**1. Introduction**

#### **1.1. Study context**

In recent years, providing public role in decision-making regarding spatial problems has developed an ease for geographic information technology adept in supporting collaborative spatial decision-making. According to Densham et al. [1], it has been stated that Geographical Information System is the technology to sustain PPGIS, but expert methods are needed to reinforce spatial decision-making in a collective way. However, now, Geographical Information System and PPGIS are not prototyped to assist multi-users associations but many approaches may require group-based involvement for decision-making. The idea of collaborative geographical information system, computer-supported cooperative work (CSCW), and collaborative decision support systems (DSS) were proposed as information technology to provide understanding about spatial complications and provide computer-based spatial decision-making [2].

**1.2. Study objectives**

achieving the following objectives:

The study aims to develop a real-time map sharing mechanism, collaborative PPGIS (Co-PPGIS) and for collaborative assessment the amalgamation of other open source-based groupware solutions on an effective GIS-based meeting platform. The aim of this study was also to assure that: (1) Co-PPGIS model will help to improve or increase involvement of participants and will provide assistance to decision makers in reaching a final decision efficiently; (2) to explain certain facts or observations, i.e., core concepts, design and technology, etc., with an overview of enabling technologies for analyzing and designing a successful real-time map sharing framework; (3) to describe a prototype development based on case scenarios that looks into integrating CSCW principles and open source groupware tools with Web-based GIS. In order to assist municipal planning and development through a better and effective decision-making process the primary research goal is to develop a Web GIS-based contemporary collaborative participatory infrastructure. In order to fulfill the main research's goal, this study will focus on

Architectural Design and Prototyping of Co-PPGIS: A Groupware-Based Online Synchronous…

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.80091

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**1.** To gain better and effective understanding of the PPGIS' nature, its culture, its limitations, and basic requirements by modeling general as well as high-level participation requirements after proper and complete analysis of municipal Planning and Development (P & D)

**2.** To portray collaborative, real-time Web GIS-based participatory infrastructure that can employ open source geospatial data, standards, software tools, and Web services.

**3.** To develop and execute a system's prototype (i.e., GeoMeeting) based on the Co-PPGIS model and Web GIS-based framework which encompasses a GIS-based forum, mapping APIs-based spatial component, a notification/feedback component, sub-workflows of information resource providers, and collaborative real-time Web Map sharing Infrastructure that accommodate the stakeholders to share their multiple ideas in real-time scenarios

This research primarily encompasses of the working mechanism of real-time collaborative

Increasing importance of the need for an effective public participation in a decision-making process during municipal planning and development is on main focus in this section of study. Through the integration of GIS technologies, involvement of public or local stakeholders in decision-making can become more effective. Public meetings, which are one of the traditional methods of public participation, are integrated in some PPGIS projects to accumulate public ideas, values and preferences [15]. Collaborative use of GIS-based services encompasses the involvement of public and planners in the decision-making process with geo conceptualize a map and accommodate public and planners to build local spatial knowledge and exchange ideas. In order to get instantaneous access and conceptualize the spatial information and

Web map sharing framework that is going to be addressed within a fixed-time period.

process workflows and by reviewing the existing online PPGIS applications.

without leaving their place of residence or workspace.

**1.3. Background and literature review**

Multi-user collaboration is playing its role in many works involving stakeholders from different departments and organizations, in which map making sometimes play a main role for giving visual information for the support to decision-making [3]. Web technology is rapidly expanding range and has made it possible for to take decisions over the Web. Due to demands for Web-based open mapping an Application Programming Interface (API) united with other information systems and CSCW tools have become more important for the support of realtime map sharing output. Accordingly, the development of map-based applications for realtime collaborative is one effective step taken by researchers that are efficiently working in many fields, e.g., emergency system, urban planning projects, municipality management, GIS data production, monitoring of urban sprawl and epidemic spread, and many more that assimilate collaborative role [4–9].

A concurrent approach is made for the support of collaboration among the users [10]; although, little work has been done on developing and designing such Open Source Software (OSS) which is based on online map sharing tools which supports real-time collaboration. By assessing the researchers work and their contributions from the literature review, this study aims to develop an outline about the significance of the execution of irreplaceable and sufficient methods, tools, and techniques to fill the gap in the research. Multi-user synchronous discussions and communications among the people and between the community and stakeholders sometime improve the understanding that show an effective feedback and magnify decision-making [10–14]. This chapter actually shows a customizable framework used for an online system for collaboration with the installation of different Web GIS, OSGIS, OSS-based tools, and open mapping APIs on geographic information to solve the issues that are related to emergency disaster occurrence and municipal planning. Additionally, the study anticipates designing an open mapping API based real-time collaborative synchronous infrastructure with the option of installing local data for improving the involvement of during debate. Some of this research prototype elements based on this kind of model is still in development procedure and in its starting stage in the house applicable testing.
