Rede social torna visíveis problemas de infraestrutura antes "invisíveis"
Andréa Azambuja, Coordenadora da Rede em Curitiba
Há um ano, a relação de muitos moradores de Curitiba com a cidade e com o governo municipal mudou. Isso, porque em março de 2014 a Prefeitura embarcou num projeto piloto com o Colab.re – uma rede social que permite aos cidadãos mapear necessidades e falhas em espaços públicos – adotando a plataforma como seu canal oficial de comunicação com a população. Tem funcionado: desde então, cerca de 3 700 interações foram feitas e aproximadamente 1 450 casos referentes a iluminação, saneamento básico, calçadas e trânsito, entre outros, foram resolvidos.
O Colab.re pode ser acessado pelo computador ou pelo smartphone utilizando-se uma conta no Facebook. São três funcionalidades principais: fiscalizar (apontar problemas), propor (soluções) e avaliar (o funcionamento de serviços já implementados – por hora, especificamente em aeroportos, rodoviárias ou estádios). A metodologia é semelhante às de outras mídias sociais: você adiciona uma foto, indica o endereço (georreferenciado), descreve o que foi verificado e completa classificando o post de acordo com categorias fixas apresentadas, como Transporte, Saúde e Segurança. Nas avaliações, existe ainda uma ferramenta para dar nota (de uma a cinco estrelas) nos quesitos Infraestrutura, Qualidade Geral, Segurança, Acesso e Limpeza.
Todas as publicações ficam visíveis em uma timeline geral, onde os usuários podem apoiar, comentar e compartilhar o conteúdo por e-mail, SMS, Messenger e pelo próprio Facebook. Há também um recurso de mapas, que apresenta as ações realizadas por tema, localidade ou período.
Enquanto os moradores se manifestam, o Colab.re sistematiza as informações, que recebem um número de protocolo. Simultaneamente, uma equipe do Departamento de Internet e Mídias Sociais da Secretaria Municipal da Comunicação Social monitora o fluxo em tempo real e repassa os casos às Secretarias competentes. Após uma análise inicial, então elabora respostas e planos de intervenção em parceria com os responsáveis.
Segundo a analista de mídias sociais da instituição, Carla Braga, apesar da enorme disparidade entre o imediatismo da internet e o tempo da burocracia governamental, o Colab.re aumentou a agilidade nos atendimentos. Para ilustrar, quando há um fluxos intensos de comentários vindo da mesma região ao mesmo tempo, é fácil identificá-los e enviar equipes de emergência. Mas os benefícios vão além disso.
Em primeiro lugar, sua utilização tornou visíveis (qualitativa e quantitativamente) problemas anteriormente "invisíveis", que ficavam restritos a determinadas regiões – o que consequentemente funciona como um inibidor natural. Pela praticidade, foi um instrumento certeiro para despertar nos indivíduos a consciência de seu papel de guardiões da cidade e lembrá-los de que a voz do povo pode ser uma força transformadora poderosa. Com clareza, diminuiu ainda a distância entre as necessidades dos residentes e a possibilidade de intervenção do poder público, que agora presta contas e firma compromissos aos olhos de todos.
Existe um obstáculo, no entanto, para que todo o potencial do Colab seja usufruído: cerca de 46 por cento dos habitantes do Sul do Brasil ainda não estão conectados à internet, certamente os que mais precisam dele. Talvez isso reforce a relevância do aplicativo, já que ele destaca a importância da inclusão digital – e com visibilidade privilegiada, pois faz parte do Curitiba Cidade Inteligente, iniciativa da Prefeitura para digitalizar e modernizar a capital.
A despeito disso, o contrato entre o Colab.re e o governo Municipal é de cooperação sem custos, não há vinculação política nem qualquer tipo de pagamento – o serviço, desenvolvido por cinco jovens pernambucanos, é sustentado por fundos de investimento para negócios digitais, como o A5 Internet Investments. Em 2013, ele foi eleito pela News Cities Foundation como melhor aplicativo urbano do mundo e acaba de ser apontado como um dos cinco melhores entre 20 mil concorrentes no World Summit Award Mobile. Close.
Foto: Diário de Pernambuco
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Social network highlights previously "invisible" infrastructure problems
Andréa Azambuja, Curitiba Community Manager
A year ago, the relationship of many residents of Curitiba with the city and the municipal government changed. This happened because in March 2014 the city embarked on a pilot project with Colab.re — a social network that allows citizens to map needs and gaps in public spaces — by adopting the platform as its official communication channel with citizens. It has worked: since then, the platform has hosted approximately 3,700 interactions and has resolved 1,450 cases involving lighting, sanitation, sidewalks, and traffic, among other issues.
Colab.re can be accessed from a computer or smartphone through a Facebook account. There are three main functions: monitoring (pointing out problems), suggesting (solutions) and evaluating (the operation of services already in place — so far, specifically in airports, roads, stadiums). The method is similar to other social media: one adds a photo, indicates the address (geotagged), describes what has been verified, and completes the process by categorizing the content according to fixed categories presented, such as Transportation, Health and Safety. In the "evaluate" function, there is a tool for grading (from one to five stars) within the categories of Infrastructure, General Quality, Safety, Access, and Cleaning.
All publications are visible in a general timeline, where users can support, comment, and share posts via email, SMS, Messenger, and Facebook itself. There is also a map feature, which presents the actions taken by topic, location, or period.
While the residents express their viewpoints, Colab.re systematizes the information and generates protocol numbers. Simultaneously, a team from the Department of Internet and Social Media at the Municipal Secretariat of Social Communication monitors the flow in real time and forwards the cases to the relevant departments. After an initial analysis, it then prepares responses and contingency plans in partnership with those responsible.
According to Carla Braga, a social media analyst at the institution, despite the huge disparity between the immediacy of the Internet and the tardiness of government bureaucracy, Colab.re has made public service substantially faster. For example, when there is an intense flow of comments coming from the same region at the same time, it is easy to identify them and send emergency crews. But the benefits go beyond that.
Firstly, Colab's use highlighted both qualitative and quantitative problems that previously were invisible, because they were restricted to certain regions, which acts as a natural inhibitor. Because of its practicality, the tool helps remind citizens of their role as guardians of the city and that their voice can be a powerful transformative force. In addition, it closed the gap between the needs of residents and the possibility of government intervention, which now makes its commitments for all to see.
There is an obstacle, however, to the full potential of Colab.re being applied: approximately 46 percent of the inhabitants of southern Brazil are not yet connected to the Internet. This may reinforce the relevance of the application, since it highlights the importance of digital inclusion — and in full visibility, as it's part of Curitiba Smart City, a municipal initiative to digitize and modernize the city.
Despite that, the contract between Colab.re and the Municipal government is cooperative and free of charge, with no political link or payment of any kind — the service, developed by five young people from Pernambuco, is supported by investment funds for digital business, A5 Internet Investments. In 2013, it was elected by the New Cities Foundation as the best urban app in the world and it has just been named as one of the top five among 20,000 competitors at the World Summit Award Mobile (WSA Mobile). Close.
Photo: Diário de Pernambuco
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Comments
Datos duros de asentamientos informales
Ana Cristina, gracias por el artículo, fue muy ilustrativo en el sentido de dar a conocer como una metodología puede demostrar el desarrollo de los asentamientos informales. En la ciudad de México hay avances con los mapas georeferenciados para visualizar en donde se encuentra la pobreza, no obstante aún existe una gran área de oportunidad para lograr entender en donde se ubican los asentamientos informales, las zonas de la ciudad con las que colindan, el número de población que albergan y la forma en la que la población se asienta. Cada una de los municipios del Distrito Federal menciona en su plan de desarrollo urbano los asentamientos que tiene y su ubicación; no obstante hay un gran hueco en la información disponible para poder dimensionar los grandes retos de este fenómeno para hacer una ciudad mas incluyente.
Mapping Caracas' informal growth
Hi, Ana Cristina,
Thank you for your article, it was very interesting. We know understanding the growth of informal settlements are essential to plan public policies and interventions and, as you and Maria Fernanda pointed, there's still a large gap between the information available and reality. Somehow, the barrios (in Brazil, our favelas) remain invisible in a way, they are considered for many as separated parts of the city. And that's how mapping projects like this go beyond in its importance, they are also inclusive by promoting the recognition by the residents and the general population of these living spaces as part of the city, not temporary, not (totally) forgotten settlements. As you pointed out, some of them are just as old as the city's first skyscrapers, and this recognition is very important.
The portal for government transparency: Aiding public awareness
Hi Wura,
Thanks for your article. I was reading it and found interesting this idea of "translating" public budgets and information, despite the problems you mentioned. Here in Brazil, this issue (having access to public spending) has gained prominence since 2011, when the Law of Access to Information was regulated (although this is a right foreseen in our Constitution since 1988), but I haven't seen anything like this come up, it's a new way of thinking / exploring the issue. I'm curious: is there any accompanying campaign also urging people to monitor government spending? In general, do you think there's a movement in Niger in this direction, in promoting citizen awareness of the their role as supervisors? Another thing: how the project is financed, who pays for it? :)
Moving on from the elite
I also enjoyed your article Wura! Last year I and the Lilongwe Urban Poor People's Network (LUPPEN) tried to have a look at Lilongwe City Council spending on waste management, and although we did manage to get access to some overall budgets, the whole thing was very difficult and nothing came of it in the end - I wish we'd had BudgIt! I was thinking about your comment regarding the 'elitist' nature of the initiative given that it's only online. I think that's a fair point in countries where many/the majority of the population remains offline (and perhaps even illiterate), but once the information is out there are opportunities to further 'translate' the information for those without internet access/online literacy/literacy through workshops etc. Are there no efforts to this effect using the BudgIt site?
Hi Nora,
Hi Nora,
Yes, sourcing information is always a task with government agencies and I know BudgIt faces its fair share of challenges in access but the FOI bill allows for wiggle room :). As regards the somewhat exclusive nature of the data, I wouldn't go as far as to call it "elitist" but it does exclude a significant chunk of the public. However, I have heard arguments regarding whether or not the general public needs to be informed or more the elite who can actual influence the desired change or action- I leave you to decide.
What I would like to see more though is print versions which do happen periodically but not often enough and traditional offline versions which I don't believe exist in the organisation model of dissemination. Another avenue they use is with their twitter account, which reaches a significant amount amount of people, we all know Africa has gone mobile but the problem of illiteracy would still persists in this mode. It seems it really boils down to what part of the argument mentioned earlier the organisation supports.
Hi Andrea,
Hi Andrea,
Thanks for your comments. The freedom of information bill (FOI) passed in Nigeria certainly helps with the process of holding public office accountable for their spending and as you mentioned even if these laws exist they aren't often implemented or well know as the case was with the Brazil Law of access. The FOI is new, and at its passage there was movement to demand information-so some sort of movement and consciousness has developed with citizens demanding transparency especially when there is a financing scandal. However. the key will be for citizens to constantly act as checks in public spending even without a scandal and to an extent Budgit is leading the fore in raising awareness and understanding of this role.
Regarding sponsorship, the organisation is largely funded by donors and grants. In Brazil is there an active movement in promoting awareness of the Law of Access to Information,if so is this a result of government or civil society efforts? Also, what led to its prominence in 2011.
WAW - Waste Pickers Around the World data base
Data visualization and mapping are important tools to fight poverty. At WIEGO we are supporting the Global Alliance of Waste Pickers with the first global database on waste pickers with the WAW - Waste pickers Around the World mapping. No one knows how many organizations of waste pickers are out there. Mapping them it is an important step that can inform policies of supporting NGOs, networks and development agencies. It can foremost help waste pickers across the world better communicate with each other. For more see www.globalrec.com and www.wiego.org .
Sonia Dias
WIEGO waste specialist
Jakarta flood monitoring
Hi Widya
Thanks for such interesting piece. It is important really to use the momentum and the youth interest in social media to use for something beneficial and useful as Peta Jakarta. I wish really to know if the finance stands behind this massive great project is also derived from civil society? I hope if the companies there practiced their corporate responsibility in order to fund the project somehow.. I wish to know about this really.
Great work.
Mapping Bangalore's waste
Hi Carlin,
Thank you for your article, I really enjoyed it. I've been thinking a lot about garbage, about the huge production of trash in our daily lives, about recycling... and "I Got Garbage" seems to be a simple tool can be very effective – of course, as long as the the pickers have access to the technology, but that's another history. I see yet another positive aspect in this initiative: if each individual, in their houses, in their offices, start thinking better about where their waste is going, what is going to be made of it and start taking practical simple actions (like using this tool) to help with the collection (not just to deliver the bags to the servants who pick it up from their front doors – that's how it usually works in Brazil for the middle and upper classes)... if they somehow get involved in the process, they may also start thinking about producing less waste, opting for different forms of consuming, going to different kind of markets, reusing some packages... I think "I Got Garbage" can raise ecological awareness in those who do not think much about it, it can help to bring this subject to the routine of people. Although it seems that we made important progress in this direction in recent years (I think that's true), and that today people in general are more aware of the importance of preservation, surely we still have a long way to go. Thanks again, I'll have a careful look at the site :)
Poverty Mapping in Iran
Maryam, I enjoyed your article on the efforts to map poverty in Iran and the reflection on some of the challenges faced in the process. In Kenya and elsewhere that I have seen efforts to map impoverished and vulnerable communities there is often a resistance from governing authorities. It is interesting to see that in this case they cite security of the community and I wonder if this is because it will provide a more accurate geography of service provision and gaps in their constituencies, which might reflect on their work directly or as a result of a desire to protect communities. I agree, mapping and visualizing poverty and vulnerability is an important step to targeting services efficiently and effectively to meet the needs of citizens.
Where are the people?
Maryam, thanks for your piece! I was wondering if there are any (and what kind) of efforts to engage the local population in the mapping and rehab schemes? From the way you describe it, it comes across as mainly a top-down initiative, which may account for some of the weaknesses and problems..
Where are the people?
Nora,
You pointed a very important issue. In the scheme as a whole, residents’ participation is not absent. In next steps residents get involved in different ways. But in my point of view it can’t be efficient because such participation is temporal and doesn't last after ending the scheme. A perpetual participation can be established in a society with strong laws that support the right to communicate. I insist that in many schemes for the poor, this basic right has been neglected.
Poverty Mapping in Iran
Hilaryzainab, thanks for your kind comment. Your point about the similar case in Kenya sounds interesting; the differences disappear when it comes to the poverty! however, in Iran it seems to be related to the high degree of centralization of power and the lack of real and sufficient autonomy in local governments. In addition local authorities often are not enough wise about the problems.
Using GIS to fight Urban Fires
Tam, it was encouraging to read your article on how student groups are work together with civil organizations to provide life saving and data based approaches to mapping the geography of risk in Ho Chi Minh. This is a really dynamic and proactive approach to emergency management that could provide lessons to fire departments and emergency responders in many contexts. Is this data and mapping made available to residents? It would be interesting to see if this work has encouraged building managers/owners to provide access to fire extinguishers or similar community fire posts that can be accessed quickly. How could city planners and fire fighters provide incentives to residents and landlords that might increase prevention and help decrease the frequency of fires.
I enjoyed your article and it definitely got me thinking about the importance of community engagement and how critical visualization can be to helping first responders access affected communities and provide services in an emergency.
Territory mapping and control in Iran
Very interesting piece, Maryam. It made me think about the real (and perhaps hidden) aspects that the government takes into account when pointing an area as "in need of intervention". I`m curious about it because in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), for instance, government intervention plans usually addresses favelas (slums) that are located close to tourist attractions. In those cases the government makes an effort to improve living conditions and security in order to control the territory. In other words, those "upgrading plans" are mainly motivated by the outsiders fear and not by the hard life of favela dwellers.
Transport data visualization for road congestion
Very interesting article Carlin. I wonder if there were any projects or any plans to use the transport movement pattern to solve traffic congestion. Movement patterns seem important in this dimension, I know it will be valuable for Lagos and probably the cost of traffic to the economy.
Map disadvantaged neighborhoods of African cities.
Map disadvantaged neighborhoods in African cities .
Disadvantaged neighborhoods are places of Insecurity , unsanitary , lack of infrastructure, area difficult to access, low enrollment and a total disengagement in government from the point that today it is difficult to find solutions to effectively respond to this population.
However, with the evolution of technology , it is necessary to use mapping and computer data in order to identify and effectively address the needs of this vulnerable population layer.
African leaders must leverage technology to gain in terms of speed and efficiency to provide answers to the problems of the population.
Mapping can help to estimate the population of a given area to meet the health infrastructure needs , education .
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