Innovation and e-participation

Online form service portal for communes

The Zurich communes and towns of Horgen, Thalwil, Uster and Wetzikon intend to jointly procure and develop a scalable, client-friendly online form service portal. Other communes and cities can also potentially use it. The online form service portal is intended to enable communes to offer digital end-to-end services in the form of online forms flexibly and without great effort, thus enabling the population to conduct uncomplicated, digital transactions with the authorities. The communes benefit thanks to shared templates, interfaces, form services (digital payments, digital signatures, etc.) and shared development costs. The funding will be used primarily for the development of basic services that will be available to all future users.

Organisation: Town of Uster

Support from Digital Public Services Switzerland: CHF 25,000

Application platform with the "Energy efficient service" label

Most platforms are currently used in a virtualised environment. This requires a lot of resources. However, the so-called virtualisation layer overlaps heavily with the containerisation layer (container = software code is bundled together with necessary components such as libraries, frameworks, etc. to form isolated packages that make up the application platform). Without the virtualisation layer, resources required to operate the containers would be saved. To optimise energy consumption, the platform should be able to start and stop services independently in order to free up memory, CPU and licences. Project objectives:

• Demonstrate the functionality and advantages of using an on-demand container system;
• Demonstrate the functionality, advantages and usability of running containers directly on physical servers (on bare metal).

Organisation: Canton of Valais, cantonal IT organisation

Support from Digital Public Services Switzerland: CHF 50,000

Innoventure

Innoventure is an analogue card and role-playing game designed to introduce public services and specialist teams, including beginners, to proven innovation methods in a fun way. The game guides players through the basics of innovation methods such as design thinking, agile methods and lean project management in a real-life project of their choice, thereby promoting creativity and collaboration. The aim is to offer an effective and accessible educational tool. It facilitates the understanding and practical application of these methods in a specific professional environment and over a specific period of time. The game is being developed in two national languages (French and German).

Organisation: City of Biel

Support from Digital Public Services Switzerland: CHF 15,000

Form designer for the autonomous creation of online services

The low-code form designer is intended to enable public authorities to create forms and online services themselves without any technical knowledge and integrate them into their existing website environment. Incoming orders are processed via the communal or cantonal cockpit, or end-to-end in the existing specialist solutions. By integrating online payment service providers (such as Payrexx), fee-based services – such as ordering fee stamps – can also be paid for directly online. The form designer enables all authorities to create online services quickly and easily, which can be customised autonomously at any time without development time. With the help of a collection of templates, users can also benefit from existing online services from other communes or cantons, and integrate them into their website environment.

Organisation: Fit4Digital

Support from Digital Public Services Switzerland: CHF 10,000

Digital divide and digital inclusion: educational modules for the public

At the meeting of the Conference of French and Italian-speaking digital directors (CLDN) on 9 November 2023, the issue of the digital divide was identified as a common concern. The cantons of Vaud and Geneva, together with the cantons of Neuchâtel and Ticino, want to set up a Swiss online platform for the provision of training modules to encourage the support of people who need assistance in the digital field, either directly or via facilitators. With this innovative project, the French and Italian-speaking cantons wish to test the development of training modules on digital topics that are relevant to all (cybersecurity, e-ID, online services, etc.). It also aims to promote the transfer of knowledge so that the participants are then able to develop modules on their own and expand the platform.

Organisation: Canton of Vaud

Support from Digital Public Services Switzerland: CHF 30,000

Interactive 24/7 support for administrative matters

The project consists of setting up a tool in the form of an intuitive interface for finding information on public services in the canton of Jura. The tool will use generative AI technology to direct users from the multitude of data sources to the right platform or form. It will also be able to provide useful information and easy-to-understand explanations to guide the user through their administrative steps. The aim of this virtual assistant is to speed up the development of digital services that are also attractive to people who are not at ease with these new technologies. A second objective is to measure the use of this tool and draw lessons with regard to the development of this technology by the public services. The result is a semantic model for prioritising the data sources of cantonal public services.

Organisation: Canton of Jura

Support from Digital Public Services Switzerland: CHF 40,000

Self-organisation as a driver for online participation – DAOs and their potential for public participation

Society is showing a strong interest in digital co-determination using new opportunities for participation. At the same time, there is also a need for networking via self-regulating ecosystems that include business representatives, public services and the public. Certain forms of organisation based on blockchain technology offer approaches for improving online participation and self-determination: decentralised autonomous organisations (DAOs) can use algorithmically implemented systems to make consensus decisions in self-regulated ecosystems. DAOs function without traditional hierarchical power structures, but are controlled by a community in participatory processes using blockchain technology. The project aims to understand the potential uses of DAOs for online participation and the inclusion of all stakeholders in administrative processes at communal and regional level.

Organisation: Zurich University of Applied Sciences ZHAW, School of Management and Law, Institute for Organizational Viability

Support from Digital Public Services Switzerland: CHF 12,500

End-to-end digitalisation and more efficient design of consultations on legislation

When new acts, ordinances, decrees or regulations are drafted at national, cantonal or communal level, or existing legislation is (partially) revised, a consultation is usually required. Holding consultations is a time-consuming, manual and complex process for public services. With an interface between the Sitrox LexWork digital legislative management system, which is used in 23 cantons, and the "E-Mitwirkung" system, which is used in 13 cantons, the content could be seamlessly transferred as structured data for consultation. As part of the project, an interface is therefore to be developed together with the cantons and a best-practice process for efficient consultations on legislation is to be developed and published.

Organisation: Canton of Bern

Support from Digital Public Services Switzerland: CHF 22,500

Applying natural language processing (NLP) to the non-financial reporting of Swiss companies

Natural language processing (NLP) is a technique that uses artificial intelligence to process natural language. NLP can thus enable computers to understand human language. In the sample application being promoted, the ETH Zurich is working with the Federal Office of Justice FOJ to use NLP to analyse non-financial company reports that are required by law in Switzerland since the start of 2022. Companies in Switzerland have to report on topics such as the environment, social concerns, employee concerns, human rights and anti-corruption efforts. Instead of a time-consuming manual review and examination of the corresponding reports on the five topics, NLP technology is used to evaluate the substance of the reports by machine. For this purpose, the ETH is creating a language model and verifying and evaluating the results with manually coded results from the reports.

Contact: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, Center for Development and Cooperation NADEL, fritz.brugger@nadel.ethz.ch

goVR (Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences)

Virtual reality (VR) is the term used to describe computer-generated realities, usually consumed through special glasses. After decades of basic research, VR technology is on the verge of making its breakthrough on the mass market. Similar to the emergence of the World Wide Web, the spread of VR technology will mean that numerous services will also increasingly be offered via this new channel. While the advantages of VR imagery for games, product presentations and online events are obvious, the impact on eGovernment services is currently unclear. The goVR project is researching, among other things, which eGovernment services are suitable for virtual reality, what opportunities and challenges exist for the creation of VR government services in the future, and how users react to such services.

Contact: IPM, OST – Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Science, matthias.baldauf@ost.ch

Sophia chatbot for victims of domestic violence (Spring ACT)

Spring ACT (Action. Compassion. Technology.) combines the latest technological capabilities with the concrete solution to the problem of providing victims of domestic violence with anonymous and safe access to help. Victims can use a platform-independent chatbot called Sophia. The chatbot will be available in over 25 languages and provides users with important information in an accessible way. For example, Sophia provides those affected with the names of nearby specialist services and makes important information available in simple chat form. Unlike a phone call or an email, the bot leaves no traces.

With the financial support of Digital Public Services Switzerland, the development of the chatbot will be driven forward, specifically with the development of a digital vault in which to store potential evidence. Efforts between the individual cantons, help centres and women's refuges will be coordinated as part of the project.

Contact: action@springact.org

Piloting a shared operating model for open source participation platforms (Decidim Swiss Association)

The open source participation software Decidim has been tested in many small and large pilot projects in Switzerland over the last few years. For example, in Stadtidee in the city of Zurich and with Dialog Luzern in the city of Lucerne. More and more towns, cities, communes and regions are showing an interest in implementing their own projects in Switzerland using the Decidim software. Within the framework of the newly founded association decidim.swiss, the founders would like to establish an offering for shared operation of the open source software and thus reduce the costs for its use in the long term. With the financial support of Digital Public Services Switzerland, three interested towns, cities or communes are to test the potential of a shared operating environment. If the experience with shared operating environments is positive, the model can be scaled up at national level.

Contact: decidim.swiss Association, info@decidim.swiss

Citympact (municipality of St-Maurice)

In order for young people to continue to get involved in their communities in the future, modern opportunities are needed. The Citympact project, which was launched in 2021 as part of the Prototype Fund from Opendata.ch, provides young adults with a new communication channel to get in touch directly with the communal administration. Using a digital platform, users can comment on communal projects, sign or start a petition, and share their opinions with other members, for example. With the support of Digital Public Services Switzerland, a pilot project of this type is being conducted in St-Maurice, a commune in the canton of Valais.

Contact: Municipality of St-Maurice, sylvain.robatel@st-maurice.ch

WinLab co-creation platform: Digital matchmaking & ideation platform (City of Winterthur)

As a hybrid digital and analogue platform, WinLab is intended to bring together interested residents, researchers and the business community of the city of Winterthur. On the platform, solutions to everyday challenges in the context of the Smart City Winterthur are to be introduced, evaluated and implemented using design thinking principles. The matchmaking phase brings together citizens, administrative staff, researchers, investors, start-ups and companies. The stakeholders discuss ideas and develop pilot projects together. The platform will be made available to other towns, cities and communes at a later stage. The project funding provided by Digital Public Services Switzerland makes the conceptual work possible, including the design concept and the strategy document.

Contact: City of Winterthur, Marisa.Kappeler@win.ch

e-participation as demonstrated by the user-oriented design of the uster.ch website (City of Uster)

The town of Uster in the canton of Zurich is developing a new website as part of its digital strategy. It is involving its stakeholders in the design and development of its online services at an early stage in order to maximise the benefits and ensure broad acceptance. In addition to analogue ways of getting involved, the public is to be included primarily through digital participation opportunities. Uster is also looking more closely at how to combine analogue and digital forms of participation in the best possible way. The findings will be made available to other towns, cities, communes and cantons at a later stage. In this way, a best-practice process for e-participation projects and the user-oriented design of digital channels will be developed.

Contact: City of Uster, lucas.nicolussi@uster.ch

e-collecting for cantonal signature collections

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular, the collection of physical signatures for referendums and initiatives has become more difficult.

e-collecting is seen as another step in the digital transformation of administrations and their processes. The project «e-collecting for cantonal signature collections» will initially examine, within the framework of a study, which preconditions must be created to enable e-collecting in the canton. Among other things, the focus is on electronic identification, for which the use of SwissID is to be examined. In addition to the technical analysis, the organisational and legal preconditions for the use of e-collecting will also be examined in the study. The study is intended to create a basis for how e-collecting can be used in the canton of Basel Landschaft, as well as in other cantons.

Contact: Canton of Basel Landschaft, katinka.weissenfeld@bl.ch