Author: b6043744

Digital Civics Blog Entry 11

During these 10 weeks working on our ‘design sprints’ we have learned to work on a project in a team while considering advice and demands from people that would use what we would produce. We learned the benefit and challenges that digital technologies would provide. We also learn the various ethics, statements, ideas that were involved when creating a digital technology.

The words ‘Digital civics’ started to be widely used during the last decades. Depending on your position you can view and define digital civics in different ways. However, it is a form of interaction that involves digital technology and civic groups. Most schools of thought would go towards a digital technology that would go for the benefit of the user. But there are many digital technologies that are designed for surveillance and data collection. To create a digital technology that would go for the benefit of the users there is an absolute necessity of involving potential users during the design of the project. The concept of digital civics is still something that is vague and depends on your ethics, point of view

Our project is a smartphone application that involves the participation of residents of Bensham for their benefit. It permits residents to be more involved in their community but also, it promotes interaction between people and share their knowledge. Furthermore, it permits residents to solve problems that the local government is not in the measure to solve. The project was achieved through deep thinking from the team but also through participation from people that would benefit from it. We have done with them a contextual interview and tested the prototype of the project which enabled us to adapt and verify our design project. So, our project offers services that tend towards the benefit of the public.

During our presentation of the project the feedback was positive. However, as our project is an application on smartphones, people who do not have smartphones are not able to use it which can create inequalities. This can be due to socio economic factors, but also culture, religion can have an influence towards digital technologies. To make it accessible to a maximum of people that is targeted, an internet website version can be created so that people who do not have a smartphone or internet at home can access the application by using, for example, a computer in public spaces such as in a library.

Hadrien

Digital Civics 2020 Blog Entry 5

This week we worked on the first steps on designing a prototype for our project through sketching. Before drawing our ideas, we review all the work that has been done so far and addressed the objectives so every individual knew what our design would lean towards to. We divided our work into 2 parts. On the first part each individual generated and shared a broad range of ideas through sketching in a certain amount of time. The sketches were influence by the research and interviews that has been conducted in the past. Those ideas once shared were discussed with the group. Each member of the group was given 3 red stickers in order to vote for the ideas that were the most relevant for them. As a result, ideas that had the most stickers were the most relevant as we can see on photo 1 and 2 below. This had an impact on the final decisions we made about the prototype we want to design.

PHOTO 1

PHOTO 2

On PHOTO 1 the prototype presented is a digital based application that permit to report issues to the local authority but also share it with the other residents. Through a voting system and enabling people to leave comments it has the purpose to make the voices of the residents to be heard. This prototype has also the purpose of enhancing interaction between residents by creating profiles where they can share their interest skills and knowledge. This prototype has the purpose to enhance connectivity between the local authority and the residents but also between the residents.

On PHOTO 2 the prototype presented is a box with a device that enable to record and listen what other people have been saying notably concerns and suggestions. In the box you have chairs where you could interact directly with other residents. It aims to encourage communication and interaction between residents.

For the second part we took one or several ideas (but no more than 2,3) that were discussed and presented during the first part and sketch 8 variations of it within a short amount of time. When sketching we considered improvement or alternative that could be done with those ideas. After the time passed, we shared and discussed about the variations of our ideas.

PHOTO 3

On PHOTO 3 two variations of an idea is presented. The idea is a digital application that shows event and issues happening in an area. The left variation is a visual prototype that enables to look on projects/issues/events that has happened, going to happen and happening on a map where you just need to click on the coloured dots in order to have more information. The right variation is a descriptive prototype that enables to look on project/issues/events in a chronological way, personal interest and popularity way. In order to have more information you just need to click on the article.

During this session the main challenges we have encountered was to express our ideas through sketching in a short amount of time and to choose ideas that would become the basis for our future prototype. After this session influenced by the discussion we made on the ideas presented, we decided to work towards a digital application prototype that would promote/strengthen connection between the residents and the local authority and between residents. Further research with the prototype design, notably learning from existing application as examples will permit us to create a viable digital based service.