QUIMBY: an innovative open-source solution for e-democracy

Project eDem1.0, coordinated by the municipality of Rome and financed by the Italian Ministry for Innovation during the period March 2006 to February 2008, has aimed to apply cutting edge Internet-based technologies (social networking, user-generated content, etc.) to enhance the processes of participation and consultation, both between citizens and government administration offices, as well as among such offices themselves. Sociological studies, expressly conducted by the universities of Pisa and Rome, have provided the basis for the innovative means developed in the project for involving citizens in online participation in government. The software platform for implementation of such goals was developed for the most part at the ISTI Institute of the CNR in Pisa. Such development has been guided by the specific needs and wishes of the coordinating institution, to which a customized version has been provided. In detail, the platform aims to supplement traditional means of citizens' participation in government (meetings, round tables, etc.) through Internet-based channels of communication and interaction. The result of the work is the open source software application 'Quimby' released under the GPL license. The main features implemented in Quimby are: reporting problem issues and possible solutions; pinpointing problems on road or satellite maps; transmitting additional documentation on problems or proposals for solutions; rating specific proposals; displaying graphic illustrations of the administrative procedures and status of proposals. Initial testing of the software was begun within the framework of the Rome Bilancio Partecipativo del Municipio XI (Participation Budgeting of District 11). The current version is freely available under the GLP license for download at http://www.domoticslab.it/quimby. Other, customized versions have been provided to and used by the region of Lazio and the township of Pescara. The software is moreover highly adaptable for use in many other contexts as well. For example, it can be easily reused in different programmes calling for other models or levels of involvement (information, communications, consultation, collaborative planning, decision-making and so forth).