Integrating Online and Onsite Participation in Urban Planning: Assessment of a Digital Participation System

The present contribution offers an assessment of the development and implementation of the digital participation system in Hamburg, Germany. The system utilises open and public planning data within a web-based interface and a physical decision-support tool. These technologies are integrated in urban planning processes, namely through citizen participation and citizen engagement. The research presented in this paper assesses the impact of the digital participation system by evaluating three key aspects shared with traditional citizen-participation methods: (1) the selection of participants, (2) the modes of communication used, and (3) the authority and power. The assessment is based on the analysis of data collected from interviews and a usability and user-experience study. For the analysis and comparison of DIPAS to other participation formats, this paper introduces a visual assessment tool, the participation cube. The digital participation system is found to have diversified the selection of participants and improved collaboration with the general public. However, it did not facilitate higher decisional power, due to the lack of legal adjustments. The author argues that new forms of participation should not only rely on digital tools, but should also engage with the institutional and procedural context in which participation occurs. Several strategies are suggested to support an inter-disciplinary approach at the intersection of technical tools and traditional planning practices. These hybrid strategies would allow the seamless integration of citizen contributions into the creation of urban development plans.