Promoting digital equality in co-production: The role of platform design
通过一项在瑞士苏黎世开展的预注册调查实验，研究性别和平台设计如何影响公民参与数字合作生产的意愿，发现用户界面的微小设计修改能提高女性使用平台的意愿，并提出最佳性别中立方案。
Governments are increasingly using digital platforms to integrate citizens in public service delivery. However, research indicates that digital co-production initiatives are not reaching all groups of society equally. We investigate the role of gender and platform design on the intention to participate in co-production by conducting a pre-registered survey experiment with a sample of individuals in Zurich (Switzerland). By drawing on social identity theory, research on gender-inclusive language, and the design of web interfaces, we developed and tested five different designs of a digital platform run by the city of Zurich, which differ in visual and verbal elements. We show how small design modifications on the user interface are increasing women's intentions to use the platform and propose the best gender-neutral option. Our results expand and update the empirical evidence on digital inequalities in citizen co-production and provide insights for public service producers who strive to increase the participation of specific social groups and develop more inclusive platform designs.