**2.1. An idea of advance Co-PPGIS**

with other two spatial components, visible map layer, namely the map extent [40]. The Map Chat argumentation model (see **Figure 3**) engages the same classes and objects for spatial and textual relationship in comparison with previously discussed models. A new real-time map discussion class was introduced in this model, which provided the functionality of realtime geo-chatting in connection with every graphic related object. An open source application infrastructure is provided by Map Chat argumentation model. It appoints open standards in relation of the overall system specification and it uses open source coding in PHP and JavaScript based, and it uses a reliable architecture to give the installation of other tools of

**Figure 3.** Modified argumentation map model for map chat (source: Hall and Leahy [41]; Rinner [39]).

These models have some sort of similarities like to introduce an open standard-based object model, to share a same map extent during discussion, making a spatial relationship with graphic reference objects, and adopting an asynchronous participatory approach for mapbased discussion. All three argumentation models allocate structured discussion, about different features of map and geographic related objects, in many geographically meeting respondents to provide an approach of the asynchronous spatial data. For example, the approach with the asynchronous spatial data sharing, it is not possible to find out an argumentation component related to the object of real world simultaneously in different respondents/members. The Map Chat provides geo-chatting discussion functionality with real-time, which cannot be implemented over other two models that used discussion threads with relation objects for geographic referencing. Unifying the chat with discussion elements gives a flexible and a powerful way of managing discussions that are geographically referenced, but participants should train themselves with this function, that is amalgamation, which gets

models [41].

advantage from this reliability.

12 Trends in Geomatics - An Earth Science Perspective

An idea or concept is a plane, intention image of a specific thing, institution, or a class, and a framework is introduced as a form which gives support to the number of elements and fulfill as a package. Basically, a conceptual framework is a structure of interlinked ideas, which gives support of a certain phenomenon or process to build understanding. Public participation is necessary for the evolution of a country, city, and municipality planning, development, management, and decision-making which will speed up the process of planning. During planning, development, and management of municipality in a city or state, the management of geospatial data remains a challenge. Co-PPGIS gives us a planning and management related spatial and non-spatial information to the decision makers, higher authorities, and government bodies on a basis of realtime basis geospatial Web conferencing infrastructure. In this chapter, the advance Co-PPGIS has focus on municipal projects through developing a GIS-enabled virtual meeting idea. The advance Co-PPGIS framework is showed as five viewpoints, which are shortly discussed below:

*Social viewpoint:* The first side of social viewpoint in the Co-PPGIS is to highlight and show a name of project which will help stakeholders (see **Figure 4**) to play its role in the related project or matter. Before joining the meeting that will aid the stakeholders to find out the status of all participants submission of user profile, there are some ethics, rules, and values for community in social interaction. Their interaction level rises when the participants join the meeting or session. They exchange their ideas and views, which guide to better decisionmaking processes for municipal projects.

*Geo-spatial viewpoint*: This idea links with mixture of time, place, and channels of communication. To address a meeting physically, it is difficult for everyone nowadays. That is why the advanced latest technology provides participants envision the working location. Through GIS

have indirect communication facility through asynchronous approach in which it is not compulsory to see what the other is saying at the same time. Among stakeholders, filling a feedback form is a good example of indirect communication. The advance PPGIS gives both direct and indirect communication facilities for improving the participation of stakeholders. The best example to fit the advance PPGIS participation viewpoint is the time-place matrix which is categorized according to the spatial and temporal dimensions [42, 43] starts from same time (synchronous) and same place (co-located), different time (asynchronous) and same place,

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*Virtual meeting environment*: With the passage of time, technology has become more advance and friendly. The advance Co-PPGIS has a solution in which a participant can easily participate through the electronic meeting facility without appearing physically in the meeting and share his views with relation to project. Participants can do video chat and can drop a message for a specific participant without any restriction. This is how, decision makers can easily involve in any project, which is being developed for a municipality for its effectiveness and efficiency, which will ultimately lead to better decision-making process. In developing countries, resources are minimum and need is maximum, like Pakistan and India. There is a massive need for developing such thing for public, which gives all these facilities, which are mentioned above, to give comfort to decision makers.

Shortly, Co-PPGIS environment is an online meeting procedure for supporting participant's collaborations on geographical information like mapping and imageries, and collecting and sharing data during processes of management. **Figure 5** shows Co-PPGIS virtual meeting workflow processes, service abilities, and to describe situations when its functional capabilities are useful.

**Figure 5.** Co-PPGIS workflow processes and service abilities.

different time and different place (distributed), and same time and different place.

**Figure 4.** Conceptual framework for proposed collaborative PPGIS.

technology, the advance prototype allows a participant to visualize an area of interest, draw or highlight, navigate on the map, and patch on the map. This is how the participants can seek others for discussion related to analytical issues on any point and the provision of a small point is very essential in any project which is related to municipal.

*Municipality viewpoint*: In any municipal project, the idea of all information regarding a project at one place is very important. This is how one project from another project differentiates the status in the same domain. The advance collaborative PPGIS has the provision to gather and supervise the data, e.g., planning info, minutes of previous meetings, drawings/maps, feedback form, notification, etc., at one place and a participant can easily get the information at that level which they want. So, a new participant can easily reach the present level after taking information from step one. Public role is very essential in the development of projects, and its importance was not perceived in the last few decades; whereas, community is now playing its essential role for making the decision-making process transparent and better.

*Participation viewpoint*: This crucial idea is very essential while constructing a collaborative PPGIS. It enhances participant's abilities in the municipality project standard and with their available conditions and time. Through synchronous approach, in which multiple people can see what the other people are doing at the same time without wasting, the second group of participants can share their point of views using drawing tools, mapping. Video chats are the best example of in which everyone can see and understand what other is doing. Stakeholders have indirect communication facility through asynchronous approach in which it is not compulsory to see what the other is saying at the same time. Among stakeholders, filling a feedback form is a good example of indirect communication. The advance PPGIS gives both direct and indirect communication facilities for improving the participation of stakeholders. The best example to fit the advance PPGIS participation viewpoint is the time-place matrix which is categorized according to the spatial and temporal dimensions [42, 43] starts from same time (synchronous) and same place (co-located), different time (asynchronous) and same place, different time and different place (distributed), and same time and different place.

*Virtual meeting environment*: With the passage of time, technology has become more advance and friendly. The advance Co-PPGIS has a solution in which a participant can easily participate through the electronic meeting facility without appearing physically in the meeting and share his views with relation to project. Participants can do video chat and can drop a message for a specific participant without any restriction. This is how, decision makers can easily involve in any project, which is being developed for a municipality for its effectiveness and efficiency, which will ultimately lead to better decision-making process. In developing countries, resources are minimum and need is maximum, like Pakistan and India. There is a massive need for developing such thing for public, which gives all these facilities, which are mentioned above, to give comfort to decision makers.

Shortly, Co-PPGIS environment is an online meeting procedure for supporting participant's collaborations on geographical information like mapping and imageries, and collecting and sharing data during processes of management. **Figure 5** shows Co-PPGIS virtual meeting workflow processes, service abilities, and to describe situations when its functional capabilities are useful.

**Figure 5.** Co-PPGIS workflow processes and service abilities.

technology, the advance prototype allows a participant to visualize an area of interest, draw or highlight, navigate on the map, and patch on the map. This is how the participants can seek others for discussion related to analytical issues on any point and the provision of a small

*Municipality viewpoint*: In any municipal project, the idea of all information regarding a project at one place is very important. This is how one project from another project differentiates the status in the same domain. The advance collaborative PPGIS has the provision to gather and supervise the data, e.g., planning info, minutes of previous meetings, drawings/maps, feedback form, notification, etc., at one place and a participant can easily get the information at that level which they want. So, a new participant can easily reach the present level after taking information from step one. Public role is very essential in the development of projects, and its importance was not perceived in the last few decades; whereas, community is now playing its

*Participation viewpoint*: This crucial idea is very essential while constructing a collaborative PPGIS. It enhances participant's abilities in the municipality project standard and with their available conditions and time. Through synchronous approach, in which multiple people can see what the other people are doing at the same time without wasting, the second group of participants can share their point of views using drawing tools, mapping. Video chats are the best example of in which everyone can see and understand what other is doing. Stakeholders

point is very essential in any project which is related to municipal.

**Figure 4.** Conceptual framework for proposed collaborative PPGIS.

14 Trends in Geomatics - An Earth Science Perspective

essential role for making the decision-making process transparent and better.

This kind of environment allows combination of geospatial data from other sources from Web services and collaborators input through geo-referenced comments. It involves components such as audio/video conferencing, map sharing, geo-referenced textual, real-time chatting and graphical annotation, and user or session management.

#### **2.2. Understanding a Co-PPGIS infrastructure**

Co-PPGIS is basically a GIS-enabled collaborative and multi-function, essential meeting participatory infrastructure, which combines different information technology tools to accommodate participation and cooperation activities before public meetings (i.e., the major activities before public meetings is focused on information access, communication, and cooperation of stakeholders), during public meetings (i.e., real-time access to the meetings and their demonstration become paramount tasks), and after public meetings (the focus alters to the demonstration of syntheses of public participation, access to decisions, and receiving of feedbacks). As from above discussion, it is concluded that Co-PPGIS primarily centers on public meetings engaged during the municipal planning and development-related activities (**Figure 6**).

In order to properly and easily understand Co-PPGIS system completely, Co-PPGIS may be categorized as and/or mainly composed of two major application infrastructures. In other words, we can say that recommended Co-PPGIS is basically an amalgamation of two mechanisms of participation, cooperation, and communication between members, i.e., Co-PPGIS asynchronous and Co-PPGIS synchronous. In Co-PPGIS asynchronous participatory environment, Web-based GIS geo-referenced conversation platform and/or GIS Blog techniques are used to accommodate public input and discussion. In Co-PPGIS synchronous participatory map sharing environment, synchronous collaborative GIS processes are executed by applying computer supported cooperative work (CSCW) or groupware application principles. By this, participants can easily share comments, ideas, or suggestions after investigating spatial data by using digital multimedia tools and technologies (**Figure 7**).

**2.3. Exploring gaps in existing municipal planning practices and possible** 

**Figure 7.** Co-PPGIS virtual meeting components for concept of planning and management.

contribute to the existing public participation practices.

Exploring and contrasting of existing PPGIS application's performance is essential or helpful in recognizing the functionality gaps between those collaborative PPGIS applications which organized crucial basis for Co-PPGIS requirement analysis and architectural design. **Figure 8** depicts the research gaps in current or existing communication mediums or participation practices found during the literature review and recommended how the Co-PPGIS contributes to the existing practice in order to increase public participation in municipality planning and development projects. It also explains how the approaches in relation to the proposed/ enhanced infrastructure of Co-PPGIS will organize, improve, stimulate, accommodate, and

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Issues and the improvements of these issues through Co-PPGIS are explained in this section. For instance: (1) through or by using Co-PPGIS meeting environment, the issue of inadequate communication, generated due to fixed-time meeting schedules, accessibility issues, lengthy presentations, and open talks with authorities can be accompanied because Co-PPGIS supports anywhere/anytime/anyone accesses with real-time participation support. (2) Through a spatial component of GIS-based platform or through real-time map sharing cooperative component of the Co-PPGIS the issue of inadequate way of investigating spatial data, i.e., using hard copy maps in the meeting sessions because Co-PPGIS increase the degree of public participation along with spatial data investigation during essential meeting sessions. (3) Through meeting scheduling/notifying and/or by the e-newsletter components of Co-PPGIS Blog, the issue of inadequate process of sending notification related to existing municipal

**improvements using Co-PPGIS**

**Figure 6.** Public meeting scenario at three stages/levels of interaction.

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**Figure 7.** Co-PPGIS virtual meeting components for concept of planning and management.

This kind of environment allows combination of geospatial data from other sources from Web services and collaborators input through geo-referenced comments. It involves components such as audio/video conferencing, map sharing, geo-referenced textual, real-time chatting

Co-PPGIS is basically a GIS-enabled collaborative and multi-function, essential meeting participatory infrastructure, which combines different information technology tools to accommodate participation and cooperation activities before public meetings (i.e., the major activities before public meetings is focused on information access, communication, and cooperation of stakeholders), during public meetings (i.e., real-time access to the meetings and their demonstration become paramount tasks), and after public meetings (the focus alters to the demonstration of syntheses of public participation, access to decisions, and receiving of feedbacks). As from above discussion, it is concluded that Co-PPGIS primarily centers on public meetings engaged during the municipal planning and development-related activities (**Figure 6**).

In order to properly and easily understand Co-PPGIS system completely, Co-PPGIS may be categorized as and/or mainly composed of two major application infrastructures. In other words, we can say that recommended Co-PPGIS is basically an amalgamation of two mechanisms of participation, cooperation, and communication between members, i.e., Co-PPGIS asynchronous and Co-PPGIS synchronous. In Co-PPGIS asynchronous participatory environment, Web-based GIS geo-referenced conversation platform and/or GIS Blog techniques are used to accommodate public input and discussion. In Co-PPGIS synchronous participatory map sharing environment, synchronous collaborative GIS processes are executed by applying computer supported cooperative work (CSCW) or groupware application principles. By this, participants can easily share comments, ideas, or suggestions after investigating spatial data

and graphical annotation, and user or session management.

by using digital multimedia tools and technologies (**Figure 7**).

**Figure 6.** Public meeting scenario at three stages/levels of interaction.

**2.2. Understanding a Co-PPGIS infrastructure**

16 Trends in Geomatics - An Earth Science Perspective
