528 / 2019-02-28 19:14:42

Does the PSS Discourse Have Something to Offer to the Smart Governance Debate?

planning support system, a socio-technical approach, smart governance practice, the socio-spatial transformation of cities

全体主题 > Planning Support Systems

Smart governance is about applying new technologies to promote innovative governance institutions and administrations and achieve the innovative governance of smart cities. However, smart governance in practice is foremost technology-driven, with a focus on the practice of basing decisions and administration on the analysis of data rather than on an approach of real innovative, socio-technical governance. To promote alternatives for the present smart governance developments, this article explores whether the rich debates that have circled around the PSS concept can provide some insights into the improved development of smart governance. Here, Planning support systems (PSS) are computer-based geo-information technologies used by the planning profession to support its planning tasks. Although for quite some time PSS developments are dominated by a so-called PSS implementation gap, their foremost advantage is the instrument’s strength to deal with the socio-spatial transformation of cities with a socio-technical approach (i.e. with a focus on the planning object/task and considering the context-specificities). Taking this as a point of departure, this paper offers an overview of both the strength and weakness of PSS and discusses their potential implications for smart governance developments. After an analytical review two strategic conclusions have been given: 1) the perceived added value of PSS can support smart governance to extend its technical support of just administrative systems into also a technical support of the socio-spatial transformation of cities; 2) discussions around the weaknesses of PSS (i.e. the implementation gap) can help to overcome the technology-driven character of smart governance developments and change this into a socio-technical approach. Finally, it is concluded that the transportation of experiences of the PSS discourse to the smart governance debate in reflection also can fulfil a positive role for overcoming the PSS implementation gap.