Understanding the engagement of citizens in the regeneration of urban spaces through human-centered design: A systematic literature review

The increase of the urban population has raised the need of cities to transform into resilient environments. Such a transformation, however, requires both engaged and active communities. Engaged communities can foster change more effectively and therefore enhance adaptability and flexibility boosting the resiliency of their environments. Nevertheless, the accomplishment of engaged communities still remains a challenge in many cities and studies have often overlooked the importance of this engagement. Even so, various studies approaching engagement from the Human-Centered Design (HCD) perspective have identified factors that influence citizen engagement. However, a comprehensive model that integrates all these factors is still lacking. Identifying and prioritizing the factors that affect the engagement of citizens in participation processes can help engage communities in transformative urban processes, thereby achieving, overall, more resilient environments. According to the methodological approach, a systematic literature review was conducted. This review has provided insight into HCD practices applied in this context and the lack of engagement of citizens. The results show a list of factors, divided by categories depending on their nature. Consequently, research gaps and future directions point out that the success of an enhanced engagement relies on the consideration and integration of various factors which impact citizens' engagement. • Urban resilience demands engaged communities for effective transformation. • Overcoming challenges in achieving engaged communities is crucial for urban adaptability. • Human-Centered Design studies highlight factors influencing citizen engagement. • Comprehensive models integrating these factors are needed for resilient urban environments.