|
Web-based GIS For Collaborative Planning And
Public Participation Toward Better Governance Ahris Yaakup GIS and Planning Unit Department of Urban and Regional Planning Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Yazid Abu Bakar GIS and Planning Unit Department of Urban and Regional Planning Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Susilawati Sulaiman GIS and Planning Unit Department of Urban and Regional Planning Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Abstract The planning and management process involves many stages of decision-making and expertise from various fields and hence necessitates for collaboration among the parties involved apart from public participation for improving information and to facilitate the adaptability of the planning system. This paper outlines current research and the potential of the Internet based GIS as a means of increasing collaborative planning and public participation in decision making. Case studies are provided to illustrate the potential and actual benefit of on-line systems engaging with regional monitoring, state structure plan implementation and development and building control. INTRODUCTION The planning and management process involves many stages of decision-making and expertise from various fields and hence necessitates for collaboration among the parties involved. In addition, public participation is essential as a means of improving information and to facilitate the adaptability of the planning system. In Malaysia, the preparation of the development plan called for participation as a value consensus mechanism, not only from the public at large but other agencies to allow data sharing and to ensure more informed decision. Yet factors such as communication and collaboration breakdown due to a lack of trust and inadequate institutional support for communication among stakeholders as well as lack of effective means for public participation do not allow for effective spatial planning. As such there need to be an effective approach and strategy to support consensus-building as well as public participation in the desire to provide better governance. However, GIS data which were made accessible on the Internet by web-based GIS technology, has offered an effective medium for public participation and collaborative planning. The internet is currently considered an important media. Its ability in enabling users to interact across the network has provided opportunities for retrieval of hypermedia information in an easy and effective way. Through the World Wide Web (WWW) multimedia capabilities, users all over the world has turned this technology into an important media to access and acquire information as well as interact using diverse types of visual representations such as images, maps, diagrams and graphs which are as easy to implement as text supported by graphical interface, sound, video, animation and so forth. Web-based GIS technology plays an effective role in the presentation and analysing of planning information. Users need not have specific training or software to be able to interact. Its ability in enabling easy and simplified access and without limitation in terms of time and location should be able to increase the number of GIS users and involvement in the planning and development activities. Web-based GIS is expected to cultivate a new working environment in the field of planning through involvement from various agencies and personnel in obtaining common benefits. The sharing of information would be able to facilitate and support the planning agendas and urban management in Malaysia. NATURE OF PLANNING AND EVOLVING CONCERNS OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Decision characterises every stage of the planning and management processes which are based on a generic problem solving process involving problem definition and description, various forms of analysis which might include simulation and modelling, prediction and prescription or design which often involves the evaluation of alternative solutions to the problem. The process takes place across many scales and is clearly `iterative' or `cyclic' in form as the process of implementation of the chosen plan or policy will involve the sequence once again. Processes may be nested within one another while the extent to which different professionals, managers and other decision-making interests are involved through the various stages, depends upon the nature of specific applications and their context (Batty and Densham, 1996). The nature of planning calls for an effective approach to achieve the desired goals and objectives, evaluate alternative as well as control development programs that are in line with the current and future prospects. In the meantime, the evolving concept of planning has been accompanied by equally fundamental but largely independent changes in the prevailing views of proper information technology in public and private sector organizations (Table 1). 
Page 1 of 3
| Next | |