Title: Socio-technical systems for citizen empowerment: how to mediate between different expectations and levels of participation in the design of civic apps

Authors: Naomi Bueno De Mesquita; Nazli Cila; Maarten Groen; Wouter Meys

Addresses: Digital Media and Creative Industry, University of Applied Sciences Amsterdam, 1091 GC Amsterdam, Netherlands ' Digital Media and Creative Industry, University of Applied Sciences Amsterdam, 1091 GC Amsterdam, Netherlands ' Digital Media and Creative Industry, University of Applied Sciences Amsterdam, 1091 GC Amsterdam, Netherlands ' Digital Media and Creative Industry, University of Applied Sciences Amsterdam, 1091 GC Amsterdam, Netherlands

Abstract: In the context of the participation society, roles and expectations of citizens and municipalities are vastly changing. While designers explore the potentials of apps to empower citizens, municipalities are interested in data dashboards - accompanied by applications and platforms - to increase civic participation in public (space) issues. Due to diverse levels of data-literacy and expectations regarding the use of civic apps, more scrutiny is needed when it comes to claims of empowerment. This paper departs from the premise that designers often deal with disappointments in the balance of investment and participation span due to a lack of knowledge about underlying mechanisms. Relevant criteria are discussed through reflecting on two civic apps that were designed by the authors and analysing prominent existing civic apps that have citizen empowerment as their objective. By laying these out in a taxonomy the paper aims to examine why and where discrepancies occur in expectations and levels of participation.

Keywords: participatory tools; data submission; civic apps; design; citizen empowerment; local knowledge; public space.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEG.2018.093835

International Journal of Electronic Governance, 2018 Vol.10 No.2, pp.172 - 195

Accepted: 14 Nov 2017
Published online: 06 Aug 2018 *

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