CommunitySense

25
Jan
2021

New publication: Smart Cities – Heading Toward Panopticons or Smart Societies?

A. de Moor (2020). Smart Cities: Heading Toward Panopticons or Smart Societies?, ACM SIGCAS Computers and Society, Vol.49, No.3, pp.16-17. doi.org/10.1145/3447913.3447923

Abstract:

Smart cities are all the rage. To many, they seem to be a panacea to address all the city’s “wicked problems”. To this purpose, much effort and money is spent on developing high-tech Big Data and AI solutions. In this short essay, I argue that it is equally important to invest in unlocking the potential of the HUMAN intelligence embodied in the network of communities that together make up local society. One technique to do so is to – together with local communities – map and make sense of the “collaboration ecosystems” in which they meet and mingle.… Read more...

Posted by Aldo de Moor in CommunitySense, 0 comments
15
Jul
2020

Greater than the Sum meets CommunitySense: the full interview series

Over two years ago, I was asked by Christine Capra of fellow participatory mapping consultancy company Greater than the Sum to be interviewed by her on my ideas on participatory community network mapping. This interview turned out to be something much more than that. Of course, over the years, I have already published many (academic) research publications on the development and application of the CommunitySensor methodology. However, I have never been able to put the grand essence of my mapping philosophy into words as artfully as Christine has, adding her own refreshing perspective as an “outsider to my inner thoughts”. In all, that first conversation became a whole series of reflective blog posts. In Christine’s own words:

“It’s been over two years since my original interview with Aldo.

… Read more...
Posted by Aldo de Moor in CommunitySense, Ideas, 0 comments
01
Jul
2020

New publication: Citizen Sensing Communities: From Individual Empowerment to Collective Impact

A. de Moor (2019). Citizen Sensing Communities: From Individual Empowerment to Collective Impact. In Proc. of the 17th CIRN Conference, Monash Centre, Prato Italy, 6 Nov – Friday, 8 Nov 2019, pp. 91-101.

[Download PDF]

Abstract:

We examine a case study in which one form of network mapping – participatory community network mapping – was used to visualize and help discover common collaborative ground between stakeholders in a Dutch multi-sectoral climate action coalition of the willing. After introducing the 2018 Dutch Klimaatstroom Zuid Climate Summit case, we discuss how the CommunitySensor methodology for participatory community network mapping can help discover collaborative common ground in such complex networks. We share how we applied CommunitySensor to the climate summit case. We end with a discussion on how such participatory mapping could support the process of common agenda setting towards collective impact.
… Read more...
Posted by Aldo de Moor in CommunitySense, Publications, 0 comments
23
Jun
2020

New publication: Increasing the Collective Impact of Climate Action with Participatory Community Network Mapping

A. de Moor (2020). Increasing the Collective Impact of Climate Action with Participatory Community Network Mapping, Livingmaps Review, No.8.

[Download PDF]

Abstract:

We examine a case study in which one form of network mapping – participatory community network mapping – was used to visualize and help discover common collaborative ground between stakeholders in a Dutch multi-sectoral climate action coalition of the willing. After introducing the 2018 Dutch Klimaatstroom Zuid Climate Summit case, we discuss how the CommunitySensor methodology for participatory community network mapping can help discover collaborative common ground in such complex networks. We share how we applied CommunitySensor to the climate summit case. We end with a discussion on how such participatory mapping could support the process of common agenda setting towards collective impact.

Posted by Aldo de Moor in CommunitySense, Projects, Publications, 0 comments
14
Sep
2019

From Climate Action Confusion to Collaboration: Towards Common Agenda Setting

All over the world, organizations are gearing up to address the causes and effects of climate change. However, none of them can do this on their own, joining forces is of the essence.

The 2015 Paris Agreement was a major milestone in accelerating this process of global collaboration:

The Paris Agreement builds upon the Convention and for the first time brings all nations into a common cause to undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects, with enhanced support to assist developing countries to do so. As such, it charts a new course in the global climate effort.

Although the intentions in Paris were good, as we all know there is still monumental confusion and dithering everywhere about what exactly needs to be done, in what way, when, and by whom.… Read more...

Posted by Aldo de Moor in CommunitySense, Ideas, Projects, 0 comments
11
Jun
2019

Community(Es)Sense

Last week, I attended the 2019 Communities & Technologies conference in Vienna:

The biennial Communities and Technologies (C&T) conference is the premier international forum for stimulating scholarly debate and disseminating research on the complex connections between communities – in their multiple forms – and information and communication technologies.

It is one of my favorite conferences, and as usual, it was an amazing meeting of minds. See the tweet stream for an impression of the topics discussed. More on the paper I presented in a future post.

After the conference, some of us took a tour of the futuristic new campus of  the Vienna University of Economics and Business. The buildings are phenomenal, however, what really struck me was how the concept of the campus being a community space has been designed into everything, from the overall master plan of the campus area to very specific building details.… Read more...

Posted by Aldo de Moor in CommunitySense, Conferences, Ideas, 0 comments
01
Jun
2019

CommunitySense website makeover

I did a major overhaul of the CommunitySense website. Check out http://communitysense.nl to see how I may help your organization, network or community build collaborative common ground.

170928_end of stakeholder meeting

Posted by Aldo de Moor in CommunitySense, 0 comments
19
Mar
2019

Mapping the social innovation ecosystems around public libraries together: the Czech connection(s)

Public libraries are cornerstones of civil society. They form the “third places” where individual citizens meet and mingle, get informed, learn, as well as form and share opinions. Increasingly, however, public libraries are also seen as the meeting and co-working hubs of the many communities making up the rich fabric of urban society. Thus, public libraries are getting new, societal roles as city labs and social innovation catalysts.

The Tilburg Public Library  is known for its groundbreaking library innovations, such as the recently opened LocHal, which is truly a “world-class urban living room for Tilburg in an iconic former locomotive shed of the Dutch National Railways”. More about that in a future post. Another one of its strategic innovations concerns the KnowledgeCloud, the “network in which persons, communities and organisations meet one another both online and offline to discuss current, societally relevant themes”.… Read more...

Posted by Aldo de Moor in CommunitySense, Projects, Services, 2 comments
06
Jul
2018

New publication – A Community Network Ontology for Participatory Collaboration Mapping: Towards Collective Impact

A. de Moor (2018). A Community Network Ontology for Participatory Collaboration Mapping: Towards Collective Impact, Information 2018, 9(7): art. no. 151.

Abstract

Addressing societal wicked problems requires collaboration across many different community networks. In order for community networks to scale up their collaboration and increase their collective impact, they require a process of inter-communal sensemaking. One way to catalyze that process is by participatory collaboration mapping. In earlier work, we presented the CommunitySensor methodology for participatory mapping and sensemaking within communities. In this article, we extend this approach by introducing a community network ontology that can be used to define a customized mapping language to make sense across communities. We explore what ontologies are and how our community network ontology is developed using a participatory ontology evolution approach.… Read more...

Posted by Aldo de Moor in CommunitySense, Publications, 0 comments