Issue

The project develops and evaluates technology-based tools for political participation in local politics. A particular focus is on a user-centered or, more specifically, citizen-centered development which is to be achieved through the continuous involvement of citizens.

Project Description

The future of democracy cannot be seen in isolation from progressive digitization. The conception and design of solutions for digital participation have an impact on later use and thus on democratic processes. There is already a multitude of possibilities for political participation, mostly web- or app-based, which often do not reach all target groups and do not lead to more participation. Our project aims at developing and evaluating solutions for digital participation for and with citizens in local politics.

After analysing citizens’ needs and selecting potential technologies, opportunities for digital participation will be developed and evaluated iteratively. In joint workshops with citizens of Würzburg we are going to bring together findings and technologies and to develop design concepts. The project may thus be supposed to produce threefold insights: empirical insights into the user requirements of digital participation across target groups, methodological insights into the development and adaptation of participatory design methods, as well as practical insights into the exemplary implementation and evaluation of digital solutions for political participation.

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