Popularisation of complex issues
Popularization of complex issues in an inclusive manner for collective decision-making: the case of Swiss direct democracy.
BACKGROUND/HISTORY AND CONTEXT OF THE WORKSHOP
Worldwide, there is a trend to popular dissatisfaction and mistrust in politics and the public administration. Switzerland has a long tradition of direct democracy, whereby citizen get the final say on any legislative proposal and can decide on adding an article to the Federal constitution. Votes happen 4 times a year. However, participation in these votes is relatively low, at about 45% on average. Furthermore, there is a growing complexity in the issues that come to a vote (including fiscal and environmental policy for example).
Facing this challenge and to ensure a higher participation rate, better decision-making and stronger social cohesion, the State of Geneva is rethinking its political rights’ strategy. This workshop with the ENoLL community thus will contribute to the further development of our direct democracy.
MAIN AIM / OBJECTIVE
The workshop’s objective is twofold. Before a vote, each citizen of Geneva receives a letter by mail. This voting material comprises the voting bulletin and a large brochure comprising:
1) a neutral description of the object;
2) arguments of proponents and opponents;
3) the full text of the law;
4) voting recommendations of political parties.
First, we want to reimagine the process in which the complex information is gathered, simplified and agreed upon by the state and all relevant stakeholders prior to being sent out to citizens. Put otherwise, the aim is to simplify a complex information issue.
Second, we want to co-create a tangible support to communicate and distribute this information.
We would welcome ideas including exploring the use of new technologies.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
For participants, the workshop will provide three key benefits:
1) A jointly defined (during the workshop) co-creation methodology for designing a process to define and agree upon the simplification of a complex issue;
2) A process for distribution and communication of a simplified complex issue ensuring inclusion of all parts of the population;
3) A better understanding of Swiss direct democracy and its actual workings.
BRIEF OUTLINE / METHODOLOGY
The methodology is based on Design Thinking. We will make use of an innovation game specifically designed to target this issue. A particular attention will be paid to the different groups for which the popularized information is intended (personas, etc.)
LINKS
Workshop Facilitators
Patrick Genoud
Patrick Genoud
Patrick Genoud
Patrick GenoudWorking for Genève Lab, he is involved in the digital transformation of the public administration of the State of Geneva. He always considers technologies in a global and user-centric perspective. His current domains of interest mainly concern service design innovation methods.
Isis Gouédard
Mum-preneur and Senior IT Project manager
Isis Gouédard
Mum-preneur and Senior IT Project manager
A Genevoise mum-preneur and Senior IT Project manager, she holds a Mathematics Master and Entrepreneurship EMBA from University of Geneva. Passionate about human interactions and motivations, she helps client embrace change and derive actions plans fostering ideas through experience and games, unleashing the power of collective intelligence.
Yves Zieba
IsYnnov
Yves Zieba
IsYnnov
Isis Gouédard and Yves Zieba are entrepreneurs that have chosen to bring together their experiences and backgrounds into IsYnnov. Their shared vision is to save time for what really matters in life. IsYnnov offers range from co-animation of new formats of playful events and interactive sessions fostering open innovation, co-creation, co-construction and collective intelligence methodologies. Isis and Yves have a variety of rich experience and competences in agility, modern management, program and portfolio management, innovation processes, design thinking, self-leadership, team dynamics and group mobilisation. Passionate about sustainable innovation, manufacturing innovation, nature based solutions, strategic agility and gamification, they foster co-creation and ideation through various methods, to find the right balance between social and economic value creation. Their current focus is on improving the governance of smart communities and mobility, while using SDG innovation games amongst other techniques to foster ideas through experience and facilitate co-construction of a sustainable future. They have designed a unique serie of innovation games to make it easier for Living Labs, Fablabs, Innovation spaces to tackle sophisticated challenges and coordinate hands-on education workshops, prototyping and lab experiments. All games animation follow their common core principles: - games mainly produced locally in natural resources (primarily locally sourced wood), - played with like minded stakeholders from the quadruple helix, who want to have an impact socially and economically, - focused on smart communities of interest and values, - keeping their ambition to change attitudes and behaviours, with a crystal clear action plan for their stakeholders.