@SmartChicago | #ConnectChicago | #CUTGroup
Cases in Civic Engagement & Community Information through Technology
The McCormick Foundation
Denise Linn & Sonja Marziano
March 2, 2016

Agenda
Introductions
Overview of the Smart Chicago’s Model, Mission, Areas of Work
Case #1: Array of Things Civic Engagement
Case #2: CUTGroup
Case #3: Connect Chicago
Questions + Discussion
@SmartChicago

Introductions
@SmartChicago

Smart Chicago Collaborative
We were founded in 2011 by the City of Chicago, The Chicago Community
Trust & the MacArthur Foundation.
We care about access to the Internet, digital skills, and data.
@SmartChicago

Array of Things Civic Engagement
At Smart Chicago, we seek to help build a smart city that works for everyone — a city
where the technical infrastructure, data, tech tools, and tech training that are shaped by
residents and serve them.
@SmartChicago

Array of Things Civic Engagement
Smart Chicago is leading the civic engagement process to educate
residents and gather input from communities
We will host public meetings. The first will be on March 22nd in Homan
Square Community Center. The second will be on March 31st at Harold
Washington Library
To gather public edits and feedback on the Array of Things Privacy Policy
@SmartChicago

Civic Engagement Goals for this Project
To educate Chicago about the Array of Things project, process, the
potential of the research, and the sensors’ capacities
To gather public input on the Array of Things Privacy Policy
To gather community input on the livability factors most of interest to them
and most pressing to their neighborhoods
To spur a national conversation about privacy, the Internet of Things and
civic engagement in these issues across the GovTech community
@SmartChicago

CUTGroup
“If it doesn’t work for you, it doesn’t work!”
@SmartChicago

@SmartChicago
Civic User Testing Group (CUTGroup)
CUTGroup is a community of over 1,300 residents in Cook County who are
paid to test websites and apps and help create better technology.
New model for UX testing, digital skills development, and community
engagement
If it doesn’t work for you, it doesn’t work!

Civic Engagement Goals for CUTGroup
@SmartChicago
Reach new people who are not typically part of the tech community and ask
for their feedback
Introduce people to new technology (websites and apps) that they may
have never used before
Include resident voice and feedback in building better technology

Connect Chicago
Connect Chicago is a citywide, cross-sector initiative that seeks to make Chicago the
most digitally skilled, connected, and dynamic city in America.
@SmartChicago

% No Internet
Access
% No Internet
Subscription
% Income <35K
with no Internet
subscription
% No Computer % of Internet
Subscribers
mobile alone or
w/ dial-up
U.S. 20.1% 24.2% 45.6% 14.9% 7.8%
New York City 21.1% 24.6% 43.7% 16.2% 3.7%
Los Angeles 19.6% 23.4% 41.9% 14.3% 7.0%
Chicago 24.1% 30.2% 52.0% 19.5% 7.9%
Houston 25.9% 30.3% 50.6% 17.9% 18.1%
Philadelphia 27.0% 31.9% 48.8% 20.1% 8.0%
*Percentages in households, American Community Survey Estimates 2014
Gaps in Chicago:

About Connect Chicago
@SmartChicago
Connect Chicago aims to increase access to the Internet, increase digital
skills. and increase engagement through technology
We work with a collection of dynamic partners — the City of Chicago, World
Business Chicago, the MacArthur Foundation, Chicago Public Library, LISC
Chicago, and Chicago Public Schools. Smart Chicago has primary
responsibility for managing the coordination of the initiative
There are 250+ places in the city where residents can access training and
public computing. We foster this network through direct funding,
community-building, and impact assessment

Community Information Goals
@SmartChicago
To support reliable, accessible community information infrastructure
To increase economic & civic engagement through technology — whether
it’s using government digital resources, filing taxes online, researching local
issues online, or applying for jobs
To empower the digital/tech trainers in Chicago and emphasize that they a
key piece of our city’s tech & information pipeline

Guiding Principles for
Engagement

Guiding Principles for Engagement
Host events at trusted institutions
Create accessible ways for people to sign up and participate
Give people relevant, easy-to-use incentives for participation (ex: gift cards)
Meet people where they are in terms of language, skill, and geography
Have an interactive component to the engagement
Document everything
@SmartChicago

Questions + Discussion