#IdeaDrop Library House

Research shows that engaging citizens – collaborating with them on common interest topics, issues and problems – builds the strongest communities, fortified against the larger challenges of the country. As a result, many community leaders have adopted open systems that bring in feedback directly from citizens. However, these institutions are finding that the resulting big civic engagement data isn’t always immediately actionable. In our instant gratification world, that doesn’t cut it; people expect to see relevant, informed action result from their efforts or they’ll tune out. To create a truly engaged community, governments need to think small about their big civic engagement data. By leveraging tools like GIS software, spatial analytics and mapping visualization products, leaders can hyperlocalize feedback into actionable insights that facilitate meaningful change, effectively bridging the gap between an open government and community activation.