DEVELOPING A PARTICIPATORY ISSUE IDENTIFICATION SUPPORT SYSTEM USING MOBILE PHONES

EXPERIMENTS WITH "UMIARUKI."

Abstract

This research project developed an issue-identification support system that would realize public involvement in an early part of policy-making processes in the context of coastal zone management and conservation. In the field of policy-making of coastal zone management, members of the public have not been adequately involved in the agenda setting phase of planning. This project developed an "umiaruki" technique, drawing on the lessons from "machi-aruki" techniques in the field of urban planning and using an advanced mobile phone technologies. Our trial use of the system suggests that, while benefits from integrating ICT system are limited, the system can be more useful in collecting people's concerns at a regional and city-wide scale..