In Finland, planning competitions are used as a way to determine alternatives in the early phase of urban planning. However, the traditional jury-based evaluation process is encountering significant opposition as it does not consider the views of local residents. In recent years, methods of web-based evaluation have been developed and tested to register public opinion in several planning competitions. This paper describes how web-based public participation and GIS-based evaluation tools, such as PPGIS (public participation geographic information system) and public evaluation web pages, are utilised in urban planning competitions. The research focus of this paper is on studying how public participation can be arranged in competition processes and how the competitors use the information produced. In addition, we identify issues that can affect the utilisation of the information. Based on two Finnish case studies, this study indicates that web-based tools can augment public participation in various phases of the competition process.

In Finland, planning competitions are used as a way to determine alternatives in the early phase of urban planning. However, the traditional jury-based evaluation process is encountering significant opposition as it does not consider the views of local residents. In recent years, methods of web-based evaluation have been developed and tested to register public opinion in several planning competitions. This paper describes how web-based public participation and GIS-based evaluation tools, such as PPGIS (public participation geographic information system) and public evaluation web pages, are utilised in urban planning competitions. The research focus of this paper is on studying how public participation can be arranged in competition processes and how the competitors use the information produced. In addition, we identify issues that can affect the utilisation of the information. Based on two Finnish case studies, this study indicates that web-based tools can augment public participation in various phases of the competition process.