Bridging Participatory Co-Design and Model-Driven Engineering for Community-Based Web-3D Framework Development: Method and Validation

Context: Sustainable tourism platforms require methodologies balancing stakeholder inclusivity with technical rigor. Existing approaches either emphasize participatory design at the cost of formalization or concentrate on technical precision while neglecting community voices, creating a~critical gap in developing Web-3D frameworks that honor local knowledge while maintaining engineering excellence. Objective: We present a~replicable methodology integrating Design Thinking, Software Domain Architecture (SDA), and Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) to bridge participatory engagement with formal software specification, validated through DIVEXPLORE-3D, a~Web-3D platform for sustainable marine tourism with 54 stakeholders in Gorontalo, Indonesia. Method: The methodology comprises five integrated phases: (1) participatory workshops with 54 stakeholders across three SetupFloatingEnvironmentoups (tourists, community members, operators) using empathy mapping; (2) requirements formalization through SDA into four architectural layers; (3) model transformation from PIMs to PSMs via MDE; (4) bidirectional validation through a~RTM; and (5) pilot deployment with technical and educational evaluation. Results: The validation of the methodology resulted in four evidence streams: (1) the four-layer architecture achieved 96% coverage of requirements across 68 specifications; (2) an expert evaluation (n=8) rated the sustainability adequacy of the methodology’s specifications at 4.6/5.0; (3) a~pilot deployment confirmed technical feasibility (mean latency 73ms, 97.2% uptime); and (4) educational testing (n=67) showed significant gains in conservation knowledge, with a~Cohen’s d of 1.52 (p<0.001). Additionally, community content moderation successfully published 78% of content without requiring expert modification. Conclusions: This study presents a~replicable methodology integrating participatory co-design with formal software engineering. Instead of being opposing paradigms, they are complementary processes when mediated by structured traceability mechanisms. The DIVEXPLORE-3D framework promotes sustainable digital tourism through a~modular, community-driven platform balancing ecological conservation, cultural preservation, and technical scalability.