Earlier in 2023, UNITAC in collaboration with the Department of Town & Country Planning of Botswana (DTCP) and the Botswana Digital & Innovation Hub (BDIH) hosted a 2-day Digital Participatory Planning Workshop in Gaborone. A diverse group of stakeholders came together to explore the DIPAS tool (Digital Participation System)* and utilize it to support DTCP’s efforts to develop a masterplan for the Segoditshane river corridor.
Through the stakeholder and community consultation sessions, participants dived deep into the features and functionalities of DIPAS and ideated on how the tool could be further developed and adapted to the local context of Gaborone and Botswana. Moreover, participants of the stakeholder consultation took a needs-driven approach and brainstormed 12 innovative ideas for tools and digital solutions that could support the country and the region in its endeavor to advance sustainable urban development.
Exploring opportunities for digital tools
The Government of Botswana, recognizing the immense potential of innovative technologies, is committed to drive digital transformation for sustainable urban development in the country. To support this ambition, the two-day workshop aimed at exploring the opportunity of establishing a Regional Smart Cities Hub in Botswana. Using DIPAS to complement ongoing participatory processes on the Segoditshane river corridor and on the draft masterplan, the workshops demonstrated how UNITAC methods and tools can be aligned with urban planning activities and can amplify existing participatory planning processes in Botswana. The event also provided a platform for relevant stakeholders to connect with each other and engage in discussions on the future of operationalizing digital technologies for sustainable urban planning in the country.
Stakeholders consultation and community feedback
As part of the activities, the Department of Town & Country Planning organized an excursion to the Segoditshane river for the UNITAC team. This site increased the team’s understanding of the draft masterplan, its significance and opportunities. More than 70 stakeholders joined the first workshop, including representatives from the private sector, academia, different ministries, as well as international development organizations. The DIPAS tool was used to collect localized feedback from the workshop participants on the Segoditshane river corridor, and it was also deployed to digitalize and enable rapid analysis of community feedback from the existing extensive public consultation material that were compiled by DTCP previously.
In the discussions, there was a consensus that tools such as DIPAS have the potential to attract a wider audience, especially young people, therefore it could complement existing consultation processes, such as the kgotla**. The inputs also raised the importance of two-way communication to build trust between local communities and the city: contributors welcomed the opportunity to share their thoughts and opinion, but they also highlighted the need for receiving response to their contributions, therefore assuring that their feedback is heard and taken into account. Ranging from usability to privacy topics, participants brought up various further ideas on how DIPAS could be enhanced and appropriated.
Needs-driven approaches with digital platforms for public participation
Taking a needs-driven approach, the stakeholders workshop allowed participants to brainstorm different innovative concepts around digital tools that could assist Botswana in its transition to smart and sustainable cities and communities. The group discussions resulted in 12 ideas: some groups proposed solutions for traffic and transport monitoring, while others focused on the topic of fault detection and reporting. Multiple teams ideated on data infrastructure and management: interoperability and integration of spatial datasets were key components of these proposals. Inspired by DIPAS, some teams addressed the topic of participation and developed the concept of the ‘digital kgotla’.
As part of the second day’s agenda, DIPAS was used to introduce the Segoditshane river corridor draft masterplan to the public. Together with colleagues from DTCP, SmartBots, Department of Local Governance and BA ISAGO University, UNITAC supported public consultations in two busy areas of Gaborone: the Bus Rank and the Main Mall. Participants were eager to share their personal experiences of the river corridor, as well as their ideas and wishes concerning its future. While using DIPAS, they also shared their views and ideas on the application of DIPAS, for instance various locations were suggested where the tool could be on display and be accessible to local communities. Given the richness of languages in Botswana, the need for a user interface in Setswana and the necessity of offering other language options was also highlighted.
The two-day event concluded with presentations summarizing the outcomes of the workshops to the participants and discussing the next steps to establish a Smart Cities Hub in Botswana. The various innovative ideas, dialogues as well as the personal experiences and knowledge shared provide important starting points on this people-centered journey.
The organization and participation in this workshop were a unique experience and opportunity for the UNITAC Team, enabling a rich knowledge exchange with our partners in Botswana. UNITAC would like to express our gratitude towards our partners who made this workshop possible: the Department of Town & Country Planning (DTCP), Ministry of Land & Water Affairs, Botswana, and the Botswana Digital & Innovation Hub (BDIH).
*DIPAS a consultation tool developed in collaboration between the City Science Lab at HafenCity University Hamburg (HCU), the Hamburg Authority for Urban Development and Housing (BSW) and the State Office for Geoinformation and Surveying (LGV). It enables both online and in-person participation as a workshop tool, combined with a powerful backend for data analysis. This combination of on-site and online participation within one system allows citizen participation that is more accessible for different segments of the population. With DIPAS citizens can access spatial information, such as digital maps, aerial photographs, 3D models and other geodata from home using their smartphones or at events with the help of interactive data tables and provide precisely localized feedback on different areas or planning projects.
**A kgotla is a traditional community meeting or tribal gathering where participants discuss and make decisions about relevant issues affecting the community.