A review on citizen motivation analyses for participating on urban planning process

Author: Dhurata Shehu, Tamara Luarasi
Affiliation: POLIS University

Abstract
The rapid development of urban areas and the rising complexity of urban concerns have caused considerable problems for urban planners. Standard methods of evaluation, including statistics, geographical information systems (GIS), and studies of literature, are no longer enough for understanding the enormous number of data and reports available. Such tremendous amount of data is calling for new, data-intensive methods to conduct research in science, urban planning, engineering etc. But it remains up to urban planners and decision-making institutions to take advantage of this potential and use urban and society informatics to gather useful information. Through an in-depth examination of current research, this review highlights crucial elements that mediate the interaction between residents and the urban planning process. Numerous studies have examined at survey design and administration, but we must also consider how to convey the request for information from residents in an appealing way for them. In comparison to survey polls, social media can provide a more scientifically accurate representation of popular attitudes of certain topics. But, despite this advantage, there seem to be limited investigations into the challenges in social media-based public opinion analysis. Furthermore, the introduction of AI and deep learning models, paired with greater processing capacity, tools, and algorithms, creates new options for addressing difficult urban issues. How could AI facilitate planners in the planning process? What methodology could be followed in order to reach a high response rate from citizens? Do the institutions possess these data? Which factors indicate the motivation and intentions of people on involving in this entire process? This study serves as a starting point for future researchers, with the goal of answering these concerns by providing a complete review of existing and potential AI applications in urban and regional planning processes. Most of the findings reveal that the level of community participation in the urban planning process in developing countries is low. As a result, this study recommends the development of a single national strategy for social media platforms used by municipal institutions, which will encourage the use of government tools such as discussion and incentives, therefore improving social networks and the effectiveness of organizers.

Keywords: AI, citizens, urban planning