PaSyMo: Gamifying Communicative Urban Planning With Participatory Systems Modeling

Timo Szczepanska, Max Priebe, Leonard Higi and Tobias Schröder
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Timo Szczepanska: The Norwegian College of Fishery Science, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Norway / Institute for Applied Research Urban Futures, University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, Germany
Max Priebe: Institute for Applied Research Urban Futures, University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, Germany / Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI, Germany
Leonard Higi: Institute for Applied Research Urban Futures, University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, Germany / Institute of Urban Planning, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus‐Senftenberg, Germany
Tobias Schröder: Institute for Applied Research Urban Futures, University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, Germany

Urban Planning, 2026, vol. 11

Abstract: Urban planning increasingly requires navigating complex socio‐spatial dynamics and uncertainties, particularly when addressing social challenges where stakeholders hold diverse perspectives and knowledge. This article introduces PaSyMo (Participatory Systems Modeling), a gamified communication support system designed to assist urban planners in communicative and deliberative planning. PaSyMo integrates three conceptual pillars that guided its design: stakeholder engagement, participatory agent‐based modeling (ABM), and visualization on tangible interfaces. The system combines a simulation environment grounded in geodata and ABM with discursive elements from scenario workshops and role‐playing games, bridging digital and non‐digital formats. PaSyMo contributes to the growing field of GAM research (Games and Agent‐based Modeling; Szczepanska et al., 2022) by providing a framework that explores the integration of gaming mechanics with urban simulation tools, highlighting their potential to support sustainable urban planning. The approach draws from participatory modeling (Sterling et al., 2019; Voinov & Bousquet, 2010) while leveraging state‐of‐the‐art geospatial simulation and interactive interfaces to facilitate communication and co‐production of knowledge among diverse stakeholders. Exploratory findings suggest that combining gaming experience with geospatial data visualization and ABM offers a promising approach to communicate the potential implications and trade‐offs of urban planning initiatives. This integration enhances stakeholder engagement, promotes shared understanding, and supports consensus building. By making urban planning processes more interactive, PaSyMo can extend the impact of planning research beyond academic settings. Preliminary insights indicate that PaSyMo can enhance stakeholder understanding, knowledge integration, consensus‐building, and proactive planning, especially in contexts of decision‐making in complex and uncertain situations; however, these findings need to be substantiated in future studies.

Keywords: agent‐based modeling; games; participatory simulation; spatial simulation; urban planning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cog:urbpla:v11:y:2026:a:10778

DOI: 10.17645/up.10778

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