Sunday, October 6, 2013

cities get help from techie citizens

http://www.theguardian.com/local-government-network/2013/oct/01/cities-tech-us

"Local authorities in the United States can now engage with their communities in two-way dialogues achievable using smartphones, tablets, thanks to professionals embracing new managment models that focus on service delivery.
Thanks to well-developed GIS mapping systems, smartphones and tablets are helping enhance service delivery by allowing real time and location reporting of issues and service requests. For example, when citizens in Asheville, North Carolina want to report a pothole, streetlight failure or other problem, they can do so using a phone app developed for their community. The city of Philadelphia uses an app that lets people directly communicate their concerns and requests via social media.
In Utah, the city of Ogden has taken a different path with its smartphone app. The iOgden app also allows users to find local businesses and places of interest directly through their phone. By building features such as "eat here and shop here" into its app, the city has created a one-stop information destination for both residents and visitors."

Just make citizen input a little easier, and voila!  Citizens help out their own town.

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