Paper2GIS: Maintaining analytic potential whilst improving accessibility in Participatory Mapping
Topics: Geographic Information Science and Systems
, Energy
,
Keywords: PPGIS, Participatory Mapping, Digital Divides, Sketch Mapping, Accessibility
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Sunday
Session Start / End Time: 2/27/2022 09:40 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/27/2022 11:00 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 38
Authors:
Timna Denwood, University of Manchester
Jonathan Huck, University of Manchester
Sarah Lindley, University of Manchester
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
Abstract
Participatory Mapping has been widely deployed to improve democracy in the decision-making process, encompassing a range of methods with both advantages and limitations. These variations can affect the degree to which members of the general public, or the specific audience are able to participate, as well as the potential onward analysis of the data produced. For example, although an efficient and popular means of gathering spatial data, the accessibility of Public Participatory GIS (which rely on the use of computer technologies and often require high-speed internet) is limited by digital divides. Alternatively, whilst non-digital approaches such as sketch mapping are often more accessible by using paper-based systems for example, the collected data are more challenging to analyse and often subject to researcher bias in the digitisation process. We present ‘Paper2GIS’, a novel sketch mapping tool that automatically extracts mark-up that participants draw onto paper maps and stores it in a GIS database. Our approach limits the technical responsibility placed on the participant, whilst simultaneously generating robust digital data without the implicit bias introduced through manual digitisation by the researcher. In this way Paper2GIS is able to improve the accessibility of Participatory Mapping surveys, whilst enabling rigorous analyses that are not usually possible with paper-based mapping exercises. A case study is presented to address two energy planning questions of the residents in the Outer Hebrides, UK. The results are then compared to those from an alternative digital method, demonstrating that a similar output can be produced without any additional participant support.
Paper2GIS: Maintaining analytic potential whilst improving accessibility in Participatory Mapping
Category
Virtual Paper Abstract
Description
This abstract is part of a session. Click here to view the session.
| Slides