Ο ρόλος τον πολιτών στο σχεδιασμό μίας έξυπνης πόλης. Η περπατησιμότητα ως παράγοντας, και η βελτίωση της μέσω της ανάπτυξης μίας πληθοποριστικής εφαρμογής

Γιαλαμάς, Ιωάννης

Citizen engagement in urban services and walkability as a factor for smart cities. How to improve it through a crowd-sourcing web application

Master Thesis

Author

Γιαλαμάς, Ιωάννης

Date

2026-05

Abstract

This Master's thesis investigates the role of citizens, particularly young people, in improving the walkability of Greek cities through the development of a crowdsourcing digital platform. Importantly: WalkWise was developed exclusively for academic and research purposes, as well as for public benefit. It is not intended for commercial exploitation or profit-making activities, and will always remain free for citizens. The study follows three interconnected axes: theoretical, empirical, and technological. On the theoretical axis, the concepts of Smart Cities, IoT, Digital Twins, and international walkability indices (MWI, 5Ds, Walk Score) are examined. On the empirical axis, a primary quantitative survey was conducted among 410 primary and secondary school students, capturing school commuting habits and the factors influencing perceived walkability. On the technological axis, WalkWise was designed and developed—a free crowdsourcing web application that enables citizens to submit walkability problem reports, track their resolution status in real time, and assess their city's walkability through a specialized 13-question quiz. Key findings indicate that: (a) 50.3% of students walk to school, (b) distance and road safety are the main barriers to walking, (c) 57% of non-walkers report no objective barriers, suggesting that awareness-raising is as critical as infrastructure, and (d) WalkWise fills a genuine gap in the Greek digital ecosystem, as no existing platform combines walkability specialization, nationwide coverage, and educational content. The thesis further proposes a framework for activating youth and Municipal Youth Councils as agents of urban change, leveraging crowdsourcing tools to shape local walkability and accessibility policies.

Postgraduate Studies Programme

Ψηφιακός Πολιτισμός, Έξυπνες Πόλεις, IoT και Προηγμένες Ψηφιακές Τεχνολογίες

Department

Σχολή Τεχνολογιών Πληροφορικής και Επικοινωνιών. Τμήμα Πληροφορικής

Number of pages

127

Language

Greek

URI

https://dione.lib.unipi.gr/xmlui/handle/unipi/19387

Collections

Τμήμα Πληροφορικής

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Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as
Αναφορά Δημιουργού-Μη Εμπορική Χρήση-Όχι Παράγωγα Έργα 3.0 Ελλάδα