AI-Supported Participatory Workshops: Middle-Out Engagement for Crisis Events

Martin Tomitsch, Joel Fredericks, Marius Hoggenmüller, Alexandra Crosby, Adrian Wong, Xinyan Yu and Weidong Huang
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Martin Tomitsch: Transdisciplinary School, University of Technology Sydney, Australia
Joel Fredericks: School of Architecture, Design and Planning, The University of Sydney, Australia
Marius Hoggenmüller: School of Architecture, Design and Planning, The University of Sydney, Australia
Alexandra Crosby: Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, University of Technology Sydney, Australia
Adrian Wong: School of Architecture, Design and Planning, The University of Sydney, Australia
Xinyan Yu: School of Architecture, Design and Planning, The University of Sydney, Australia
Weidong Huang: Transdisciplinary School, University of Technology Sydney, Australia

Urban Planning, 2025, vol. 10

Abstract: Considering the lived experience of communities is key when making decisions in complex scenarios, such as preparing for and responding to crisis events. The article reports on three participatory workshops, which assigned community representative roles to workshop participants. Using role-playing as a method, participants were given the task of collaborating on making a decision relating to a speculative crisis scenario. Across the workshops, we collected data about simulating a middle-out engagement approach and the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing collaboration, supporting decision-making, and representing non-human actors. The article makes three contributions to participatory planning and design in the context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. First, it presents insights about the use of AI in enhancing collaboration and decision-making in crisis event situations. Second, it discusses approaches for bringing more-than-human considerations into participatory planning and design. Third, it reflects on the value of role-playing as a way to simulate a middle-out engagement process, whereby actors from the top and the bottom collaborate towards making informed decisions in complex scenarios. Drawing on the findings from the workshops, the article critically reflects on challenges and risks associated with using AI in participatory workshops and collaborative decision-making.

Keywords: artificial intelligence; community engagement; conversational agents; middle-out engagement; non-human personas; participatory design; participatory planning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cog:urbpla:v10:y:2025:a:9165

DOI: 10.17645/up.9165

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