The document discusses the geography, tools, and networks involved in civic tech, highlighting how internet access and online participation vary among communities. It outlines the capabilities of online tools in facilitating citizen engagement and problem-solving, while also addressing the disconnect between civic tech and deliberative engagement networks. Additionally, it presents the concept of 'thick' versus 'thin' participation and introduces a community solutions initiative aimed at fostering dialogue around mental health.

1. GEOGRAPHY, TOOLS,
AND NETWORKS OF
CIVIC TECH

2. GEOGRAPHY

3. MAP 1

4. MAP 2

5. 5
DIGITAL DIVIDES (PLURAL)
 Overall, Internet access growing
 Different people use different hardware
 Different people
go to different
places on the
Internet
 Communities just
as complex online
as off

6. GEOGRAPHICALLY
-BASED ONLINE
ARENAS: WHERE
THE TWO MAPS
OVERLAP

7. TOOLS

9. 9
WHAT ONLINE TOOLS CAN DO: HELP CITIZENS GATHER DATA

10. WHAT ONLINE TOOLS CAN DO: HELP PEOPLE SOLVE PROBLEMS
10

11. 11
WHAT ONLINE TOOLS CAN DO: HELP PEOPLE GENERATE AND
RANK IDEAS

12. 12
WHAT ONLINE TOOLS CAN DO: HELP PEOPLE VISUALIZE
OPTIONS

14. NETWORKS

16. A CULTURE CLASH (OR
CHASM?) BETWEEN THE CIVIC
TECH AND DELIBERATIVE
ENGAGEMENT NETWORKS
IRONY: THE TWO
COMMUNITIES
DEVELOPED IN
SIMILAR WAYS

17. Civic tech Deliberative engagement
Engagement is based on: Transactions Relationships
Government is: An obstacle to problem-solving
A problem-solver
Increasing trust in
government is dependent
on:
Increasing government
efficiency
Gathering input from
citizens and acting on it
Assumes that people will: Happily share their data Happily share their stories
Uses the language of: Science Community
Stereotype: ‘Geek chic’ ‘Touchy-feely’
Every innovation must be: A stand-alone product A stand-alone process
Impacts are limited
because:
Products are isolated Processes are temporary

18. HOW WILL ALL THIS PLAY OUT?
SIX MODELS FOR THE INTERNET AND POLITICS (FUNG,
GILMAN, SHKABATUR):
1. THE MUSCULAR PUBLIC SPHERE
2. “HERE COMES EVERYBODY”
3. DIRECT DIGITAL DEMOCRACY
4. TRUTH-BASED ADVOCACY
5. CONSTITUENT MOBILIZATION
6. SOCIAL MONITORING

19. - ABHI NEMANI, FORMERLY OF
CODE FOR AMERICA, NOW CHIEF
DATA OFFICER FOR LOS ANGELES

20. THICK PARTICIPATION: INFORMED, DELIBERATIVE, EMOTIONAL,
FULL OF CHOICES FOR GROUPS TO MAKE
THIN PARTICIPATION: FAST, EASY, VIRAL, FUN, FULL OF
CHOICES FOR INDIVIDUALS TO MAKE

21. Text, Talk, and Act
part of the National Dialogue on Mental Health

22. 22
What is Creating Community
Solutions?
• Effort to organize hundreds of
community conversations and action
plans
• Ten lead sites
• Wide variety of other events: small
discussions, online dialogues, large
planning processes

23. 23
Developing “Text, Talk, and Act”
• HS pilot: Rex Putnam High School, Milwaukie,
Oregon
• College pilot: Roger Williams University, Bristol,
Rhode Island

24. 24
How does it work?
• Get together with 4-5 other
people
• Text “START” to 89800
• Follow the prompts
• If you get stuck, text “NEXT” to
89800
• Allow about an hour for the
discussion

25. 25
Photos tweeted by participants
• #TextTalkAct
Selfies

26. 26
Questions or comments?