Integrating Semantics,Social Software & Games in eParticipation

Acronym of the case:

VoiceS

Web address of the case:

http://www.give-your-voice.eu

Country of the case:

Germany , Spain

City/region:

Baden-WÃ¼rttemberg (Germany) and Valencia (Spain)

Posting Date:

12 June 2009

Last Edited Date:

12 August 2009

Author:

Evika Karamagioli (consultant)

eParticipation | semantics | Social Software

Type of initiative

Project or service

Case Abstract

VoiceS is a complementary project, integrating a serious game and a semantic search function into the existing German and Spanish VoicE platforms that have been awarded with the ePractice Good Label.
The consortium comprises experts from the field of eParticipation, game development, communication and policy analysis from five European countries. VoiceS will update and complement the VoicE internet platforms in order to further promote the dialogue between citizens from European regions and "their" regional policy makers from the European Parliament, thus creating a direct link between citizens and the representatives from their region. The project will continue to focus on the policy area of consumer protection in the EU, a field of high relevance to each citizen. It will build on the community and contacts that have been firmly established in the framework of the VoicE project.

Description of the case

Domain

eGovernment

Topic

Inclusive eGovernment | eParticipation, eDemocracy and eVoting | Services for Citizens | Open Source | Policy

Sector

Communication (infrastructure)

Start date - End date

January 2009 (Ongoing)

Target Users

Citizen | Civil society

Scope

Regional (sub-national)

Status

Implementation

Language(s)

English | German | Spanish

Policy Context and Legal Framework

VoicE establishes an Internet platform with the objective to promote the dialogue between citizens from Baden WÃ¼rttemberg, Germany and Valencia, Spain and policy makers from the European Parliament, the Assembly of Regions as well as from other EU institutions and regional assemblies. In terms of contents, the project focuses on the policy field of consumer protection in the EU. It is targeted at the legislation proposal formation stage and the debate on draft legislation.

The VoiceS project aims to build on VoicE by implementing new and innovative tools via:

the integration of semantics and ontologies and the resulting broad selection of new functionalities,
the integration of a game-based learning concept to enhance accessibility and transparency, and
effective marketing and promotional efforts, especially focused on social networking.

By incorporating semantics, serious games and social networks, the VoiceS project will create a state-of-the-art solution merging the results of different eParticipation projects. After extensive testing within the existing structures, the improved VoiceS platform and all the processes that have been set in place around it will be made available to other regions via an easy-to-use toolkit.

Project Size and Implementation

Type of initiative

Participation

Overall Implementation approach

Partnerships between administration and/or private sector and/or non-profit sector

Technology choice

Open source software

Funding source

Implementation and Management Approach

VoiceS will update and complement the VoicE Internet platforms with the objective to promote the dialogue between citizens from European regions and "their" regional policy makers from the European Parliament or the Committee of the Regions - hence creating a direct link between citizens and the representatives from their region.

With the help of a serious game, VoiceS will attempt to create an interactive scenario, which will allow the player to explore the EU co-decision procedure from the perspective of MEPs and members of the Council of Ministers. This way, the player will not only familiarize himself with the complex legislative process in a playful manner, he or she will also learn about a legislative subject.

Social networking tools and online collaboration sites are quite powerful to invite a large audience to form groups with similar interests and to bring them to participate in decision-making processes.In this regard, VoiceS will attempt to utilize existing social networking tools and collaboration sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Second Life in order to increase the interest in VoiceS and

1.Â Â Â Â Â the knowledge on EU legislative processes,

2.Â Â Â Â Â the interest in politics in general, and EU-based legislation in particular,

3.Â Â Â Â Â the interaction between citizens and EU decision-makers and

4.Â Â Â Â Â the collaboration between users, sharing a common interest in consumer protection - which is usually hindered through social, administrative or geographic barriers.

Technology solution

VoiceS will update and complement the VoicE Internet platforms and add a whole array of new features to the VoicE platform enhancing its functionalities for both citizens and EU decision makers significantly.

One of the main objectives of the VoiceS project is to apply semantic technologies to organise and structure legislative and consumer protection information in order to improve access and use of such information by non-specialists. At the same time, it will be used to improve the level of communication and interaction between citizens and MEPs. To facilitate this, the system will incorporate a domain ontology for capturing and structuring necessary information.

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