Integrating Technology into Urban Open Space Assessment: The ‘YouWalk-UOS’ Approach

This article introduces the YouWalk-UOS mobile application that evaluates urban open spaces (UOS) using functional, social, and perceptual dimensions. This app uses the Likert scale for user feedback, allowing for a more nuanced study of user perspectives and interactions. Allowing users to add images to evaluations and providing visual evidence, the app generates quantitative data and enrich future decision-making. It helps decision-makers analyse UOS for adaptive, inclusive, and sustainable urban planning by combining data visualisation tools. The article highlights the significance of YouWalk-UOS in bridging urban design and environmental psychology to promote collaborative urban space assessment and design that meets community needs and perspectives.

Highlights:

Innovation in Assessment: Introducing the YouWalk-UOS mobile application as a transformative approach in urban open spaces assessment that integrates real-time data collection with user feedback.
Participatory Mechanism: Democratising the assessment process, YouWalk-UOS emphasizes a co-assessment, participatory mechanism, allowing urban residents to contribute insights and preferences.
Digital Assessment Framework: YouWalk-UOS utilises a three-dimensional framework, encompassing functional, social, and perceptual aspects, leveraging GPS technologies for precise mapping and participatory data gathering