A comprehensive citizen engagement framework for effective resolution of public complaints in cities

Abstract

Across the world, many nations have successfully implemented complaint management solutions for diverse complaint types, so as to promote open government initiatives and other policies. The issues reported include potholes, broken sidewalks, flooding, garbage, etc. In Sri Lanka, there are many issues with the current public complaint management process which have led to citizens being dissatisfied. Based on this background, the project aims to analyse why citizens in key cities in Sri Lanka are dissatisfied with the process; and design, develop and evaluate an IT solution to reduce this dissatisfaction, while creating a conceptual framework for effectively incorporating the solution into the complaint management process. In creating an effective conceptual framework and IT solution for complaint management, attitudinal factors, social factors, technological factors and knowledge and communication factors affecting citizen participation in complaint management initiatives were analysed based on existing literature. These factors were validated via interviews with government officials and questionnaire distribution amongst citizens. Building on this, the conceptual framework was formulated, incorporating a complaint management IT solution for citizens.