DorfFunk, DorfNews and LösBar As part of the research project "Digital Villages Rhineland-Palatinate", various digital solutions were developed to improve and support communication in rural communities. The project was funded by the Ministry of the Interior and Sport Rhineland-Palatinate, the Rhineland-Palatinate Development Agency, and the technical research and development partner Fraunhofer IESE Kaiserslautern. Together with the three model municipalities – the Verbandsgemeinde Eisenberg, Göllheim, and Betzdorf-Gebharshain – and with the participation of the citizens, needs-based solutions were developed that are still in use today: the DorfFunk communication app, the DorfNews information platform, and the LösBar tool for processing administrative inquiries and optimizing administrative processes. These three solutions digitally supported and noticeably improved communication from the administration to the citizens, as well as between citizens and back to the administration.

Changed communication behavior and information gaps

In the past, people would sit in the village green and exchange news, read the official gazette or the analogue daily newspaper. Given the increasing digitization and the decline of established communication media, new communication channels must be created so that citizens can communicate quickly and effectively with each other, as well as between the administration and the public. To close this communication gap, three communication solutions have been developed:

DorfFunk : An app modeled after the village in my pocket. Citizens can ask each other questions, search for or offer items, or contact the administration with questions, requests, or suggestions.

DorfNews : An information platform where both the administration and clubs can provide information and event dates digitally for everyone.

LösBar : An application to process the questions, requests and suggestions that are sent to the administration via DorfFunk and to optimize processes within the administration.

Citizen dialogue as the key to success

To tailor the services to the needs of the people, citizen workshops were conducted in the three model municipalities at various phases of the project. At the same time, the needs and behavior patterns of administrative staff were surveyed and taken into account in the development process.

During the implementation phase of the solutions, training sessions and a mobile information vehicle were on the agenda in local communities to explain the digital tools in an analog way and introduce them to the public. A high level of communication, information, explanations, and awareness-raising are necessary to establish the solutions in practice.

High acceptance and usage intensity

DorfFunk and DorfNews quickly gained acceptance in practice. Participation by clubs and administrative staff is high. However, they require a dedicated contact person who is responsible for approval processes and available for questions and problems. User numbers in the Eisenberg municipality are extremely high, and the platform has proven particularly useful for short-notice reports such as burst water pipes, power outages, or road closures. Overall, transparency and the provision of information from the administration have increased, and local clubs have been strengthened through a community platform.