D-GAM: An Adaptable Gamification Framework for Enhancing Public Participation in Built Environment Design

Abstract

Public engagement is central to decision-making in built-environment design, yet traditional participation methods are often limited in reaching diverse audiences or sustaining meaningful involvement. Gamification offers potential to support stakeholder engagement by introducing game-like elements that can guide participation and clarify user actions. However, many existing platforms rely on fixed, system-level implementations of gamification, limiting their ability to respond to the varying contexts and expectations of different design projects. Given the diversity of built-environment initiatives, more adaptable approaches are needed to support participation across projects and stakeholder groups.This work introduces D-GAM, a flexible gamification framework designed to support public participation in built-environment design processes. Rather than prescribing a fixed set of features, D-GAM is a platform-agnostic, project-level framework that allows gamification elements—such as rewards, progress tracking, and feedback—to be configured to meet specific project needs. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, the framework emphasizes motivation through structured participation, recognition of user contributions, and clear interaction cues. To illustrate its adaptability, we present a scenario focused on social participation and community interaction. The scenario demonstrates how D-GAM can be operationalized within a design review context. Together, the framework and scenario establish a conceptual foundation for future prototype development, visual implementation, and empirical user studies to examine, in greater depth, usability, engagement, and participation outcomes.

Keywords: Gamification, Public Engagement, Motivational Affordances, Built Environment Design, Design Analytics

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1007962