Success factors for local eParticipation
The background
The research project "Success factors for local e-participation" is the first Germany-wide survey and analysis of digital participation processes at municipal level. As part of this project, various digital participation models are being systematically analysed in order to identify their potential uses, challenges and success factors.
A key outcome of the project is the development of a multimodal digital dashboard. This dashboard serves as a central platform for visualising the collected data, enables the comparison and optimisation of participation processes and promotes the exchange and networking between municipalities and providers of digital participation formats.
The project aims to provide sound scientific findings that contribute to strengthening local democracy and promote more inclusive and effective citizen participation. It supports municipalities in improving their digital participation offerings and strengthening social cohesion.
Why a dashboard?
The dashboard serves as a central platform for visualising and analysing the data collected from our research project on digital participation. It enables municipalities to compare their participation processes, identify best practices and optimise their offerings. It also promotes dialogue and networking between various stakeholders, thereby increasing the transparency and effectiveness of digital participation processes.
The project
The project is an interdisciplinary, cross-university network that is conducting a systematic survey of eParticipation offerings in German municipalities. The focus is not only on collecting existing data, but also on analysing the contextual conditions that influence the success of local eParticipation. The aim of the project is to continuously incorporate scientific findings into the future design of participation practice.
Network partners
Dresden University of Technology (network coordinator)
Prof. Dr Marianne Kneuer from TU Dresden, long-time researcher and coordinator, focuses on e-democracy, e-government and e-participation, has established the research focus "Internet and Politics" at the University of Hildesheim, advises municipalities on digital participation offerings and heads projects on municipal and digital participation and conflict resolution at TU Dresden, including the Competence Centre Crisis-Dialogue-Future, SCADS.AI and DIDIS.
University of Düsseldorf
The Düsseldorf Institute for Internet and Democracy (DIID) at Heinrich Heine University, represented by Prof. Dr Stefan Marschall, Dr Katharina Gerl and Jonathan Seim, has extensive experience since 2016 in the systematic survey and analysis of the impact and influencing factors of e-participation processes in municipalities, including the presentation of results using an interactive participation map, such as the DIID Monitor Online Participation NRW.
University of Leipzig
The Center for Digital Participation at Leipzig University, under the direction of Prof. Dr Christian Pieter Hoffmann and Prof. Dr Christian Pentzold, combines extensive expertise in interdisciplinary research on e-participation, with a focus on strategic political communication and digital participation processes, and has already carried out a wide range of research projects on e-government and e-participation, including in the field of municipal participation and rural regional development.
University of Koblenz
The E-Government research group at the University of Koblenz, headed by Prof. Dr Maria A. Wimmer, researches holistic system design in the public sector, with a focus on user integration and exploration of innovative technologies for e-government and e-participation.
Contact person
Prof. Dr. Marianne Kneuer
Spokeswoman of the research network
- E-Mail: Marianne.Kneuer@tu-dresden.de
- Telephone: +49 351 463-32888
- Address: von-Gerber-Bau, GER/245Bergstraße 53, 01069 Dresden
If you have any questions about our project, please do not hesitate to contact us. Please use the contact form at the bottom of this page or send an e-mail to Bastian.Stock@tu-dresden.de. We look forward to your enquiries and interest in our research on digital participation.
English 
German