Application of Web 2.0 Technology in an Exploratory Scenario Planning Approach for the Re-visioning of Abuja City
- Country : Nigeria
- Subject : Urban and Regional Planning
Keywords : scenario planning, visioning, participation, web 2.0 technology
Abstract
Scenarios and visioning are archetypical products of futures studies necessary for creating and re-creating the future to avoid surprises that come with unpreparedness. They contain stories of multiple futures, from the expected to the wildcard, in forms that are methodically comprehensible and creatively engaging. The paper aims at a systematic revisioning and envisioning of Abuja city vision using scenario planning approach and Web 2.0 technology such as Facebook, blog, email and WhatsApp to illustrate a step-by-step process of obtaining the most desirable vision for Abuja. The methodology adopted in this study is qualitative approach that involves application of online tools to create future scenarios in an interactive manner for achieving prototype vision for Abuja. Participants were recruited from within and outside Nigeria using open and chain referrals. A total of 400 participants were recruited out which 152 participated at the scooping (preliminary) stage. From the results, at the scooping stage, 102 persons were of the opinion that the current Abuja vision is not desirable, while 50 believe it is desirable. main barriers and future challenges to the planning of Abuja city. At the scenario stage 291 participated. Eighty-seven (87) scenarios were created and after several iterations, it was downscaled to nine (9) and finally to four (4) from which the most preferred prototyped vision for Abuja was selected as ‘‘A socio-economically dynamic city’’. It is recommended that urban actors should adopt scenario approach involving web 2.0 technology in developing sustainable city vision where citizen participation and opinion serve as a guide to those in Authority in making choices amongst significant number of planning visions.
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