Page 116 - UKZN Proceedings of the Conference Report

table 1: Summary of overarching themes
role of smartphone apps in municipalities
Challenges and motivators for youth participation
user-centric design and Inclusivity
Accessibility and Convenience
Perceived Barriers to Engagement in Municipal Governance
Youth-Focused Interface and Features
Participation through Real Time Updates
Incentives and Opportunities for Youth Engagement
Language and Cultural Sensitivity
Social Media Features for Civic Engagement
Feedback and Co-creation Mechanisms
Promoting Digital Literacy and Engagement
table 2: Summary of the sub-themes and codes of the overarching theme ‘the role of smartphone apps in municipalities’
accessibility and convenience
- Easy access to municipal services
- Simplified service request submissions
- Centralised platform for municipal information
- Availability of services 24/7
- Reduced physical visits to municipal offices
Participation through real-time updates
- Instant notifications on municipal developments
- Timely updates on community projects
- Emergency alerts and public safety notifications
- Transparency through live reporting of decisions
- Event reminders and participation tracking
Social media features for civic engagement
- Comment sections for public discussions
- Sharing municipal updates on social media
- Direct messaging options for municipal representatives
- Community forums for youth involvement
- Public polls and surveys for decision-making
Promoting digital literacy and civic engagement
- Tutorials on using app features
- Gamified features to encourage consistent use
- Youth-targeted campaigns for digital participation
- Partnerships with schools for digital literacy workshops
- User analytics to improve engagement strategies
114 | Proceedings of the conference on Public innovation, develoPment and sustainability