One Page Summary

The idea was born to solve a real problem: the lack of specific information about local places and services. We are part of AISM association - Italian Multiple Sclerosis Association of Syracuse -. Some members and friends of the association have motor difficulties. When we organize "group outings" we always decide to go to the same places, due to the lack of information regarding the accessibility in buildings. This problem helped us to realize that families with babies and children in strollers, tourists with special needs, the elderly and people with temporarily injuries share the same needs.
“Giudabile” platform has been created to solve this problem. It allows people, through an app and a website, to quickly report and find accessible places in the surroundings, simplifying not only the life of those who need to plan a trip but also of those who need to do it in everyday life.
“Guidabile” is a collaborative, web and mobile platform whose aim is to improve people’s quality of life by providing information and solutions for urban accessibility.
The users are citizens with special needs, that everyday give up leaving home and are often excluded from social life (work, events, culture, education, leisure). The actors we involve are active citizens, associations, volunteers, students, business premises, companies and administrations. We also turn to the technicians who, with their skills, can help to provide certified information of places, such as architects, civil defence, public safety agencies, police.
In practical terms “Guidabile” is:
1. A data collection app based on user / community-generated content.
2. A map that can be used by everyone through an app, web portal and paper map for viewing obtained information.
3. A game to sensitize and engage, through a tournament and real inclusive events - map day / “Mappa e Vinci” (Map and Win)-
How it works. Users evaluate through forms, parameters / indicators and a simple star system. Used forms report: accessible places and parking areas, cardiac protected area, meeting place in case of emergency.
The implementations to develop in the app are:
- add the form to review family-friendly places. Through this implementation we can broaden our target audience and acquire even more specific information about the existence of inclusive parks for families, changing tables, breastfeeding areas, etc.
- add the approved site feature addressed to the platform admins. Admins are our team's technicians along with municipal employees, associations who will be responsible for certifying information. Thanks to this implementation we solve the problem of incorrect user reports. The platform will notify admin users which sites to check.
- create a new app (Guidabile Virtuo City) useful to view the data obtained and already verified. Our solution will simplify access to data for interested users by providing them with quality information.
In the web portal:
- update with more filters and places divided by category.
- create a network of associations, social cooperatives and useful services in the city.
Practical tools:
- Design and printing of maps and accessible itineraries to be distributed in the Municipality info points.
The idea of a map of cities accessibility is not new in Italy. “Guidabile” differs in:
- inclusive aspect. We are able to reach both "disadvantaged people" and active citizens with digital. With events we can create moments of aggregation, with paper maps we reach even those who, for various reasons do not use apps and web.
- Positive and emotional aspect. We map accessibility through storytelling and gamification to engage the community.
- Technological and experiential aspect. Use of a geolocated app with data generated by users in real time.
- Technical aspect. The data obtained will be certified by the team and by the admin users.
- The tool is versatile based on the type of information that you want to get. It can be used by everyone, specifically by the technicians.
- Innovative teaching aspect in schools.
The proposed solution has already been tested on the territory.
We have developed “Mappa e Vinci” in Siracusa, an event to map through a game. At the end of the competition the most active users and the most voted places were awarded. About 500 reviews, 100 users involved, 30 associations are engaged.
A “Mappa e Vinci” tournament with 3 schools in Siracusa is currently underway. “Guidabile” is used as an educational tool for classroom training and outdoor experiential workshops.
Our aim is to deploy our model in other contexts, being adaptable and replicable to all Italian and non-Italian cities.