Open311 – Collaborative Model and Open Standard for Civic Issue Tracking
http://open311.org/

Currently, the most developed function of Open311 technologies is to report and track non-emergency issues in public spaces. Common issues include potholes, broken streetlights, garbage, vandalism, and other problems that compromise public spaces and infrastructure. Using a mobile device or a computer, someone can enter information (ideally with a photo) about a problem at a given location. This report is then routed to the relevant authority to address the problem. What’s different from a traditional 311 report is that this information is available for anyone to see and it allows anyone to contribute more information. By enabling collaboration on these issues, the open model makes it easier to collect and organize more information about important problems. By making the information public, it provides transparency and accountability for those responsible for the problem. Transparency also ensures that everyone’s voice is heard and in-turn encourages more participation. Some of the most prominent services and applications that provide this kind of non-emergency reporting functionality are FixMyStreet in the U.K. and SeeClickFix in the U.S.. However, nothing inherently limits this model to non-emergency issues. In fact, a system called Ushahidi uses this same open model for issue tracking and it played a central role in the rescue and relief efforts following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Yet even despite these significant precedents, we’re only scratching the surface of the level of civic engagement that Open311 technologies could facilitate. Imagine using these tools to not just report what is broken, but to also start a conversation about the overall health and livability of a community: reporting intersections that feel unsafe, marking where a new bike rack is needed, or even suggesting how a vacant lot could become a park. When appropriate, Open311 can even be used to manage volunteer efforts to help supplement government workers. Open311 also has the potential to be tied into the local knowledge-bases that many existing 311 call-centers use. Furthermore this technology could be connected to idea sourcing platforms like IdeaScale for uses such as community input in urban planning processes. This has been added to the tools section of Research Resources Subject Tracer™ Information Blog. This has been added to New Economy Analytics, Resources and Alerts Subject Tracer™ Information Blog.