EngagingCities

They can have a big impact on economic fortunes and social cohesion, which explains the controversy that often surrounds them.

Cities need an overarching, positive narrative that binds all people to where they live, and where day to day behaviour and activities connect well with civic life. Interview. 

New York is the first major American city to create an official body to oversee nightlife. Here’s what it can learn from the European cities that have tried it so far.

Join us as we bring together experts in public good technologies to discuss community engagement and design, active projects, and impact and scale.  
 
 
November 13 - 15, 2017
Washington, D.C.

Designing simple systems is one of the great challenges of Government 2.0. It means the end of grand, feature-filled programs, and their replacement by minimal services extensible by others. -- Tim O’Reilly, Open Government The original idea of Government as a Platform is now almost a decade old. In the world of technology, that’s a…

The smartphones in our pockets can seemingly accomplish anything—even things you didn’t know you needed (like downloading virtual bubble wrap). While various apps and our social media feeds may threaten our productivity and full night’s sleep, they also connect us to people, organizations, and information at our fingertips. However, there’s one key area that hasn’t quite reached its full digital potential: democracy.

Planners of the $73 million Virtual Singapore project are working with government agencies to see how they might best make use of the simulated city.

Leaders from Houston and Miami weigh in on the power of data in emergency management—and the need to do more.

Devised for the digital currency Bitcoin, Blockchain Technology has created the backbone of a new type of internet and its potential to publicly record everything of value holds opportunities for the planning community.

Cities shouldn't just work for their neediest citizens. They also should work with them.

The civic tech and open government scene in the Triangle is alive and vibrant. The intersection of citizens, elected officials, and civil servants collaborating on solutions to solve community…

At a time when our political future is uncertain, the only way to guarantee change is to do it yourself.

SolSmart provides recognition and no-cost technical assistance to help local governments reduce barriers to solar energy growth. With the help  of national and local experts, cities, counties, and towns are cutting red tape to make it easier for homes and businesses to go solar.

Civic Creativity: Role-Playing Games in Deliberative Process

The Hewlett Foundation has asked for help in crowdsourcing research design for citizen reporting on public services. This is great; it’s a fantastic way to design useful research, and shows that Hewlett is maintaining the strong commitment to evidence and rigorous question asking that is so important to this field. The post has already generated…

Australia's long-awaited push toward smart communities is set to get a boost thanks to a new code currently being drawn up.

As economic disparities and climate change risks rise, mayors must develop solutions that build resilient communities, create new economic opportunities, and support racial justice.

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn This was a busy summer for the 8 80 Cities team. We spent the last few months working on different projects, in Canada, the U.S. and abroad. From Ajax to San Jose to Miami (just to name a few), we’ve hoste

We provide governments and organisations with a new way to recognise action within their community that makes a positive impact on society.

Our tool is the social coin, a cryptocurrency based on the actions of people and the positive impact this action makes.

#CollectiveIntelligence is the antidote to the #PostTruth era characterised by political manipulation & populism , media misinformation & manipulation, an absence of ethical & moral fibre that made for "good character" all of which have led us inexorably it seems to colletive stupidity. Time to turn the corner.

Through platforms such as vTaiwan and Pol.is, the democracy of Taiwan is starting to make moves towards becoming one of the first liquid democracies in the world. This development did not happen out of nowhere.

The falling levels of public trust in public institutions we see all over the world should be a wake-up call for those of us who support open government. But to rebuild trust we need to rebuild governance from the ground up, and put citizens (back) at the heart of institutions.

These green urban design projects are meant to improve civic health — a key component of great public spaces.

Author Miriam Peskowitz arrived at Code for Philly's hackathon last fall armed with a Github account but no idea what “fork” meant. Here's her story.

In the aftermath of catastrophes like Harvey and Irma, reliable, transparent information can guide a democratic and inclusive rebuilding effort.