The Solution

Expanding databases together with citizens

Participation

Data

Governance

Expanding databases together with citizens

Citizens are experts on their municipality: they know their surroundings and have knowledge that may remain hidden from administrative bodies for some time - where there are regular conflicts in traffic, which voluntary organizations exist in an area, or where new benches may be needed. Municipalities can use various methods to encourage citizens to share such data with them. Portals with the option of entering different information on a map depending on the question - for example, on refreshment locations or the water level of local bodies of water - offer the potential to involve citizens and at the same time to make cities and municipalities more responsive to needs more swiftly. Similar functions are also offered by defect notifiers, i.e. portals or apps that citizens can use to report damage or pollution and thus help municipalities to respond more effectively.

Sustainability check: How does expanding databases together with citizens help?

Administrations gather valuable knowledge that is not easy for them to acquire on their own
Administrations have the opportunity to respond to challenges and problems that they were not previously aware of
Citizens can actively participate
Low-threshold opportunity for participation

Requirements: What is needed for expanding databases together with citizens?

Participation portal, ideally with the possibility of using maps and retrieving information with spatial reference
Resources for operating the portal and, if requested, for dealing with the resulting tasks
Public relations work to make citizens aware of the new participation opportunity

Our rating:

Municipalities can benefit immensely from the expertise of citizens in their urban development. Open offers for data collection can also strengthen the bond between citizens and the administration. Before establishing projects of any kind, however, it should be ensured that the necessary personnel and time resources are available. In particular, formats such as a defect notifier must be adequately supported in order to provide feedback to citizens and to initiate the elimination of the corresponding defects. Municipalities should not be deterred by possible negative feedback, but should use the portal to proactively approach citizens and give them the feeling that they are being heard.

Which SDGS are addressed?

In order to create globally sustainable structures, the member states of the United Nations have set themselves 17 goals by 2030, which are set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Associated challenge(s)

(The) Challenge(s) that can be overcome with the help of this solution.

Encourage citizen participation

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