Digital Participation Models as Public Engagement Tools in Planning: A Concept Exploration

Abstract

This paper critically and empirically explores how planning professionals understand a digital engagement tool and its use in effective and meaningful public participation. Through a series of focus groups where planners engaged with a Digital Participation Model (DPM), the research studied the functionality of this digital tool in relation to key communicative principles such as communication, comprehension and transparency. In doing so, this paper contributes to critical literature on the implications and politics of generalised technology developments for planning participation. Additionally, it offers a conceptual lens to critically guide application of digital engagement tools with the aim of reducing the risk that new technology dictates how we understand participatory engagement.