Tag: Civic Tech
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Civic Engagement: designing a new image for eThekwini Municipality.
Background The eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, previously known as the Durban Metropolitan Council, has been using a logo that features a dark blue field with a light blue and white representation of the dome of the Durban City Hall. The City Hall, built in 1910, serves as the seat of municipal government and is a near…
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Artificial Intelligence: implementing ChatGPT services for local government
Introduction The eThekwini Municipality, in its quest to harness the power of artificial intelligence to enhance its Economic Research, Strategy & Innovation Department, contracted Pista Ventures to integrate ChatGPT services. This collaboration aimed to leverage ChatGPT’s capabilities to improve efficiency, innovation, and decision-making processes within the municipality’s operations. Understanding Artificial Intelligence in Government The integration…
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Civic Engagement: solving for misinformation during a pandemic
Introduction Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the world saw an unprecedented surge in misinformation and disinformation, complicating public health efforts. Pista Ventures, in response to this crisis, developed COTU, a WhatsApp-based communication tool designed to provide accurate, validated information about COVID-19 to residents of the eThekwini Municipality. By leveraging geo-targeted messaging, COTU aimed to inform the…
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Social Innovation: corrective eyewear from plastic waste
Introduction Pista Ventures, in response to a call for proposals by the Goethe Institute, initiated the Open Oceans project with the aim of addressing two critical issues: the environmental crisis of plastic pollution and the social challenge of vision impairment in children. The project proposed the innovative solution of creating spectacles for children using recycled…
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UX Research: Living Wage for Barista Wage Calculator
Introduction Pista Ventures undertook a pioneering UX Research project to garner more insights for the Barista Wage Calculator, aiming to address the nuanced and often contentious issue of fair compensation within the coffee industry. This tool, developed by Open Cities Lab and Black Box, was envisioned to help reconcile the diverse needs and perspectives of…
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Polycrisis: civic technology in a time of crisis
The COVID-19 pandemic, civil unrest and recent flooding in KwaZulu-Natal has illustrated the need for data-driven insights to help various stakeholders find the necessary information to assist or be assisted in times of need. Across KwaZulu-Natal, important information is inaccessible to the public, or is difficult to locate, retrieve and analyse during a disaster. In…
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Digital Skills: developing a programme for UNDP
Introduction Pista Ventures, contracted by The Maker Space on a groundbreaking skills development project funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The initiative aimed to harness the power of digital technology to empower youth in townships and rural areas, equipping them with the skills needed for the modern workforce. Challenges The primary challenge was…
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Graphic Heritage: memorialising Mandela
Pista Ventures is embarking on an exciting collaboration with the School of Design and Creative Arts at Loughborough University, Vega School of Design, , Totem Design and Nelson Mandela Foundation. This collaboration is dedicated to exploring the rich domain of graphic heritage, aiming to uncover and innovate upon the ways in which graphic design has…