Spatializing urban perception: Subjective indicators for participatory GIS

Urban planning continues to lack robust methodologies that meaningfully incorporate citizen perspectives. Traditional participatory tools—such as assemblies or top-down consultations—have proven insufficient to capture urban perception, a key element for understanding how people experience everyday environments. In response, digital platforms based on Public Participation Geographic Information Systems (PPGIS)—understood as geospatial tools for mapping citizen perceptions—have emerged as promising mechanisms to reconnect institutional decision-making with community experience. These platforms offer new possibilities for expanding participation and generating spatial data on urban preferences. This study aims to identify the main subjective indicators used to assess citizens' perceptions through PPGIS platforms. A scoping review of 98 academic papers was conducted, with in-depth analysis of 21 studies, to develop a conceptual model synthesizing current theoretical and methodological contributions. The results include: (1) a conceptual model for assessing urban perception through PPGIS; (2) a classification of subjective and objective indicators; (3) a review of recruitment strategies to enhance engagement; and (4) a typology of study fields where these approaches are applied. By addressing the integration of subjective data in spatial decision-making, this research advances theoretical foundations for digital participation in urban planning and suggests future applications in empirical contexts using GIS and machine learning techniques. • Reframing participation in urban planning Highlights the gap between planning and citizens’ experiences, calling for tools that integrate urban perception into decision-making. • Public Participation GIS (PPGIS) as a transformative tool PPGIS platforms collect and spatialize subjective perceptions, enabling inclusive, spatially explicit data for urban governance. • Comprehensive literature synthesis Maps theoretical and methodological trends in urban perception through a scoping review of 98 papers and 21 selected studies. • A conceptual framework for spatializing perception Proposes a framework with three domains and a classification of subjective and objective indicators for participatory spatial planning. • Pathways for inclusive and data-informed planning Explores opportunities to combine PPGIS with GIS analysis and machine learning for inclusive, data-driven urban planning.