City Of Austin, Austin Tech Alliance Launch Paper Census

The City of Austin and the Austin Tech Alliance are collaborating to ask Austin residents to provide their thoughts on how paper-driven city services can be made easier to use…

The City of Austin and the Austin Tech Alliance are collaborating to ask Austin residents to provide their thoughts on how paper-driven city services can be made easier to use.

Together ATA and the City have launched the public insights campaign for the Paper Census, to identify paper-based city processes and prototype digital solutions. The campaign will ask a simple question: “What City of Austin services (forms, activities, and actions) does the City need to make easier to use, and why?”

Using a proprietary technology that integrates artificial intelligence with resident feedback, Paper Census will create strategic insights based on the crowdsourced answers. Austinites can share feedback at PaperCensus.org from February 26 through March 23.

“This is the first step in helping Austin break up with paper,” said David Edmonson, ATA executive director. “Over the next four weeks, we want to hear from all corners of our community about city services that residents find cumbersome, time-consuming, or inefficient. Visit PaperCensus.org and click ‘answer now’ to let us know your thoughts.”

There will be multiple ways to provide input. This project will have representatives gather in-person feedback at community events across Austin, placing an emphasis on reaching out to historically underserved populations. Additionally, residents can text their feedback to (806) 680-6802.

About the Paper Census
Through the Paper Census, ATA and volunteers from Austin’s tech sector will take inventory of paper processes; solicit community feedback on how we can improve access to city services, then prototype solutions to bring those services into the digital age.

This means more than going paperless. The Paper Census will identify and prioritize services that reap the most benefits from a paperless transformation. Digitizing paper-driven processes and day-to-day operations will improve access to services, slash costs, and create endless opportunities for data-informed decision-making.