Module 2

Introduction

The term Civic Tech has been assigned to encompass a wide range of issues, most commonly by creating yet another mobile app. But as librarians, we should take a particular interest in the role of information technology in engaging the public in community decisions and activities for our shared benefit. This can include a better understanding of the long-range city plan, or simply how to know when the city plow truck will pass your house. The “information technology” required is often simple, and not necessarily digital.

This module emphasizes the role of the librarian as an information professional, leaning into the skills around understanding the information behind civic issues, and not a developer who builds apps and websites as the solution to every civic challenge. The lessons and case studies point out the information skills necessary to understand civic challenges as information problems.
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In this module, you will learn how to:

Recognize technology as a range of possible tools and services.
Identify the characteristics of an “information problem”
Identify the types of civic problems best suited to information technology solutions
Create a “How Might We” statement to define a civic information challenge

Lessons

These four lessons break down the design process. They will be most helpful if you take time after each lesson to complete the related step in the activity below.
Two case studies provide examples of applying UX design from student projects.

Lesson on an introduction to Civic Tech

This lesson distinguishes “civic tech” from “gov tech”, defines the term as describing a movement beyond the tools it creates, and gives examples of a broad range of possible tools and services.

Lesson on how to define a community problem as an information problem

This lesson identifies attributes of an information problem to help you identify which civic challenges are best suited for a civic tech approach.

Lesson on defining Information Technology

This lesson aims to define information technology broadly, to encourage civic tech practitioners to think beyond the app, and consider a wide variety of possible information solutions.

CASE STUDY: Using information to keep drains clear in Lansing, Michigan

An information student identifies the information problem behind clogged drains, a civic problem that is not traditionally considered an information challenge.

CASE STUDY: How we formed a partnership between the library and city hall

A librarian and city staffer discuss how they worked together to create new information technologies that increased public access and interest in government archives.

Activity

This activity is based on the activity from the “The role of public libraries in civic tech” module, so you should review that module before starting this activity.
It asks you to frame and define a challenge that you might work on in future modules. It might even lead to new projects, tools, or programs at your library! So we encourage you to write or type out your thoughts.

Frame a civic problem as an information design challenge, using a “How Might We” statement.

Which aspects of it are information based, as opposed to policy, politics, or management?
What related information is available and who controls it?
How is that information moving between people and organizations, and where might there be an opportunity to improve that flow of information?

Remember to create a statement that is

Problem-oriented
Resident-centered
Context Aware

Additional Resources

Here are a few additional resources for examples and guidance on designing civic tech for libraries.

Civic Engagement (Public Participation Spectrum)
Civic Tech (Cyd Harrell: Hacking Civic Engagement through Design)
Harwood Institute's Community Conversations model
The Human Cost of Bad Systems - Code for America
A panel discussion on how bad design in systems can lead to many types of human suffering.
Bridging the Gap with Data - Code for America
A description of a CfA project that used data analysis techniques to address housing inequality in Austin, TX.
A Review of Research on Civic Technology: Definitions, Theories, History and Insights - Zhang, Lim and Perrault (2022).
‍This article is an academic piece written by people in the field of Human Computer Interaction that breaks down how people have treated Civic Tech as a research area.