Uploaded on 2016-04-18 by EttoreMurabito

I would propose the creation of a mobile application allowing the users to send information in a semi-automatic way about the place where they felt unsafe, the reason for them to feel unsafe and possible suggestions to improve the neighborhood. The application would have easy to access buttons to select the kind of threat the user felt. Fig. 1 provide an example of how the application may look like. ![safety alert application][1] *Figure1 - Mock-up of a "Safety alert application".* The user would also have the possibility to be more specific about the threat by selecting the proper entries in contextual menus and / or by writing comments (max 250 characters) on the threat and ideas on how to improve the area. The application would sent the location of the reported episode using the geo-location services inbuilt in the device. The application would send information to a server that collects and analyse the data received. In order to use the application the user would be required to create an account (possibly managed by the local government IT services). This would allow people to report safety-related issues and ideas to improve the area through a laptop or desktop computer (after the episode to be reported occurred). The application will also allow the users to access the data collected by the server in a visually friendly way. For example the number and nature of the reported issues could be shown against a map of the neighborhood. The local government would routinely send to the users a digest of the activities reported, of the ideas collected for the betterment of the area and the progress done in implement such ideas. ---------- *Imagine that you have set up a project wherein you would like to make use of Citizen Design Science. Which guidelines are important in creating your own Citizen Design Science project?* The guidelines I can think of are the following: 1- **Simple layout**. Users should be able to understand what the project is about in a few minutes. Information overload should be avoided and the communication kept at a level of maximal clarity. Reducing text and extraneous information would help to achieve this goal. Extra information could be provided at the user request (for example by clicking a button on a webpage to dig into more details). 2 - **Create interactive tutorials.** This has the double effect on engaging the users more than just by providing text and assessing the user’s understanding of the project through online quizzes and short question and answers test. 3 - **Understand the expertise level of users**. Project owners should be careful not to be overly ambitious in the tasks that they assign to volunteers. Users should initially be assigned basic contribution tasks while allowing experienced volunteers to take on more advanced tasks. 4 - **Remind users why the task is important**. Remind users why their contribution is important, particularly when a task is long or tedious. Also when aspects of a task aren’t obviously related to the project’s goals, explain why this part of the task is necessary. 5 - **Provide feedback on progress**. Keep users informed about their personal progress and the project’s progress. Utilize progress bars (e.g. you have completed 2 out of 4 steps), counters (e.g. you have contributed 6 photos), and project blogs. Gamification mechanisms, such as badges and narratives, might also be worth considering (Bowser et al. 2013). 6 - **Allow users to interact with each other**. Educating the public about the project and the task that volunteers are asked to perform is not necessarily enough to engage the users in a consistent way and keep their interest kindled. In this regard it is also important to provide volunteers with ways to interact with each other, such as forums, chat, and even social media. [1]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14609960091667522.png