance technology-enabled citizen participation in urban planning; and (3) the identification of eight key challenges for computer-supported cooperative planning.

Originalsprog	Engelsk
Tidsskrift	Computer Supported Cooperative Work
ISSN	0925-9724
Status	Afsendt - 30 sep. 2025

Emneord

Scoping review
participation
urban planning
technology
participatory design
CSCW

Citationsformater

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abstract = "Citizen participation in urban planning has long been recognized as a democratic imperative for fostering equitable, liveable, and sustainable cities. Yet urban planning presents a particularly complex arena: it involves heterogeneous stakeholders, unfolds over extended timescales, and results in decisions with far-reaching social and material consequences. To investigate how technology influences citizen participation in this context, we conducted a scoping review that maps how participatory urban planning has been practiced, supported, and discussed in relation to digital tools. This review examines not only whether technologies support participation, but also how, for whom, and to what extent, highlighting the sociotechnical dynamics through which participation and technology co-evolve in planning processes. The paper contributes (1) a comprehensive overview of the field, including intersections among participation modes, planning domains, and technologies; (2) a resource for researchers and practitioners seeking to advance technology-enabled citizen participation in urban planning; and (3) the identification of eight key challenges for computer-supported cooperative planning.",

keywords = "Scoping review, participation, urban planning, technology, participatory design, CSCW",

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T1 - Citizen participation enabled by technology in urban planning

AU - Kock, Caroline Gjørtsvang

AU - Halskov, Kim

AU - Hansen, Nicolai Brodersen

AU - Lauritsen, Peter

PY - 2025/9/30

Y1 - 2025/9/30

N2 - Citizen participation in urban planning has long been recognized as a democratic imperative for fostering equitable, liveable, and sustainable cities. Yet urban planning presents a particularly complex arena: it involves heterogeneous stakeholders, unfolds over extended timescales, and results in decisions with far-reaching social and material consequences. To investigate how technology influences citizen participation in this context, we conducted a scoping review that maps how participatory urban planning has been practiced, supported, and discussed in relation to digital tools. This review examines not only whether technologies support participation, but also how, for whom, and to what extent, highlighting the sociotechnical dynamics through which participation and technology co-evolve in planning processes. The paper contributes (1) a comprehensive overview of the field, including intersections among participation modes, planning domains, and technologies; (2) a resource for researchers and practitioners seeking to advance technology-enabled citizen participation in urban planning; and (3) the identification of eight key challenges for computer-supported cooperative planning.

AB - Citizen participation in urban planning has long been recognized as a democratic imperative for fostering equitable, liveable, and sustainable cities. Yet urban planning presents a particularly complex arena: it involves heterogeneous stakeholders, unfolds over extended timescales, and results in decisions with far-reaching social and material consequences. To investigate how technology influences citizen participation in this context, we conducted a scoping review that maps how participatory urban planning has been practiced, supported, and discussed in relation to digital tools. This review examines not only whether technologies support participation, but also how, for whom, and to what extent, highlighting the sociotechnical dynamics through which participation and technology co-evolve in planning processes. The paper contributes (1) a comprehensive overview of the field, including intersections among participation modes, planning domains, and technologies; (2) a resource for researchers and practitioners seeking to advance technology-enabled citizen participation in urban planning; and (3) the identification of eight key challenges for computer-supported cooperative planning.

KW - Scoping review

KW - participation

KW - urban planning

KW - technology

KW - participatory design

KW - CSCW

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0925-9724

JO - Computer Supported Cooperative Work

JF - Computer Supported Cooperative Work

ER -