Härnösand and Nykarleby are two cities facing similar challenges: Sparsely populated regions, ageing population with young people moving away and society turning multicultural and -lingual. Both cities need to develop inclusive, digitally supported ways of including residents in planning and decisionmaking. Their regions share many similarities, but there are also differences in both circumstances and challenges that merit comparison and exchange. Urban planning is one example of a sector where there is need of new tools and ways of working to create paths towards a sustainable society.  

Åbo Akademi Experience Lab will focus on digital transformation, especially the meetings between human and technology including the context where they occur. We use user research methods and human-centred design to analyse and design not just digital interfaces but the processes where they are included as well. 

Innovation in Urban Planning will result in a pre-study on the need to develop new dialogue tools for the citizens, identify the potential of new technology and enhance the innovation capacities of the municipal organizations. 

Innovation in Urban Planning is funded by the Interreg Aurora programme. 

Contact: Kimmo Rautanen, project manager (ÅAU), Kimmo.rautanen (at) abo.fi