KARLSRUHE PILOT – START OF TESTING PARTICIPATORY METHODS AT FAHRRADFESTIVAL 

The URBAN INNO Karlsruhe Pilot deals with the topic ‘eBikes & Energy’ and is embedded in the celebrations for the 200th birthday of the invention of the bicycle in the Karlsruhe region. In this context, the Karlsruhe Pilot Team takes part in the event ‘FahrradFestival’ (Bicycle Festival) in Karlsruhe, which is the largest event of the bicycle birthday celebrations. At this event, numerous stands invite interested visitors to inform themselves and participate in various actions related to the topic bicycles. In addition to the ‘German Championship of Bicycle Couriers’, a BMX contest as well as a Bike Polo tournament takes place.

The Karlsruhe Pilot Team (managed by the URBAN INNO partner CyberForum) starts at this event with testing the participatory method ‘Public Participation Geo Information System (PPGIS)’ at a booth on Sunday, 28th May 2017. This participatory method comprises the ‘customization’ of an existing GIS software in order to use the functionalities for citizens participation related to energy issues of eBikes (e.g. infrastructure of charging stations) and to provide it to citizens for testing purposes. Visitors of the event can test a first prototype of this system at the booth, give a first feedback and can also decide to participate in the second participatory method (‘Zukunftswerkstatt’ – Future Workshop) to be tested within the Karlsruhe Pilot. After improvement of the PPGIS based on this first feedback received at the event, the system can be tested online for a duration of two months by interested citizens.