Figure 9.5: City dashboard Bandung, Indonesia

Figure 9.5: City dashboard Bandung, Indonesia

Source: City of Bandung, 2022.

the use of open data, and attention to data quality and interoperability, are necessar y stepping stones to realizing broader collaboration.133

City dashboards showcase the potential of ICT to increase transparency in municipalities. As city administrations gather and process increasing amounts of diverse data on urban environmental and socioeconomic indicators, dashboards help to visualize and organize these data in accessible fashion.134 Types of data presented include census data, data collected through citizens’ mobile phones, and sensor-based measurements of noise or pollution, as exemplified by the city dashboard in Bandung, Indonesia (figure 9.5).135 Yet, in order to ensure the usefulness of such visualization tools, digital and data literacy of residents needs to be promoted.136

There are numerous examples of cities deploying ICT and digital technologies creatively to enable residents and stakeholders to become actively engaged. For instance, the city government of Jakarta introduced QlueMyCity, a mapbased integrated reporting and monitoring platform which utilizes citizen participation to identif y problems across the city: citizens may report faulty streetlights, clogged drains, waste disposal issues and other infrastructure in need of repair (figure 9.6).137 The mobile app subsequently displays information on how the problem was resolved, and allows for further feedback. In the US, a study of public engagement platforms used by local governments identified several approaches to including residents, such as consulting them on proposed decision options, inviting them to make suggestions, and involving them directly in decision-making.138 Examples include: IdeaScale (Atlanta), which lets participants submit ideas, comment as well as vote on them; and BudgetAllocator (Bayswater), used for participator y budgeting. The study also highlighted the interrelationship between these online platforms and offline consultation and engagement processes used by local governments. Communities that experiment with participator y digital platforms are typically ones that have a pre-existing commitment to, and a track-record of, citizen engagement. Mexico City is further example of the innovative use of technology to realize participator y e-government.139

9.5.2. Giving voice through civic engagement Technology-based methods are also used for engagement activities within communities. One such approach is citizen science, which encourages ordinar y people (non-experts) to participate in community-based research on relevant issues. The benefits are twofold: first, tapping into local knowledge, which can inform research and policy by contributing new insights; and second, strengthening the capabilities of individuals and communities. A practical example of citizen science, and the supportive role played by digital technology, stems from the city of Eskilstuna, Sweden (Box 9.4).