Digital Tools for Early Participation in Urban Planning Processes: Situating Knowledge through a Pragmatist Approach

Abstract

This article investigates the application of digital participatory tools to engage residents in the early stages of urban planning processes in Hjällbo, a stigmatised neighbourhood in Gothenburg, Sweden, currently undergoing a process that fosters densification and gentrification. Adopting a pragmatist approach, the study aims to assess how a set of digital tools can facilitate residents suggestions for places needing improvement and proposals for functions and qualities to be added to these places. The tools tested include a web-based participatory GIS (MapX), an e-platform for participatory processes (Decidim), and social media data (Google Places, Foursquare, Twitter, OpenStreetMap, and Instagram). The analytical framework examines the interaction between context, process, content, and local stakeholders. The results show that MapX effectively collected residents opinions and identified key places and routes of interest, while social media data provided insights into the relevance of certain areas and activities. Decidim, however, experienced challenges with respect to user engagement and hybridisation between offline and online activities. The study concludes that digital tools should be combined with analogue outreach activities and local mobilization for effective participatory planning. The findings contribute to the development of situational and actionable knowledge, aligning with the pragmatist approach.