Civic Tech can be described as projects using technology “for the public good“. Civic Tech may be related to, but different from Gov Tech.
For the May 2024 Systems Thinking Onrtario, we had two knowledgeable guests in conversation. Dorothy Eng, executive director of Code for Canada since 2021, related her professional journey from engineering to consulting, and Civic Tech Toronto (with a long history of hacknights and speakers). Curtis McCord was also involved in Civic Tech Toronto, and completed a Ph.D. dissertation on “Civic Participation and Democratic Experience: Civic Tech in Toronto” in the Faculty of Informqtion Studies at the University of Toronto in 2022. The session was moderated by Zaid Khan, with some familiar regular attendees contributiong viewpoints.
This recording of the conversation is available on Youtube, with an alternate retention on the Internet Archive .
| Video | H.264 MP4 |
| May 13 (1h36m) |
[20240513_ST-ON_CivicTech DorothyEng_CurtisMcCord.m4v (1698×826 906kbps 755MB) [on the Internet Archive] |
For those who prefer just to listne, a standalone audio was also created during the meeting.
| Audio | |
| May 13 (1h36m) |
[20240513_ST-ON_CivicTech DorothyEng_CurtisMcCord.m4a] (128kbps, 89 MB) [on the Internet Archive] |
A short description of the session follows below, with pre-readings linked on the original abstract.
— begin excerpt —
Civic tech is an approach to bettering public services through technology. It has and continues to be expressed in many forms: a movement, mindset, frameworks, service. Both governments and everyday citizens draw on it for various public-oriented purposes.
In this session we’ll discuss what systems thinkers can learn from civic tech. Dorothy Eng and Curtis McCord, will be co-discussants on the topic, who both interact with the space in distinct ways. Through dialogue, we’ll aim to understand the contours of civic tech as it weaves through multiple systems. Both the challenges that emerge from civic tech, and the opportunities that it opens up, might offer lessons to systems thinkers.
— end excerpt —
I myself was unable to attention this session in person, due to being on another contintent! I was gload to be able to review the recroding!