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March 19, 2012
Philly’s Independents Hall: “Co-working” Inspires Creative Neighborhood Interaction

I recently met with a local Philly organization that is doing something different that has sparked quite a bit of creativity and cohesion among local neighbors and business owners. Alex Hillman, of Philadelphia’s own Independents Hall (or Indy Hall for short), sat down with me and allowed me to pick his brain about an up-and-coming business movement called Coworking. The concept is surprisingly simple, and the idea is popping up in urban areas everywhere. The best part is, business leaders all over the world are coming to Philadelphia (and more specifically, to Alex at Indy Hall) to see how it’s done right.

March 5, 2012
Using “Friction-based” Distance Calculations to Navigate Through the Urban Jungle

A walkable city is a distinct sign of a livability community. Think about the speed of traffic or the presence of businesses on the streets you love walking on. Is your neighborhood actually walkable? How would one determine and illustrate the walkability of a city or town?

A walkable city is a distinct sign of a livability community. Think about the speed of traffic or the presence of businesses on the streets you love walking on. Is your neighborhood actually walkable? How would one determine and illustrate the walkability of a city or town?

January 16, 2012
Civic Commons Marketplace Offers New Perspective on Which Engagement Software Really Works

New apps are coming out every day, but how does a local government find out about the latest technology?  How do they gain access to the newest, most innovative ways to improve the lives of their citizens? Civic Commons has recently launched the Civic Commons Marketplace. The marketplace is a database of civic software brought together to help government personnel find the online engagement tech tools to best fit their city’s needs. 

New apps are coming out every day, but how does a local government find out about the latest technology?  How do they gain access to the newest, most innovative ways to improve the lives of their citizens? Civic Commons has recently launched the Civic Commons Marketplace. The marketplace is a database of civic software brought together to help government personnel find the online engagement tech tools to best fit their city’s needs.  

November 21, 2011
Road Rules: Finding Balance For All

As cities across the country add more bike lanes and introduce mentoring programs to easing congestion on the streets, and bike-sharing programs are popping up and becoming even more trendy in big cities like Austin, Miami, Philadelphia, Denver, Des Moines, and Washington, D.C., the debate over traffic laws and general etiquette heats up. The overall support of cycling programs in our country is strong, as many Americans understand the positive impacts to air quality, traffic congestion, etc. However, there is also somewhat of an unexpected ‘bikelash’ among some aggravated citizens when it comes to traditional ‘road rules’ vs. bicyclist  courtesy and a cohesive safety standard for all commuters. Should all states operate as Oregon does, with its dedicated biker's section in the driver's manual, or Washington, with its statewide bike-route network? Should there be stricter laws enforcing bikers to stop at traffic lights just as drivers are required to?

October 5, 2011
Working Together to Inventory Philadelphia’s Trees

American cities are filled with trees. Often referred to as the urban forest, these trees line our streets, improve our air and water quality, and enhance our neighborhoods. Maintaining and caring for the trees is both a crucial and time consuming process. When municipal departments and non-profit or community groups organize management tasks, a current and complete inventory of street trees can be a valuable tool to assist with scheduling planting and tending efforts. Unfortunately, such inventories are resource intensive and can be difficult for organizations to conduct on a regular basis.

July 20, 2011
Investigating Wireless Technology and Urban Design

At EngagingCities, we are always interested in sharing industry findings that document how new technologies are continuously changing the social life of urban public spaces. So, when we stumbled upon this photo essay and research study, we just had to share it with our readers. The study focuses on the relationship between the use of wireless technologies and the tendency for people to minimize exposure to diversity.

At EngagingCities, we are always interested in sharing industry findings that document how new technologies are continuously changing the social life of urban public spaces. So, when we stumbled upon the photo essay and research study, The Social Life of Wireless Urban Spaces, we just had to share it with our readers.

February 13, 2011
Transparencity

Technically Philly, a Philadelphia-based website devoted to dissecting everything news-worthy in the local technology community, has embarked on a new venture: Transparencity. This special series is dedicated to in-depth reporting on the open data movement in Philadelphia as the city pushes to be a leader in sharing and using smart data.  Based on the idea that the future of government and citizen action will be data driven, the effort believes all citizens can be empowered through access to usable data.

November 14, 2010
Code for America - 2011 Projects Overview Webinar

On Tuesday, November 16, 2010 at 1PM PT CfA is hosting a brief webinar to learn how about how they plan to help cities become more efficient and participatory through partnerships between civic-minded technologists and local governments.

October 10, 2010
Introducing Code for America

In the same vein as Doctors Without Borders and Architecture for Humanity, emerges Code for America (CFA).  A fellowship based program for web developers and designers with a public service slant; CFA was founded to help the brightest minds of the web 2.0 generation transform city governments.  CFA aims to utilize the internet to help cities become more efficient, transparent and participatory. 

In the same vein as Doctors Without Borders and Architecture for Humanity, emerges