Spatial Data Management and Visualization Tools and Technologies for Enhancing Participatory e-Planning in Smart Cities

In recent years the concept of “smart cities” has emerged as a new promising paradigm for urban management, capable of attaining sustainability objectives. The issue of citizens and stakeholders’ participation, whose contribution to the collection of empirical knowledge, identification and prioritization of urban inefficiencies as well as selection and deployment of city- and citizen-specific smart applications and policies for coping with these inefficiencies and steering sustainable, inclusive and resilient urban environments, is of critical importance and lies at the heart of this new paradigm. Digitally enhanced environments, supported by Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and their applications have marked a noteworthy shift towards e-Planning and e-Participation, setting the ground for more knowledgeable policy-making towards the planning/implementation of smart city solutions that are mostly citizens- and city-oriented rather than purely technology-pushed. The focus of the present paper is on the delineation of participatory e-Planning as a digitally enabled perspective for effectively communicating various planning problems to citizens and stakeholders and actively involving them in decision-making. Along these lines, the most significant tools and technologies are described, which are currently available in planners’ portfolio in order for participatory planning exercises to be optimally implemented by successfully integrating spatial planning approaches, public participation and visualization techniques; while the role of Public Participation Geographic Information Systems (PPGIS) in spatial planning is also discussed. Finally, some concluding remarks are drawn as to the key components and obstacles planners are confronted with, while carrying out participatory e-Planning projects in a smart city context.