An integral digital agenda combining a GIS GIS Geographic information system: system designed to gather, store, process, analyse, manage and display all types of spatial and geographic data for the administrative services and citizen dialogue platforms.
The city of Cartago implemented a digital strategy combining a GIS GIS Geographic information system: system designed to gather, store, process, analyse, manage and display all types of spatial and geographic data and an online municipal services interface. This municipal “integral digital agenda” combines two dimensions:
- the production and centralisation of data in a GIS GIS Geographic information system: system designed to gather, store, process, analyse, manage and display all types of spatial and geographic data for the municipal services: update of land registry maps, ownership databases, commercial licences, building permit, land rights, etc. (http://municartago.maps.arcgis.com/home/index.html);
- the creation of platforms and interfaces for dialogue with citizens: mobile applications, web interfaces, software available online (www.mimuniencasa.com/municipalidadcartago/login.aspx).
One of the first activities was the automation of the parking fine collection process in 2014. A mobile application and management software were combined to centralise tickets on the site. A team dedicated to continuous system updating was created in the municipality’s ICT department. The GIS was gradually completed with additional functionality for paying utility bills, real estate services, commercial leases, patents, etc.
The benefits are just as evident for users as for the municipality: time and money saved thanks to the online procedures and transactions; increased transparency via online account monitoring and the issuing of digital receipts; better detection of fraud and data manipulation in property declarations; better knowledge of tax payers and monitoring of bad payers.
The return on investment was swift. The whole GIS programme helped increase the municipal budget by 315% between 2006 and 2015.
Lessons learnt
- The introduction of a multi-task GIS integrating the administrative data of several departments can be used to generate revenue for the municipality.
- The municipality of Cartago set up a team dedicated to the digital transition to monitor the implementation of the local digital agenda.
CITIIIS: City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain
iTicket: automated transport ticket management 
An open data policy 
A working group for opening public data 
Urban Lab of “Paris and Co”: how a city guides and stimulates innovation on its own territory 
The information system of Cape Town: support to public decision-making 
Hackathon Hack Jozi Challenge 
The national strategy of digital modernisation as a framework for the local authorities
WeCyclers: selective precollection of waste 
Accra Mobile: innovative mapping of artisanal transportation
YTax for the collection of municipal taxes 
Decentralized cooperation and participatory planning 
“E-Fes”: dematerialisation of the civil registry 
E-Citie for tax collection and payment
Digital contributions to a participatory budget 
Community Internet access points implemented by the local authorities
Collaborative design of a municipal digital strategy 
Dematerialisation of municipal procedures 
TechTown, a European network on the issue of job creation
Digitalization of the local authorities of intermediate cities 
