In order to be truly citizen-oriented, a smart city must be constantly looking for ways to meet the needs of its citizens, highlighting their value as urban solution developers. In order to truly meet the needs of citizens, it is important to involve them in the planning and development of urban regeneration processes. This generates greater trust between citizens and public administrations and a greater sense of belonging. However, “citizen” is a heterogeneous and highly-contested term. Consequently, in many cases public administrations struggle to properly engage citizens. Hence, to better engage the citizens in public participation processes, it is necessary to contemplate their entire participation experience with a human-centered approach. Therefore, a framework that prioritizes their needs and desires to develop tailormade solutions for urban design is required. This article aims to shed light on the human factors influencing the public participation experience. It presents a first model of participation that defines the key actors to be considered in urban regeneration processes. This model is part of the DrOp project, funded by the European Union, which aims to develop a citizen-centered urban renewal methodology to transform the Santa Ana neighborhood of Ermua into a smart
and inclusive neighborhood.
Keywords: smart city; human-centered design; public participation; citizen engagement
