Digital Participation System (DIPAS)

DIPAS is an open-source web-based digital platform to improve public participation in urban planning. The application works on a browser, and it is accessible from any device (e.g., laptop, mobile, touch table). The tool caters for 2 user groups:

1. citizens and stakeholders and

2. public officials, developers or consultants responsible for public engagement.

The tool allows users to view master plans or proposed developments and to provide localised feedback (information, suggestions, or questions) on a location, street or area. The added value for public officials, planners or consultants is that they can download the georeferenced and structured feedback in CSV and GeoJSON file formats as well as view and download graphs and maps to use in their reports, analysis, designs or policy recommendations.

The content is fully customisable and suitable for many planning topics with strong spatial reference, (e.g., development concept, master plan, public space design, mobility, waste management, or climate).

DIPAS was first developed by the City Science Lab, Hamburg with the City of Hamburg BSW and LGV Hamburg (see here).


DIPAS contribution map showing comments entered by stakeholders of the Segoditshane River Corridor in Botswana


DIPAS contribution map showing comments entered by stakeholders of the Segoditshane River Corridor in Botswana

Want to use the tool in your region?

Contact unitac@un.org for more information about how to use the tool in your region.

Code repository

You can find the code repository here.

Stakeholders and experts commenting on the proposed revitalisation of the Segoditshane River Corridor in Botswana.

Partners

  • Botswana Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  • Botswana Ministry of Land, Water and Housing
  • Botswana Digital and Innovation Hub
Features icon

Features and functionalities

DIPAS can complement traditional public consultation processes in the following ways:

  • provide digital forms of online public participation in urban planning, not limited to those that attend an event.
  • allow for real time digital data collection, analysis and reporting.
  • enable communication between urban planners, city officials and the community by making participation more accessible, transparent, and efficient.

Scalability

As a web-based application, DIPAS has proven scalability and replicability in other cities, with interest from governments in Ukraine, South Africa and Botswana.