Promoting citizen participation by enhancing knowledge

The Madrid City Council aimed to gather valuable user insights to design solutions that encourage citizen participation on various topics.

In this project, separate spaces were created for citizen debates, proposals, participatory budgets, and collaborative legislation.

The challenges included fostering community engagement, providing clear and understandable information, ensuring transparency throughout the process, and designing inclusively for all citizens, including those less familiar with technology.

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With the help of Torresburriel Estudio, the Madrid City Council gained access to diverse users to test updates and features.

A testing framework was designed for the entire site, including debates, proposals, participatory budgets, and voting. Think Aloud testing in the lab provided insights into user expectations and areas for design improvement.

Assumptions were validated, and recommendations based on data from the tests were provided for enhancements. An evidence-based approach was followed, rather than relying on opinions.

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User testing allowed for iterative improvements in functionality, leading to increased citizen participation and engagement.

Design processes were enhanced with effective facilitation and moderation, encouraging positive discussions and avoiding pitfalls of forums and social media.

Furthermore, measures were taken to ensure the inclusion of citizens with limited digital knowledge, aiming to bridge the digital gap and enhance the legitimacy of public decision-making.

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