Scenario Planning and Participatory GIS for Place Research on Rural Transformation

Several transformations are taking place in rural areas, emphasizing the significance of comprehending the people's perceptions of place. This paper outlines a methodical strategy that integrates participatory GIS and scenario planning workshops to investigate transformations and potential impacts in rural areas. The methodology comprises an open-ended, inductive knowledge process utilized in two workshops. Workshop 1 involves the development and aggregation of driving factors into potential scenarios, whereas Workshop 2 includes the mapping and weighting of scenarios based on the probability of occurrence and strength of impact on the rural area. Although the outcomes are rooted in a relational comprehension of human–environmental factors, a theoretical framework of location-based information is required for further research to entirely understand the mechanisms supporting the emergence of transformative rural areas.