Initially, our team is focusing on facilitating how cities collect and organize public comments from residents at meetings. Right now, anyone wanting to speak at a public meeting typically must fill out a hand-written speaker card, and then wait an unknown length of time for their turn. It could be just a minute, or it could take hours.
Our solution is to digitize this process by creating an easy automated speaker queue. Users can log into the Hiago portal to sign up for public speaking or to provide comments. When their turn to speak comes up, a user will receive an SMS text message on their phone, giving them enough time to get ready.
Our Hiago kiosks will be placed in public areas with high foot traffic to provide easy accessibility for users. The same technology will also be incorporated into smartphone apps to allow remote participation for those who can’t attend important meetings in person.
But this is only the first step. Our platform for civic engagement will allow users to easily track the issues they care about. Those following specific issues can be networked together to unite their efforts to advocate more effectively to government leaders.
By utilizing digital tools and simplifying public access, we can draw in a much larger swath of the community, including many marginalized groups that often remain silent. When implemented, Hiago will strengthen the fabric of the community and provide a new hotline for government leaders to learn about their constituents.