In this paper we define a set of guidelines for the design of a gamified eDemocracy and eParticipation tool based on Open Governmental Data . Firstly, we present the data visualization method that we have used to make Open Governmental Data more understandable for citizens. Secondly, we describe the technologies and the architecture of the mobile application that we have used to collect the data used by the graphs that we created. Thirdly, after having enumerated the advantages to develop a gamified application rather than a mere graphical visualization of data, we propose a set of gamification guidelines that are useful to improve civic engagement and we exemplify a possible implementation of these. Lastly, we pinpoint some studies that could be performed through the testing of a future implementation of the application with real users and through the analysis of the test outcome.
Data visualization techniques are very useful to represent complex data in a human-readable way. In the simplest scenario, a bill is proposed by some deputies or by some senators, and then it passes through the Chamber of Deputies to the Senate, and vice versa, until the same text is approved or rejected by both chambers. In specific moments of the enacting process, bills could be examined by various commissions that can approve or that can reject them. All these steps are transparent and properly documented.
During the Code4Italy@Montecitorio hackathon, we have developed a set of graphs that simplify the Italian legislative process, the main topics of the bills enacted in Italy in the last years, and the amount of rejected, approved, stalling and yet-to-discuss bills in specific legislations. After having created a website to host all the graphs that we designed, we implemented a mobile application for Android devices. We investigated the methodologies to move from a mere data visualization tool toward an eParticipation application to improve democratic deliberation among users and users’ civic engagement.
Gamification is the “use of game-design elements in non-gamig context” (Deterding, Sicart, Nacke, O'Hara, Dixon, 2011). Recent researches have shown that the use of basic core concepts of game design, more specifically game dynamics and game mechanics in activities that are not games (Mekler, Brühlmann, Opwis, Tuch, 2013), improves the user experience. Moreover, users have fun and are satisfied, even if the activity is complex or not “natively fun”. Gamification revolves around intrinsic and extrinsic motivations of human beings. Extrinsic motivations are related to the need of human beings to receive rewards when they perform specific actions. Intrinsic motivations are related to innate needs of human beings, like autonomy, competency and relatedness, as stated by the Self Determination Theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000), hereinafter SDT. By matching the needs of eParticipation and eDemocracy tools with the gamification components that are suitable to satisfy all the human beings’ needs stated by the SDT, we have found a set of gamification guidelines that are suitable to create gamified eParticipation environments that can improve citizens’ civic engagement.
Related Session:
October 11th, 2018
Session III.B. The (R)Evolution of Data Visualisation in Law
16:30-18:15
Sala Strozzi of Natural History Museum of the Department of Earth Sciences, University of Florence