During an event organized by International House Oulu, Ari Saine and Golriz Ghonouei from BusinessOulu presented the CitizenCity project and introduced the Oulu pilot. The session showcased how citizen engagement can actively shape digital services in the city.
The Oulu pilot, implemented in the HartaanseIkä Housing Fair area, brings local data to life through a digital twin and the #OuluBot, enabling residents to actively interact with and co-create city services. Rather than being passive users, citizens play a central role, contributing insights that help the project design digital services that truly support everyday life.
Throughout the event, participants explored how city data—already collected from various sources—can be transformed into more practical and accessible services. Through surveys and interactive discussions, attendees shared their perspectives on the types of services they would like to see developed and how data could be leveraged for the benefit of the community.
Building on these interactions, the CitizenCity project will continue to involve citizens as key partners in shaping the city’s digital services. Insights gathered from the Oulu pilot will inform future research and development activities, strengthening the role of user-driven innovation in smart city initiatives.
CitizenCity works with public authorities, partners and innovators to turn data into practical urban solutions. Get in touch to discuss use cases, collaboration opportunities and what implementation could look like in your context.
