Mobile participation
Citizens x City of Cologne

Mobile participation
Citizens x City of Cologne

Mobile participation
Citizens x City of Cologne

Service Design

(Social & Public Innovation)

My role: service designer in the digital group
A medium-term project at Köln International School of Design (KISD) in collaboration with the City of Cologne

SoSe 2021 (6 weeks)

Service Design

(Social & Public Innovation)

My role: service designer in the digital group
A medium-term project at Köln International School of Design (KISD) in collaboration with the City of Cologne

SoSe 2021 (6 weeks)

A service design project to engage citizens of

Cologne to participate in the City’s decisions by

considering benefits for both Administration and people.

22 students together with employees of the city of

Cologne, we developed three prototypes for mobile

public participation and tested with citizens in the city.

The aim was to find out how we can inspire people to

participate in public planning processes and work with

the city administration to rethink services, promote

digitisation and live innovation.



Directors:

Prof. Birgit Mager

Janina Rösch

Anastasia Bondar

A service design project to engage citizens of

Cologne to participate in the City’s decisions by

considering benefits for both Administration and people.

22 students together with employees of the city of

Cologne, we developed three prototypes for mobile

public participation and tested with citizens in the city.

The aim was to find out how we can inspire people to

participate in public planning processes and work with

the city administration to rethink services, promote

digitisation and live innovation.



Directors:

Prof. Birgit Mager

Janina Rösch

Anastasia Bondar

A service design project to engage citizens of

Cologne to participate in the City’s decisions by

considering benefits for both Administration and people.

22 students together with employees of the city of

Cologne, we developed three prototypes for mobile

public participation and tested with citizens in the city.

The aim was to find out how we can inspire people to

participate in public planning processes and work with

the city administration to rethink services, promote

digitisation and live innovation.



Directors:

Prof. Birgit Mager

Janina Rösch

Anastasia Bondar

Brief:

Brief:

Citizens should become active themselves and participate in the search for alternative actions for urban planning. Based on the previous field research of the city staff, students learned about the needs of the public and they ultimately looking for a solution to inform and survey the public on a digital and physical level.

Citizens should become active themselves and participate in the search for alternative actions for urban planning. Based on the previous field research of the city staff, students learned about the needs of the public and they ultimately looking for a solution to inform and survey the public on a digital and physical level.

Project Process:

Project Process:

Primary research:

Primary research:

Primary research:

A. Class divided into small groups of three to five people. The groups conducted interviews with experienced service designers from the public sector who are considered experts in participation processes and methods. All small groups focused on project-based citizen participation.

A. Class divided into small groups of three to five people. The groups conducted interviews with experienced service designers from the public sector who are considered experts in participation processes and methods. All small groups focused on project-based citizen participation.

"
It’s not just about accepting what the customer asks for, but helping him/her find and implement the right solution.

"
It’s not just about accepting what the customer asks for, but helping him/her find and implement the right solution.

"
It’s not just about accepting what the customer asks for, but helping him/her find and implement the right solution.

Jan Blum- FutureGov

Interviews goal:

Interviews goal:

Interviews goal:

To get a deeper insight into urban projects and to learn from their experience.

Interviews insights:

Interviews insights:

Interviews insights:

- Public involvement should be quick and active.

- City governments should provide multiple opportunities for the public to communicate their own ideas.

- City government needs to direct participatory methods to silent groups as well.

- Digital public collaboration is important.

- Consider analog options.

B. Two workshops were designed by students, and supervisors. In the workshops, ideas for methods to raise awareness and participation on existing urban planning and management processes were collected.

Workshop 1:

Participants: City staff and German-speaking students
Main question: “How can the city of Cologne involve the public in urban projects?”

Goal: Serving as a source of inspiration for the project. The cooperation with experienced city employees provided food for thought in the right direction and learn more about the personas and stakeholders that the city staff share them with students.

Workshop 2:

Participants: The whole class Main question: “How can personas and stakeholders be made aware of participation opportunities?”

Research analysis:

The analog space: The analog space should not be underestimated. Include the space to engage non-digital affine residents.
Fast and Uncomplicated: Participation should not require a lot of time from citizens. Participation must be simple and fast.
The city to the citizens: The city should come to the citizens, not the other way around.
Balance: keep the balance between guaranteeing a result and giving space for exploration.
A.S.A.P.: Involve the public as early as possible in urban projects.
Digital: Provide an open website/forum where people can see the progress of the project.
No gaps: Reach out to silent groups.

Design challenge:

Design challenge:

Design challenge:

The challenge was to support the establishment of a trustworthy relationship between the city administration and the citizens of Cologne. This required careful consideration between a modern solution and an accessible solution for technically inexperienced users.

Idea development:

Idea development:

Idea development:

The project group splited into teams
to pursue different approaches. With the
mission of the project now clear, the
following three subgroups were formed
for elaboration:

Physical solution: physical group

Methodical solution: methodical group

Digital solution: digital group

The project group splited into teams
to pursue different approaches. With the
mission of the project now clear, the
following three subgroups were formed
for elaboration:

Physical solution: physical group

Methodical solution: methodical group

Digital solution: digital group

The project group splited into teams
to pursue different approaches. With the
mission of the project now clear, the
following three subgroups were formed
for elaboration:

Physical solution: physical group

Methodical solution: methodical group

Digital solution: digital group

Prototype: Physical
OpinionMobil

The decision of the physical group was made on a mobile vehicle that can be placed anywhere in Cologne to conduct location-based dialogues with citizens. Every target group, no matter if on the market, in a suburb or at a soccer field, can be reached. The trailer is a sustainable means of transportation and can easily reach any part of the city. The result of the physical group was a versatile, modular box system. The bicycle must be roadworthy. All body parts, such as a sign and methods, must be safely stored inside the mobile. Furthermore, the product must be robust enough to be able to travel with it on uneven terrain, but at the same time light enough for the person driving to be able to move the trailer around without any problems. The construction of the final prototype included the following steps: Determination and purchase of materials, woodworking, branding and painting.

Prototype: Methods

Prototype: Methods

Prototype: Methods

This resulted in new concepts and innovative participatory methods to be implemented in the mobile bike trailer. The idea development had to be designed with sensitive and bureaucratic aspects in mind, such as data protection guidelines. It was equally important to develop methods that were compatible with the physical group’s wooden stand.
The conversations held about integrating

digital and innovative approaches helped shape the final result. In the end, the group selected three participation methods, which were implemented as prototypes: A voice box, an augmented reality application, and voting tubes.

Prototype: Digital OpinionOnline

OpinionOnline is a map-based website students developed as part of the project, with three main functions:

1. geo-targeting campaign

In order to raise public awareness for upcoming mobile participation projects, digital advertising through geo-targeting technology can be helpful. Based on location and demographic data, a specific target audience can be reached through Instagram, Facebook, and the Meinungfuerkoeln website. If a new participation project is pending, a campaign is released with details about the location, date, etc. The Meinungfuer.Koeln website also displays up-to-date information on this.

2. opinionOnline for the city

OpinionOnline is a concept to extend the platform of MeinungfuerKoeln. This platform can be used to manage the MeinungsMobil and plan projects geared to target groups. The city administration can also set up interactive participation methods, such as a survey with camera function or create an opinion wall.

2.1 Admin Page

The Admin Page allows the administration to plan in a structured way. Project leaders create a new participation project. Working titles, project periods, descriptions and target groups can be entered here in order to inform interested citizens in a targeted

manner. For on-site participation, the locations of the opinion mobile are entered and questions and methodologies are selected. All entered information can be saved, viewed and edited before publication.

2.2 On-site management (Mobile version)

MeinungsWand is a digital bulletin board that

simultaneously collates the opinions of the public both on-site and in virtual space. Questions and voting options are aligned with those of the OpinionMobile to ensure a fair and consistent survey. Opinions submitted online are collected on a digital bulletin board along with votes recorded on site for all city officials to view.

3. opinionOnline for the public

Through advertising on social media, citizens are made aware of the possibility of digital participation. Citizens who want to submit their opinions online and digitally can do so through the participation app or website. In this way, citizens who cannot be present on site can also participate.

Final result:

After the individual groups were brought together, the interdisciplinary product was created. Already during the idea development, the groups worked in close coordination with each other. For example, the physical group knew that the methodological group would need a lot of storage space. On the other hand, the digital group was in constant exchange with the methodical group, with the goal of transferring the on-site participation into a virtual space.

After the individual groups were brought together, the interdisciplinary product was created. Already during the idea development, the groups worked in close coordination with each other. For example, the physical group knew that the methodological group would need a lot of storage space. On the other hand, the digital group was in constant exchange with the methodical group, with the goal of transferring the on-site participation into a virtual space.

Service Blueprint:

Service Blueprint:

To visualize this service process, a service blueprint was created. The goal of this is to improve the efficiency of the overall service by describing the service delivery process from the public’s point of view. It is a kind of process diagram that contains instructions for communication and interaction between citizens, city administrators and contact points.

To visualize this service process, a service blueprint was created. The goal of this is to improve the efficiency of the overall service by describing the service delivery process from the public’s point of view. It is a kind of process diagram that contains instructions for communication and interaction between citizens, city administrators and contact points.

Test: Physical OpinionMobil

The MeinungsMobil was put to the test in a test on 28.05.21. The students set themselves the

task of asking children’s opinions in order to find out whether this silent group can be effectively involved with the help of the concept.

Citizens’ feedback

Positive findings:

- The MeinungsMobil has an inviting effect.

- Participants took part enthusiastically.

- Citizen participation in this way has a future.

Critical for improvements:

- The city logo is too small.

- Multilingual design is important and desirable.

- Opinion Voice is associated with inhibitions.

- Unsuitable method for children who cannot read.

- Communicate topic of survey more clearly.

Test: Digital OpinionOnline

Test: Digital OpinionOnline

Test: Digital OpinionOnline > City administration

In testing the online platform with the representatives of the city administration, first, all participants were introduced to the topic. City employees were asked to operate the admin page and its management feature. There they were asked to create a new event. In the second step, the opinion wall was tested. Finally, an AR survey was to be created.

City administrations’ feedback:

Positive findings:

- The event planning tool received positive feedback.

- The calendar view proved to be particularly helpful for employees.

- The ability to include age, location and interests in

the planning process also received positive feedback.

Critical for improvements:

- The OpinionMobile should be more clearly marked on the map.

- Include the function of several stops.

- The names of the methods do not have self-explanatory titles.

- The test of the opinion wall lacked the option to sort the different messages by topic.

- A response function was desired.

- An overview page of participation data would be helpful.

Test: Digital OpinionOnline > Citizens

Test phase with citizens were consist of four test sessions with different people in Cologne.

First, all participants were introduced to the topic. Citizens were asked to complete 5

steps: a) Register as a member. b) Locate the OpinionMobile. c) Explore current participation projects. d) Participate in AR survey. e) Use the opinion wall.

Here in below there are feedback based on these eight questions: 1-Through which channel the person prefer find this platform. 2- What is motivation for the person. 3- What were the person’s concerns? 4- What was the person likes about the platform? 5- Which methods the person preferred to participate? 6- What was the persons opinion about the platform? 7- What is important for the person about the platform? 8- Quote.


Citizens’ feedback

Achievements and benefits of the project

Achievements and benefits of the project