Residents are increasingly willing to get involved in local matters, though often not as much as they would like due to time constraints. Discover what PPGIS systems are and how they enable greater citizen engagement.
What is PPGIS- definition and sigiificance
Residents are increasingly willing to get involved in local matters, though often not as much as they would like due to time constraints. Learn what PPGIS systems are and what opportunities they offer for engaging citizens.
PPGIS combines spatial data with local knowledge and promotes communication within the community. Residents share their opinions, needs, and insights about their surroundings, while officials and planners complement this information with expert and professional knowledge to create solutions that better address real local needs.
Historical Background
As early as the 1970s, researchers and urban planning practitioners began criticizing the traditional top-down model of spatial planning as being too disconnected from the needs of residents. In response, the 1990s saw an accelerated search for tools that could increase genuine public participation in decision-making processes. The development of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the internet created the conditions for PPGIS – public participation based on spatial data.
The emergence of Web 2.0 and the rapid development of mapping tools (the Geoweb) in the 21st century enabled residents to actively co-create their surroundings. PPGIS has been implemented in countries such as the USA, the UK, Austria, Finland, and Italy. In Poland, the development of PPGIS was accelerated by legal changes, including the Spatial Planning Act and the Act on Spatial Information Infrastructure, which allowed the use of electronic communication in consultation processes.
What is PPGIS all about?
Combines maps with participation: Consultation participants can mark locations on maps that are important, problematic, or in need of change.
Collects local data: Residents share their observations, experiences, and needs related to specific locations.
Supports spatial analysis: The collected data is analyzed from a spatial perspective, enabling more informed decision-making in planning and management.
PPGIS examples:
- Geosurvey (our tool: LopiAsk) – an online questionnaire integrated with a map, allowing residents to pinpoint exact locations and answer questions related to a specific area (for more information on the geo-survey, click here).
- Geodiscussion (our tool: LopiTalk) – a discussion forum that enables dialogue, exchange of ideas, knowledge and opinions among residents, experts and planners or researchers (for more information on geo-discussion, click here)
Benefits of Using PPGIS
- Greater accuracy: allows identification of specific locations of problems and needs in public spaces.
- Broad accessibility: enables participation for those who cannot attend traditional meetings.
- Better planning: supports the creation of solutions tailored to the needs of local communities.
- Conflict prevention: helps formulate socially acceptable solutions before tensions or conflicts arise.
- Increased transparency: the consultation process and its results are available to all interested parties.
Examples of PPGIS Applications
- Identifying hazardous locations in the city (e.g., dangerous intersections, poorly lit alleys)
- Mapping investment and social needs in neighborhoods
- Designing new green spaces based on residents’ suggestions
- Consulting on spatial development plans
At a glance
PPGIS, or Participatory Geographic Information Systems, are online tools that combine maps with residents’ knowledge and opinions, supporting more informed and accurate decisions about public spaces.
PPGIS makes planning more open, inclusive, and grounded in the real needs of local communities. Residents can participate in decision-making at a time and place convenient for them, having a tangible impact on shaping their surroundings, while local authorities and institutions gain reliable data that helps create better, widely accepted solutions.
PPGIS increases information accessibility, democratizes the planning process, and helps design spaces that truly meet residents’ needs.
“We all want to live in a friendly, well-designed environment. Yet not everyone has time for traditional meetings with local authorities. PPGIS tools are revolutionary for public consultations, particularly due to their accessibility and spatial precision. ”
Weronika JankowiakCommunity Engagement Specialist
Poznań – a pioneer in planning consultations using PPGIS:
In 2007, as part of a research project during the revitalization of Park Kasprowicza, a prototype of LopiAsk was used in Poznań. This became a model for subsequent geo-surveys in Poland.
One of the largest participatory studies in Europe took place in Warsaw with the participation of the Lopi team.
In the so-called Warsaw Study in 2020, over 16,000 people marked more than 122,000 points on the maps.. It was one of the largest participatory studies of this kind in Europe and by far the biggest in Poland.
Schedule a free consultation
We are happy to advise and show you how LOPI can support your city, municipality, scientific study, or company.
