Resident Engagement

Check back soon for more information on open-source resources to support and scale direct resident engagement in urban innovation.

Successful public-facing technologies rely upon direct resident engagement and community-focused design. City Tech offers guidance, convenes residents and conducts specialized user testing to support the development and roll-out of digital tools, websites, technology plans, and civic products.

Building Better Public-Facing Technology Through Resident Engagement

Direct resident engagement in technology innovation leads to better, more sustainable outcomes.

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Featured Projects

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unBail App Usability Test: Giving Residents a Voice, Remotely

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the need for new technology to keep us connected and deliver efficient services. Amid the outbreak, City Tech and Civic User Testing group (CUTgroup) Cleveland had been working with the civic tech group unBail to test an app that helps court defendants and their families navigate the criminal legal system; originally planned for in-person testing in March 2020, the team pivoted to remote testing in late August 2020. Although conducting testing remotely raises some barriers, including residents in the development and deployment of these solutions is more important than ever.

Click here to read more.

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Understanding the Air We Breathe: Microsoft Research Project Eclipse

What is the air quality of my neighborhood? What about on my street corner – and what does that mean for me? Microsoft Research reached out to City Tech’s Civic User Testing group to engage residents and gain feedback on a new tool in the Chicago community. Residents shared their interest in understanding air quality, gave feedback on Microsoft Research’s Project Eclipse – a hyperlocal, accessible, and public-facing air quality sensing platform – and navigated a related website. Through this direct resident engagement, residents were able to give critical feedback to Microsoft to better serve their communities.

Click here to read more.

Partners for Places

When the City of Chicago set out to create a new web portal to connect Chicago residents with sustainability programs and resources, it engaged CUTgroup to conduct user research throughout the design process. Through two phases of testing that included card sorting analyses, wireframe test, and prototype feedback, the City was able to build a meaningful and impactful tool for its residents.

Click here to visit the Sustain Chicago resource portal.

Array of Things Civic Engagement

City Tech partnered with the Array of Things and the City of Chicago to gather public feedback on a large urban sensor project in our city. Through online and in-person engagement methods, we involved residents in the design of a governance and privacy policy for the Internet of Things.

Click here for more information about the Array of Things.

City Tech primarily conducts resident engagement through our Civic User Testing group (CUTgroup). This 1,600+ member program invites residents to contribute to emerging technology while providing public, private, and social sector partners with feedback to improve product design and deployment.

Civic User Testing group

Our Civic User Testing group (CUTgroup) is a 1,600+ member civic engagement program that invites Chicago residents to contribute to emerging technology while providing public, private, and social sector partners with feedback to improve product design and deployment.

Please click below to learn more about CUTgroup.

Civic User Testing Network

City Tech coordinates the national Civic User Testing Network. This network strives to adhere to a set of foundational principles to ensure responsible participation by Civic User Testing group organizers, members, and the cities they serve. For more information on our shared values and commitments, as well as other participating organizations, please see our Civic User Testing Network Charter.