Social participation and the role of ICT in the planning, design, and maintenance of public spaces

The dataset comprises diverse sources collected across four research papers within a PhD thesis dissertation context. It includes: Transcripts of Interviews: These transcripts capture conversations with various stakeholders, such as academics, government practitioners, NGOs, private companies and local residents. They provide insights into social dynamics, preferences, and challenges related to the management of public spaces, participatory practices and the use of ICTs for the planning, design and maintenance of public spaces. Field Notes Observations: Researchers recorded detailed observations during fieldwork. These notes document physical aspects of the conducted interviews, human behavior, and interactions. They serve as valuable qualitative data for this research. Geospatial Information: Geospatial data includes coordinates, boundaries, and spatial relationships. It enables spatial analysis, mapping, and visualization of public spaces. This information was created to develop thematic maps and to collect how residents perceive the needs and aspirations of their public spaces. Purpose of the Dataset: The dataset aims to investigate the role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in enhancing social participation within public spaces. Researchers can analyze these diverse data sources to explore patterns, identify challenges, and propose ICT-based interventions for inclusive and vibrant public spaces. The dataset includes information divided into 4 papers within the research project. Identifying each dataset is mentioned in the title of the paper. Paper 1, Paper 2, Paper 3 and Paper 4. Please note that the dataset is anonymized to protect privacy and confidentiality. Nevertheless, the information can lead to identifying actors that participated in this research, for which access to the datasets required a request, such as photographs. Researchers interested in urban planning, social dynamics, and ICT applications can leverage this dataset for further studies.