Strategic overview of digital public participation tools for urban planning

In light of the current pandemic, and the subsequent social distancing measures it imposed, this research aims to contribute to the literature of digital public participation methods for urban planning. It will specifically investigate the correlation between the technical knowledge required by digital public participation tools and levels of engagement, and the consequences of digital public participation to underserved populations. The requirements for digital knowledge and the levels of engagement will be used as axes of a matrix, in which the digital engagement tools will be plotted. The comparison of these variables will lead to the conclusion that the higher is the level of engagement, the higher is the requirement of digital knowledge, and therefore, the less accessible the method is for underserved communities. The research will finalize with some suggestions on how to overcome these challenges, which include the mitigation of digital literacy gaps through education, and the use of the current tools in more creative ways, prioritizing the low-tech ones, to enhance inclusivity and equity to urban planning projects and plans.