Elucidating Issue Identification in Urban Planning: Insights from a PRISMA-Based Systematic Review

Aims: This study explores how issue identification in urban planning can integrate contemporary theoretical and methodological frameworks to achieve context-sensitive and sustainable outcomes. It analyzes the nature, classification, and challenges of urban issues, examines theoretical frameworks such as wicked problems and narrative policy analysis, evaluates computational and participatory tools, and identifies literature gaps to propose directions for interdisciplinary research. Methodology: A systematic review using the PRISMA framework analyzed 28 peer-reviewed studies published between 1967 and 2024. Transparent inclusion and exclusion criteria, alongside a PRISMA flowchart, ensured rigorous selection and synthesis of literature on urban issue identification. Findings: Urban issues are multidimensional, with wicked problems predominant (42.9% of studies), revealing the limitations of linear planning approaches. Issue identification is a socio-political process shaped by discourses and institutional interactions, with network governance (25%) enabling adaptive solutions. Computational tools, including fuzzy models (7.1%), improve analytical precision, while geographical differences (10.7%) highlight the necessity of localized frameworks. Key gaps include limited representation of the Global South and insufficient integration of quantitative and qualitative methods. Conclusion: Issue identification is a dynamic, socio-political process that requires integrative frameworks combining theoretical rigor, participatory governance, and technological innovation. Integrating narrative policy and computational approaches enables urban planning to effectively address complexity and foster inclusive, sustainable, and context-sensitive outcomes. Future research should focus on developing integrated methodologies, expanding empirical studies, and enhancing the transferability of frameworks to improve issue identification across diverse urban contexts and ensure planning addresses multifaceted challenges.