Integrating Technology with Community Wisdom
Participatory community research to increase participation of marginalised citizens in the process of smart city development
Banganga: Battle of a slum versus the smart city
Banganga was chosen for the CEDSS pilot due to its central location in Bhopal and proximity to Smart City developments. Recent Smart City road projects, while improving overall city connectivity, have disrupted established pathways for Banganga residents, increasing travel times and creating barriers to essential services like healthcare, schools, and markets.
Using Participatory tools to get community data
Participatory Rural Appraisal Tools were used to help community articulate their challenges and needs in a participatory manner.
Community consultations using a focus group discussions were essential tool to understand the socio-cultural and political differences between communities and create a space that allows people to talk about their personal and collective everyday struggles in multidimensional ways.
Coming from an architecture background, I knew mapping exercises will prove very effective, so we created Service opportunity maps, and resource maps which were essential in understanding social boundaries and economic opportunities for residents.
Creating participatory maps with community members
Synthesis of Community and geo-information data to form second-order solutions
The data gathered by and of the community was shared with our technological partners at GRADE, who overlaid it on GIS data layers. GIS tools transformed this raw data into actionable intelligence, allowing us to map physical spaces as well as social dynamics and community aspirations. Through this data design solutions that addressed both tangible infrastructure needs and intangible community goals were created.
Presenting second order solutions
The data gathered by and of the community was shared with our technological partners at GRADE, who overlaid it on GIS data layers. GIS tools transformed this raw data into actionable intelligence, allowing us to map physical spaces as well as social dynamics and community aspirations. Through this data design solutions that addressed both tangible infrastructure needs and intangible community goals were created.
Presenting solutions and getting feedback
Co-designed second order solutions in Banganga ; Author - IDS Sussex
An informed, scalable soution emerges
The CEDSS project is an important example of leveraging technology for community-centric solutions through collaboration across disciplines. This model has potential to be replicated across different spaces to identify solutions at either ward or city level. Although technical experts can propose solutions, but it is important that each community plays an active role in redesigning the solutions that are most feasible in their community space.