Citizen science on urban mobility: the WeCount engagement framework

Raw Ingredients

  • 4+ years Multi-city programme + pilot
  • Use non-technical language
  • Reward and give feedback
  • Value all contributions equally

Scoping and community building

  • Map target audiences
  • Build partnerships
  • Get to know one another
  • Familiarise yourself with the cities vision for urban mobility, and ways in which citizens can get involved in decision making
  • Utilise a diversity of communication channels to connect and spread awareness

Knowledge building

  • Support citizens who feel less confident
  • Provide training on scientific skills and literacy
  • Deliver training on community organising
  • Offer cultural education training to staff to better understand how to engage different audiences

Co-design

  • Build community with citizens - give them time and space to voice concerns, opinions and motivations, and manage expectations
  • Offer alternatives ways of being involved if citizens cannot have a sensor
  • Develop appropriate knowledge sharing tools
  • Find ways to keep motivation alive

Data collection

  • Engage with counting citizens throughout the process to answer questions and sustain their motivation
  • Ensure the technical team is responsive
  • Pay a visit to citizens that are struggling

Data analysis

  • Make data analysis available online via an interactive map, with auto-generated charts from incoming citizens data, as well as options to use raw data
  • Host one or more data analysis workshops, targeting specific sensor networks, for facilitated data analysis and to share local data stories.
  • Invite along city representatives

Advocacy

  • Offer training workshops and videos to equip citizens with the necessary skills and knowledge
  • Co-create citizen actions and data visualisation to raise public awareness, influence behaviours or advocate for policy change.

Reflection and legacy

  • Plan in time to:
    • Critique steps 1-4, to work with citizens to implement actions
    • Ensure that findings are effectively disseminated
    • Enhance replicability of the case study
    • Develop outputs than can be used the community