1 Enhancing citizenship: the role of in-between infrastructures Andrea Botero Aalto University, School of Art and Design Media Lab Helsinki PO Box 31000, FI-00076 Aalto andrea.botero@aalto.fi Joanna Saad-Sulonen Aalto University, School of Art and Design Media Lab Helsinki PO Box 31000, FI-00076 Aalto joanna.saad-sulonen@aalto.fi ABSTRACT In this paper, we draw on material from a participatory design project that focused on the practices, infrastructures, and technologies used for creating and sharing information about the urban environment. The research strategy that we followed includes the collaborative design of a prototype environment and service called Urban Mediator (UM), as well as its subsequent deployment and appropriation in use through several cases. We examine some of the challenges and opportunities that exist in designing in-between infrastructures that can both address a more fluid and active notion of citizenship and understand it as practiced, rather than as a given role. Our research demonstrates that in-between infrastructures can have a role in encouraging a variety of stakeholders, including city officials and citizens, to experiment with and understand some of the complex aspects of participation. Following this argument, we also suggest some ways in which Participatory Design contributes to supporting continuous and iterative design-in-use. Author Keywords Citizen participation, citizenship, design-in-use, innovation, e-governance, in-between infrastructures ACM Classification Keywords H5.m. Information interfaces and presentation (e.g., HCI): Miscellaneous. INTRODUCTION In recent years, governments worldwide have been very interested in electronic government initiatives (e- government), with many related projects and design activities addressing the potential uses of new technologies for enhancing democratic practices. There is, however, a growing recognition that an overreliance on technology, an insufficient collaboration of all stakeholders, and a lack of emphasis on building human capacity tend to limit the potential positive impacts of these initiatives (Rosel and Finger 2007). As a result, the focus of some developments has shifted from developing technology-enabled improvements in e-government operations to developing broader interactions between government, non-government, and civil society stakeholders (e-governance) (Leadbeater, 2004; Rosel and Finger, 2007), with a focus on what is needed to better support the dynamics of collective action and collaboration. Nevertheless, it is debatable what exactly e-governance entails, particularly from the perspective of broadening citizen participation. This is especially true in times when Internet developments, such as so-called Web 2.0 platforms, social networking services, and a myriad of other new media tools and information systems, have also been embraced by civic initiatives and third-sector projects (see Crabtree, 2007; Punie et al., 2007; Novek, 2008). Although these initiatives are promising, many challenges remain regarding how (1) these developments can more effectively influence decision-making processes, (2) public administrations can respond to these changes in constructive ways with their current practices, and (3) opportunities for collaboration can be created. Participatory Design experiences and practices have much to offer in terms of addressing alternative approaches to e-governance (see Dittrich et al., 2003; Ekelin, 2007; Sefyrin, 2009). A purpose of this study is to build on these experiences and complement them. Practices as Locus of Innovation: Steps Toward More Active Notions of Citizenship Situated and participatory perspectives on design have proposed that there are important design challenges beyond those associated with artefacts. In this view, design should be approached “…not as the creation of discrete, intrinsically meaningful objects, but the cultural production of new forms of practice” (Suchman et al., 1999, p. 404). In so far as design engages with shared forms of practice and, consequently, understanding, it “deals with the contradiction between tradition and transcendence” in people’s practices (Ehn, 1998, p. 161). In contrast to these views, most of the current e- government design plans offer a simplified view of the complex dynamics at stake. There seems to be an inherent assumption that, by providing a sufficiently overarching city system (e.g., a new issue reporting and tracking infrastructure) or a new user-friendly entry point (e.g., one-stop government services shop), an increase in participation will automatically follow or “participation” will simply be fulfilled (Ekelin, 2007). At the same time, most of the projects and literature related to citizen participation refer loosely to “citizenship” as the act of a person taking part in public affairs. These projects mostly leave open for interpretation what is really at stake and how citizenship can be understood anew in contemporary This is an author version of the paper published in the PDC '10 Proceedings of the 11th Participatory Design Conference. Volume I Pages 81-90 Original version and copies available at the ACM Digital Library (http://portal.acm.org/dl.cfm ) doi>10.1145/1900441.1900453