An Emergence of a Planning Support System for Collaborative Urban Planning Through a User-Centred Design Approach: The Case of “Virtual Green Planner”

Abstract

In contrast to traditional public participation methods in planning, digital tools need to be developed by information technology experts which means the public cannot customise their approaches to participation without IT expertise. This study examines the effectiveness of a user-centred design approach in developing a planning support system for collaborative urban planning. The findings show that tool developers play a crucial role in shaping the tool, while users could provide inputs through user research conducted by the researchers. A systemic challenge between tool developers, users, researchers, and funders is revealed.