Digital Citizen Participation - Success Factors and Challenges

Digital citizen participation is gaining momentum, and open-source software plays a crucial role. This presentation delves into one of the world's leading open-source platforms for citizen participation, Consul Democracy. We will discuss which tools are appropriate for various projects and how digital participation can be integrated with other tools such as citizen assemblies. While focusing on practical examples, we will primarily explore the meta-level factors necessary for successful citizen participation projects that ensure broad, representative, and high-quality participation. We will also highlight the benefits of open source for governments, extending beyond technical development.

Presentation Content:

• Introduction to Consul Democracy (CD): Overview of CD and its support for digital citizen participation.

• Use Cases and Examples: Showcasing some international projects that utilize CD and possible combinations with other participation instruments (citizen assemblies).

• Success Factors: Analyzing the key components of successful digital citizen participation, including necessary resources (financial and human), project design, community engagement, and political environment.

• Discussion and Q&A: An opportunity to exchange experiences and best practices with the audience.