Dossier d'information Geneva, digital city

As a public body, the City of Geneva must evolve if it is to continue playing a key role in terms of social ties and public services. The possibility of enjoying easy access to online public services should become the rule, while nevertheless ensuring that the digital divide does not grow any wider.

Image

Communication adapted to the habits and demands of modern-day citizens

Direct dialogue on the social networks, a centralised website, content offering mobile and desktop access, including for people who do not necessarily speak French: the City of Geneva’s digital communication policy aims to facilitate access to information and to public services.

Image

InterroGE: the human answer!

The InterroGE platform enables the public to ask questions online and receive an answer within three days based on sources primarily drawn from the network of municipal libraries, Geneva library and all the city’s scientific libraries. In the era of fake news and algorithms, the answer is more than ever human!

Image

Sport goes digital too!

Social media, big data and virtual reality are transforming sporting activities, the fan experience and sports management.

In Geneva, from online enrolment in sports classes through e-sport to timekeeping applications, sport has gone digital! 

Image

(re)Discover your local heritage!

Heritage and the digital world go hand in hand when it comes to offering the public easy access! Digitising the collections and archives of the City’s institutions allows the public to consult them from the comfort of their own home. On site in the museums, numerous tools have also been developed to accompany and enhance the visitor experience.

Image

Smart public lighting

The City of Geneva, UNIGE and Infomir have joined forces to better understand the challenges of so-called smart lighting in public areas. To this end, a sociological study has been conducted based on two sites equipped with LED lamps offering smart lighting management possibilities. Several scenarios tested by means of a participatory process involving local residents have been implemented.

Image

Back-to-school allowance: a card to monitor spending

Since 2018, the back-to-school allowance has been distributed in the form of an electronic purchase card valid in a network of 20 partner outlets. To make it easy to monitor spending, the City of Geneva has provided families with an easy-to-use web form enabling them to consult the balance of the card online.

And much more besides

A number of other online services have been developed by the City of Geneva to make inhabitants’ lives easier and facilitate access to numerous resources:

• Online procedures: a number of online services are available to the public; numerous administrative procedures can be carried out from the comfort of your own home, from requesting civil status documents through enrolling children for nursery and requesting the removal of bulky objects to ticketing services.
• Mobile apps: with the development of websites incorporating responsive design and free mobile apps, the City is making its information accessible by mobile phone. It is therefore adapting to the habits of digital consumption, making use of new functions and providing handy tools in many fields. 
• Culture accessible Genève: created by the association Cédille in partnership with the City of Geneva, this website is dedicated to promoting measures ensuring access to culture for handicapped people.
• Online library offer: the municipal libraries not only provide you with the opportunity to borrow some 5,000 digital books, but also operate several online services including training courses, access to a streaming service dedicated to independent labels and the free download of newspapers and magazines.
• Online archives: The funds and collections of the city’s libraries and heritage institutions will be available to the public online, thanks to the digitisation of archive manuscripts and documents. This joint project of Geneva Library (Department of Manuscripts and Private Archives), the City Archives and the Museum of Natural History should see the light in 2020.

The City of Geneva also wants to implement several tools making the everyday life of the local inhabitants that little bit easier:

• Real-time information about the use of swimming lanes: while swimming clubs regularly occupy parts of the pools in accordance with an ever-changing schedule, the City wants to provide real-time information concerning the public availability of swimming lanes in the pools in Les Vernets and Varembé.
• Multilingual ChatBot: the possibility of using this type of software to provide local social information in several languages is currently being studied.
• Neighbourhood networks for the inhabitants of Servette Petit-Saconnex: this collaborative platform would enable the inhabitants of the same district to meet, chat and create links in order to enjoy neighbourhood life to the full. Currently under development following a feasibility study, it aims to meets the needs expressed by the inhabitants during district social forums.
• App for senior citizens: Still in response to the need for simple and accessible local social information expressed during the district social forums, the City of Geneva is attempting to develop a digital version of the Senior Citizens’ Guide, a thematic directory designed to provide older members of society and their entourage with useful addresses in different areas of everyday life. This would supplement the web section entitled Living in Geneva as a senior citizen.