It’s been nearly a year since we introduced the concept of YouTown — a mobile platform for connecting citizens and their communities — to the Gov2.0 space.  At the heart of development were two questions:  How would local governments benefit from the ability to publish all types of information from various agencies (from Public Works to City Hall to the Chamber of Commerce and beyond) using one simple interface?  And how would citizens benefit from the ability to receive all that data (news, maps, events, services) right to their mobile devices?

There’s an app, as they say, for everything.

Some of these apps are specific to a particular historic location or attraction, while others are offered by cities as extensions of their tourism departments.  All of them provide the convenience of on-the-go access to resources that make traveling easier and more fulfilling.  This is great for the cities, too, since it provides another avenue to promote the area and attract visitors — not to mention the citizens that can check out the best their city has to offer.

But wait a minute.
What if you’re not in Boston or London or Vancouver?  What if you’re visiting a quaint township in New Jersey or a small, historic village in the Swiss countryside?  While most tourism apps are free for public download, they are neither cheap nor easy for communities to launch.  Many smaller towns have barely the resources and manpower to maintain a website, let alone the means to develop and launch mobile platforms.  Yet these small communities often have as much to offer visitors as the surging metros.

What if there was a mobile app that existed in a ready-made and customizable format, so cities of all sizes could just sign up and get mobile? No expensive development process, just a simple tool that allowed agencies to publish their events and historic sites to visitors’ smartphones without having to break the budget.  As it turns out, a newly released app called YouTown fits the bill.

YouTown is the mobile platform that makes it easy for cities to keep visitors informed.
Without having to launch a specific tourism app, agencies can sign up for YouTown and start publishing local information that can be utilized by residents and tourists alike.  The location-based technology allows cities to:

• List locations and features for local businesses and attractions
• Map historic walking tours and nature trails
• Pinpoint helpful visitor facilities like Chamber of Commerce or Welcome Center
• Chart parade routes and festival locations
• Provide calendars for sporting events, shows, and cultural affairs
• Pinpoint landmarks, public art, historic buildings, etc.
• Provide links within the app containing further information about local happenings

In essence, YouTown can act as a “City Guide,” customized to the agency that’s using it.  The beauty is that the app is already complete and is constantly updated to provide a faster and better user experience.  Once a municipality signs up for YouTown, all they have to do is fill in the blanks — deciding for themselves how they will use the app to move their community forward.

YouTown isn’t just for tourism!
The platform is unique in its ability to function on behalf of every department within a municipal agency, from City Hall to Public Works and beyond.  YouTown provides a full array of features, enabling cities to publish local news, events, maps, and services to enrich the everyday lives of citizens.  Publishing community info to YouTown is a simple, intuitive process — technical savvy not required.  And the app is offered in a free version so cities can get mobile without compromising their tight budgets.

It’s truly a one-stop government experience for residents.  And for tourists, YouTown can be a one-stop “guide to the city” . . . no matter what city it happens to be.

Now you can — with YouTown, the one-of-a-kind mobile app designed to connect citizens to their local governments.  The publication of city services is one of the features that makes YouTown an ideal step toward one-stop government.  Agencies can publish information on any kind of service: development, recreational, municipal, educational, safety, and beyond.  Citizens can browse the service offerings on their iPhones (more devices to follow) and click to view further details about the service like cost or location.  There is even a “filter feature” so people can customize the services that appear on their device, fitting the YouTown experience to their particular needs and lifestyle.

An agency doesn’t even need a website to take advantage of YouTown’s publication of Services. For smaller communities trying to keep up with advancing technology, but lacking the resources or manpower to maintain an in-depth website, YouTown provides a tool to reach citizens effectively.  Publishing a service is a simple process that immediately empowers people in the community to find out what the city can offer them.  It’s all about connection.

Check out how these cities are already connecting with residents using the Services feature of YouTown:

• Enid, Oklahoma gives a detailed description of the city’s “Sidewalk Repair Partnership Program”, which provides property owners an economical and efficient means of repairing or replacing sidewalks in residential areas.  From YouTown, residents can discover the scope, qualifications, cost, and process of the program.  From there, it’s a few simple steps to better sidewalks.

• Prattville, Alabama keeps citizens up-to-date about the “Click it or Ticket” initiative that will run over the Memorial Day weekend.  Extra police officers will be on duty, working toward a safer community by targeting seat-belt violations and other high-risk infractions.  From YouTown, citizens can learn more about the initiative, which is funded by a grant program.

Mobile information about services is just another way for cities to communicate with residents.  With YouTown, openness and transparency don’t have to be expensive or complicated.  It’s simple for citizens and governments alike.  And services are just one of many convenient functions in the YouTown app — check the blog for an in-depth look at the other features!

It’s called YouTown, and it’s taking government/citizen communications to a whole new level.  Agencies that sign up for YouTown can begin publishing events and local happenings within an hour.  Citizens can browse the listings on their iPhones (other devices to follow) and click the event to view further information.  From there, all it takes is a finger-tap to call the contact number or get directions.  There is even a “filter feature” so people can customize the events that appear in their YouTown feed to match their particular preferences and interests.

Coming soon: events in YOUR town
Events can range in category from the recreational (festivals, sports, cultural celebrations) to the practical (holiday closings, Council meetings, sanitation schedules).  Here’s a glance into some of the events that cities have already published using YouTown:

Enid, Oklahoma:  You can attend the Historic Preservation Commission meeting, or perhaps you’d like to join the Garfield County Knitters at the library.

Seattle, Washington:  The Community Center is hopping this week with Adult Basketball, Table Tennis, Volleyball, and Line Dancing.  Seattle’s Original Coffee Crawl is coming up too!

Prattville, Alabama: Check out the Community Chorus Spring Dinner Concert for an evening of fine food and entertainment, or maybe you’d like to give back by volunteering at the Spring Cleanup effort.

YouTown takes the popular mobile technology that people use in their everyday lives and integrates it with the data that agencies are already publishing in their newspapers, blogs, fliers, and websites.  Since people don’t generally have the time or patience to keep track of all the local happenings using such a variety of information sources, YouTown ties it all together and delivers it to your mobile device, making it a one-stop shop for keeping up with events in your town.

Events are just one of many convenient functions in the YouTown app — check back for an in-depth look at more features soon!

Many agencies have endeavored to bring local news to their citizens in “Gov 2.0” formats using social media, e-newsletters, and other online channels.  Now there’s a way to take local news mobile!  It’s the revolutionary new YouTown app, which allows agencies to publish all kinds of relevant updates right to the iPhones of citizens (more devices to follow).  This includes the ability to publish local news and updates so the public can stay informed at the tap of a finger.

YouTown enables governments to publish news in two formats:

• Feeds allow for continuing streams of information, like weather updates, the police Twitter feed, or sanitation schedules.

• Single articles allow for one-time happenings, convenient for emergency notifications or unique community news.

Citizens can browse through recent city news headlines, or read a full article right on their mobile device.  For further convenience, there is a “filter” button so people can view only the news that is interesting to them, choosing from city-created categories like General News, Recreation Activities, Jobs, City Council, and so forth.

The possibilities are as varied as the communities that are utilizing YouTown.  To illustrate, let’s take a peek at some recently published articles:

Prattville, Alabama: “Road work will begin soon on Hwy 14 from Chris’ BBQ to Main Street . . . We are working diligently to get information and updates from ALDOT. We will continue to keep our citizens apprised of the work and schedule…”

Nanaimo, Canada: “We will be participating in Earth Hour by challenging City staff to reduce energy consumption as much as possible . . . Ornamental lights will be turned off at Maffeo Sutton Park…”

Manhattan Beach, California: “Free high-efficiency toilets — one day only! This program is available to all residents. You must pre-register using your water bill account number, so call today…”

These relevant bits of municipal information are brought straight to the mobile device, integrating seamlessly with the current trend of mobile communication.  From business to social, communications are increasingly handled via smartphone.  That’s why YouTown empowers cities to relate to the public in the same way, bringing government alongside the other important aspects of a citizen’s life.

It’s a significant step toward one-stop government.  With YouTown, cities can combine news updates from all departments and agencies, from emergency services to the Chamber of Commerce to the mayor’s office.  Citizens reap the benefit of having all their local news delivered — not to their doorstep or even their inbox — but straight to their pocket!

News is just one of many convenient and helpful functions on the YouTown app.  Check back soon for an in-depth look at more features.

We’re talking about the soon-to-be-released YouTown app that will enable agencies to publish all kinds of relevant updates right to the iPhones of citizens (other devices to follow).  This includes the ability to upload maps for an endless array of local sites such as municipal buildings, event centers, public pools, and more.

For agencies looking to leverage technology in connecting with the public, it’s a tangible step toward openness and accessibility.  The maps are easy to upload, requiring only a KML map feed, and simple for citizens to view in a familiar Google-map format.  The information can be viewed as pinpoints on a map, or as a list of locations to browse, with further details available at the tap of a finger.

Several new American cities and agencies, plus two Canadian municipalities have volunteered to give feedback and ideas for YouTown, the all-in-one app that will connect citizens to their governments using mobile open data.  In exchange, these communities will receive free access to everything YouTown brings: local news, maps, services, and events published in a familiar, intuitive format — on the mobile devices of citizens!

Imagine the convenience of grabbing your iPhone to check Little League schedules, Town Hall meeting dates, Litter-Off campaigns, and maps to public restrooms or walking trails.  No more paper clutter to help you remember all the civic goings-on — YouTown brings it to your mobile device and will even include interactive features, allowing citizen comments and feedback for local officials.The generous agencies joining our Beta II will soon experience the reality of YouTown connectivity for themselves.  We’ll kick off the second round of testing this week, and plan for an official launch to the public in March!

Congratulations to the agencies who have come aboard:

• Norfolk, Virginia encourages citizen involvement by inviting people to mention handicap accessibility issues, posting street closures along with an interactive downtown map, and keeping folks updated about their light rail projects — all on the Norfolk home page.  Now they can take this proactive approach mobile!
• Guelph, Ontario features a charming Farmer’s Market that has been a focal point of the downtown for over 180 years.  Attracting tourists and citizens alike, the Market may be featured in Guelph’s utilization of YouTown — folks that are out and about could easily receive updates on Market products, hours, or location changes due to new construction.
• Manhattan Beach, California, incorporated December 1912, is preparing for the city’s upcoming Centennial Celebration!  Perhaps YouTown will allow for mobile updates of volunteer opportunities, Centennial events, and donation information.
• Hapeville, Georgia has a slick website that provides citizens intuitive access to maps, city agendas and minutes, newsletters, and Twitter/Facebook connection, along with 311 and 911 services.  This is obviously a municipality that understands the value of technology in connecting and communicating — Hapeville can now do both at a whole new level with YouTown!
• Nanaimo, British Columbia is one of the forward-thinking communities utilizing Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to track and analyze datasets in map form.  This innovative approach aids in planning strategies and predicting outcomes, and the data is made available to citizens.  Nanaimo’s partnership with YouTown could serve as an opportunity to combine open data with mobile technology.
• Fulton County, Georgia promotes pet adoption by profiling a “Pet of the Week” from the animal shelter.  Citizens can visit the County website for the shelter address, hours, and applications.  How great it would be for people to receive that information on-the-go, driving about on a Saturday afternoon!  They could go home with a new friend.
• Cedar Hill, Texas offers a unique Spring League Sports program hosted by Parks and Recreation.  Adults can sign up to participate in softball, volleyball, and kickball with their neighbors!  This community-boosting program could post schedules, practices, games, and openings for citizens to receive on their iPhones.
• Columbia, Maryland will be the scene of our experiment with crowd-sourcing Open Data!  While most of our Beta partners are testing YouTown at the agency level only, Columbia will be giving a citizen access to the app, to add relevant open data content that relates to the local government.
• Celina, Texas posts the city’s Facebook feed directly on their website.  That would be a great mobile upload — citizens could receive a smattering of civic info on all subjects — from trash pickup scheduling to Black History Month events — right to their mobile devices.
• King County Community Forums (Washington) is a government agency that collects citizen opinion on issues like environment, budget, and transportation, then delivers the information to local officials.  Since YouTown is all about enhancing communication between residents and their leaders, the app should prove valuable to the Community Forums.

These diverse communities and agencies have one thing in common.  They’re interested in enhancing their communication with citizens, and they understand that mobile technology can connect them with people like nothing else can.  As the Beta II opens, we believe YouTown will revolutionize the way governments and citizens relate.  Thank you to our new partner cities for helping to make it possible!

The Beta II will start at the beginning of February.  We’ll take your comments and bug reports, and use them to make a faster, better YouTown, which we hope will be released to the public in March.

For those who will be joining us, here’s a quick look at what to expect:

• We just released the Services component of YouTown, which allows cities to publish pertinent community info about services like flu shots, permits/licenses, municipal payments, and more.  Looking forward to feedback on this functionality.

• In addition, YouTown allows you to connect with citizens on-the-go by publishing news and event feeds, maps, and other local information.

YouTown is going to revolutionize the way people relate to their governments.  It combines open data, mobile solutions, and social media in a single, user-friendly, all-in-one community app.  You won’t need any other!  Come along with us and see for yourself.

First came a great idea: fostering transparency and openness within government by making datasets available online for public use and observation.  Next came a problem: how to make that data relatable, understandable – in a word, usable — for citizens.  Raw data needs to be filtered, organized, and presented in a visually acceptable form in order to be useful.  The market is ripe for a new industry in data curation: services and tools that will help people make sense of all this newly “open” information.

Obama and the Open Gov Initiative
The New York Times recently ran a column about the need for government data curation, explaining that since the Obama administration began its initiative to make government “accessible, transparent, and collaborative,” over 270,000 federal datasets have been published on the web, spanning every imaginable topic from public health to foreign aid.  “We want people to benefit from the data we’re democratizing,” said Vivek Kundra, CIO of the United States.  Toward that end, a team of data curators from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has made significant efforts to organize some of the open federal data into understandable websites.  Now, local municipalities are beginning to look for similar solutions.

The Local Level
Cities and towns are discovering the benefits of open data at the local level, and communities like Seattle, WA and Arvada, CO have set the trend by launching their own open data initiatives.  While the pages of reports, maps, statistics, and regulations can be helpful for citizens seeking specific data, the average person may be somewhat bewildered by the volume of information.  Creative solutions are needed that will help people navigate and narrow the “accessible” data, leading them directly to relevant info.

Facebook Groups: Curation for Social Media
A similar idea is being developed for the exploding market of social networking platforms.  Many Facebook users, for example, have experienced information overload due to the sheer volume of social data that flows through their network each day.  Important or relevant updates from family and close friends can be missed amid the noise created by hundreds of updates and wall posts.  In answer to the need for filtering and focusing social information, “Facebook Groups” was developed.  These real-time group forums on Facebook allow users to interact with a specific slice of their social graph, and provide much needed curation for social data, as described in this article by technologist Jorge Escobar.

YouTown: Curation for Local Government
We believe YouTown will be the solution for a similar need between citizens and their local govs.  Communities are opening data and seeking citizen involvement, but it’s often difficult to connect people with info that is specific and relevant to their needs.  YouTown can help bridge the gap by providing a platform for cities to publish their maps, events, info, and other helpful data in a mobile, user-friendly format.  Sharing and commenting features allow for direct communication between citizens and governments, making involvement easier and more productive.

In short, YouTown provides the answer to government curation — making sense of all the open data so that local govs can truly become more “accessible, transparent, and collaborative.”    YouTown brings the convenience and familiarity of a mobile app to the disorder of newly opened municipal data.