Context
Voghera is an Italian town with 39 000 citizens that implemented a project focused on the topics of digitalisation, innovation and smart cities. Voghera Digital is the digital transition project of Voghera, which seeks to foster a culture of learning and innovation, promoting an environment where creative thinking and exploration of new solutions are encouraged. This has led to the adoption of innovative approaches in the digitalisation of public services and interaction with citizens. Furthermore, the project strives to identify and harness opportunities offered by emerging technologies. The adoption of open data, big data and technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality and video mapping highlights the implementation of cutting-edge solutions to enhance public administration ad enrich citizen experiences.
Objectives
The project aims to bridge the digital divide and promote innovation by developing the town’s digital infrastructure, upgrading hardware and software in public offices, and providing training programmes. This approach recognises the importance of empowering citizens of all ages, especially older people, to navigate the digital world and utilise digital tools effectively. Voghera Digital is responsive to the specific needs of its community. The project actively involves citizens, businesses, associations, universities and public entities in its annual event, fostering open dialogue and collaboration.
Implementation
As part of the Voghera Digital project, the town introduced a fast connectivity infrastructure that has enabled the town to offer more efficient and accessible digital services to its citizens. This translated into reduced waiting times for accessing public services and enhanced convenience, as citizens can quickly and easily access information and services online. Through the adoption of innovative solutions such as open data and big data, Voghera Digital has improved the efficiency of public administration. Data collection and analysis have enabled better resource planning, increased transparency and overall improvement in the performance of public services. In addition, performance standards and benchmarks have been established to assess the effectiveness of initiatives and the achievement of predefined objectives. Similarly, stakeholder consultations have been conducted to gather feedback on the quality of services provided and assess user satisfaction.
In terms of dissemination and citizen engagement, every year the project hosts a live social event where open dialogue takes place at a virtual table among citizens, businesses, associations, universities and public entities. The first edition lasted 25 hours, receiving over 650 interactions reaching over 45 000 people, and featuring 40 speakers, including internationally renowned figures. In 2022, the second event reached another 45 000 people through a hybrid format that combined in-person and virtual attendance. The citizen training inspired neighbouring towns, where digital literacy courses were replicated, starting from basic levels and gradually explaining the metaverse.