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use_cases_for_digital_town_squares [2025/10/26 18:19] – sarahuse_cases_for_digital_town_squares [2025/10/26 20:56] (current) – [Use cases: In an emergency] sarah
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 +====== Use Cases ======
 +
 +
 +The following use cases ("user stories") have been drafted (by Sarah, Oct 2025) to help us compare alternative platforms and understand how well they might need Merri-bek's needs for digital spaces. 
 +
 +**Suggestion**: select a couple of use cases, one simple and one more complex, and work through them while you try out a candidate platform. Make notes about how the use case is met, any limitations and challenges, any other notes. You can use the 3 questions to organise your notes, but you can also think more broadly. 
 +
 +Consider also: **What additional use cases should we consider for emergencies, and for business-as-usual?** 
 +
 ===== Use cases: In an emergency ===== ===== Use cases: In an emergency =====
  
-**Community emergency announcements.** %%//%%As a SES representative, I want to post announcements highly visible to all users (e.g. a “pinned” / sticky post) so that everyone sees important safety information -e.g. “don’t drink the water”%%//%%+How might our digital spaces be used in the case of state-wide rolling blackouts, extreme floods that impact mainstream utilities and services, or other disaster scenarios? 
  
-  * How this can be achieved - Ease of use for average FB user: - Limitations and things to consider:+**Community emergency announcements.** 
  
-**Coordinating volunteers** %%//%%As a coordinator of a community organisation, I want to be able to post jobs that I need volunteers to do, see their responses re. availability and assign jobs, so that I can coordinate volunteers for existing services (e.g. our food bank) and emergency response (e.g. distributing food and material aid)%%//%% - How this can be achieved? - Ease of use for average FB user: - Limitations and things to consider:+// As a SES representative, I want to post announcements highly visible to all users (e.g. a “pinned” / sticky post) so that everyone sees important safety information - e.g. “don’t drink the water//”
  
-**Requesting and offering assistance** %%//%%As a citizen, I want to be able to request or offer loans and donations of essential items, and help with e.g. repairs or transport in my local neighbourhood, (e.g. my street or <0.3km radius), so that I can be useful and get help that I need.%%//%% - How this can be achieved: - Ease of use for average FB user: - Limitations and things to consider: ## Use cases: Business as Usual+  * How this can be achieved:  
 +  * Ease of use for average FB user:  
 +  * Limitations and things to consider: 
 + 
 +**Coordinating volunteers**  
 + 
 +//As a coordinator of a community organisation, I want to be able to post jobs that I need volunteers to do, see their responses re. availability and assign jobs, so that I can coordinate volunteers for existing services (e.g. our food bank) and emergency response (e.g. distributing food and material aid)// 
 + 
 +  * How this can be achieved:  
 +  * Ease of use for average FB user:  
 +  * Limitations and things to consider: 
 + 
 +**Requesting and offering assistance**  
 + 
 +//As a citizen, I want to be able to request or offer loans and donations of essential items, and help with e.g. repairs or transport in my local neighbourhood, (e.g. my street or <0.3km radius), so that I can be useful and get help that I need.// 
 + 
 +  * How this can be achieved: 
 +  * Ease of use for average FB user:  
 +  * Limitations and things to consider: 
 + 
 +=====  Business as Usual =====
  
 Being used regularly as part of everyday community activities will mean that the platform is familiar and useful to many in an emergency / blackout scenario. Being used regularly as part of everyday community activities will mean that the platform is familiar and useful to many in an emergency / blackout scenario.
  
-**Advertising community group activities** %%//%%As leaders of a local community organisation, we want to be able to advertise our events, fundraisers and projects to the local community, to expand awareness and broaden participation beyond existing supporters%%//%% - How this can be achieved: - Ease of use for average FB user: - Limitations and things to consider: %%//%%Consider how leaders can share and handover responsibilities; risks of having only one person who can post / respond on behalf of the organisation%%//%%+**Advertising community group activities**  
 + 
 +//As leaders of a local community organisation, we want to be able to advertise our events, fundraisers and projects to the local community, to expand awareness and broaden participation beyond existing supporters.//  
 + 
 +  * How this can be achieved: 
 +  * Ease of use for average FB user:  
 +  * Limitations and things to consider: 
 + 
 + 
 +**Offering and requesting items per e.g. Freecycle / Hard Rubbish Groups**  
 + 
 +// As a citizen, I want to be able to offer and request unwanted household items, (including e.g. food and clothes) so that useful items don’t go to waste and I can get things I need.// 
 + 
 +  * How this can be achieved: 
 +  * Ease of use for average FB user:  
 +  * Limitations and things to consider: 
 + 
 +**Sharing information with my neighbours and wider networks**  
 + 
 +//As a citizen, I want to share important and interesting information with my neighbours, friends and community network, to contribute to success of activities and causes I support // 
 + 
 +  * How this can be achieved: 
 +  * Ease of use for average FB user:  
 +  * Limitations and things to consider: 
 + 
 + 
 +**Moderating and dealing with bad behaviour**  
 + 
 +//As a citizen, I want online misinformation, trolling, scams and other bad actors to be minimised and removed, so that digital spaces are safe and trusted, and contribute to thriving communities// 
 + 
 +  * How this can be achieved: //Consider the who as well as the how - perhaps different roles for different types of users, moderators, admins?// 
 +  * Ease of use for average FB user:  
 +  * Limitations and things to consider: 
 + 
 +**Facilitating and supporting volunteer engagement**. 
 + 
 +//As leaders of a local community organisation, we want to enable discussion and information sharing between our members / volunteers (without other members of the public), to support engagement and social involvement.// 
 + 
 +  * How this can be achieved: //Can closed groups be created?//  
 +  * Ease of use for average FB user:  
 +  * Limitations and things to consider: //Consider how leaders can help non-tech savvy volunteers who might struggle with e.g. creating user accounts; typing passwords, remembering or resetting passwords; mobile-only users.//  
 + 
 +**Information for volunteers **  
 + 
 +//As leaders of a local community organisation, we want to provide highly visible information-only posts to our volunteers, to share important information where discussion is not needed.// 
 +  
 +  * How this can be achieved: 
 +  * Ease of use for average FB user:  
 +  * Limitations and things to consider: 
 + 
 +**Moderating closed group conversations**  
 + 
 +//As leaders of a local community organsiation, we want to moderate online conversations between our members / volunteers, to avoid inaccurate information and minimise tensions.// 
 + 
 +  * How this can be achieved: 
 +  * Ease of use for average FB user:  
 +  * Limitations and things to consider: 
 + 
 +**Moderating closed group conversations**  
 + 
 +//As leaders of a local community organsiation, we want to be able to remove or permanently ban members who repeatedly misbehave, to ensure that our online group is safe for our members.//
  
-**Offering and requesting items per e.g. Freecycle / Hard Rubbish Groups** %%//%%As a citizen, I want to be able to offer and request unwanted household items, (including e.g. food and clothes) so that useful items don’t go to waste and I can get things I need.%%//%% - How this can be achieved: - Ease of use for average FB user: - Limitations and things to consider:+  * How this can be achieved: 
 +  * Ease of use for average FB user:  
 +  * Limitations and things to consider:
  
-**Sharing information with my neighbours and wider networks** %%//%%As a citizen, I want to share important and interesting information with my neighbours, friends and community network, to contribute to success of activities and causes I support%%//%% - How this can be achieved: - Ease of use for average FB user: - Limitations and things to consider:+**Requesting advice and recommendations per e.g. Good Karma Groups** 
  
-**Moderating and dealing with bad behaviour** %%//%%As a citizen, I want online misinformation, trolling, scams and other bad actors to be minimised and removed, so that digital spaces are safe and trusted, and contribute to thriving communities%%//%% - How this can be achieved: - Ease of use for average FB user: - Limitations and things to consider: *Consider the who as well as the how.+//As a citizen, I want to be able to request advice and recommendations regarding local businesses so that I can get the goods and services that meet my needs and preferences.//
  
-**Facilitating and supporting volunteer engagement** %%//%%As leaders of a local community organisation, we want to enable discussion and information sharing between our members / volunteers (without other members of the public), to support engagement and social involvement.%%//%% - How this can be achieved: - Ease of use for average FB user: - Limitations and things to consider: *Consider how leaders can help non-tech savvy volunteers who might struggle with e.g. creating user accounts; typing passwords, remembering or resetting passwords; mobile-only users. Can closed groups be created?+  * How this can be achieved: 
 +  * Ease of use for average FB user:  
 +  * Limitations and things to consider:
  
-**Providing information to volunteers and supporting volunteer engagement** %%//%%As leaders of a local community organisation, we want to provide highly visible information-only posts to our volunteers, to share important information where discussion is not needed%%//%% - How this can be achieved: - Ease of use for average FB user: - Limitations and things to consider:+See also //In an emergency - Requesting and offering assistance// 
  
-**Moderating closed group conversations** %%//%%As leaders of a local community organsiation, we want to moderate online conversations between our members / volunteers, to avoid inaccurate information and minimise tensions.%%//%% - How this can be achieved: - Ease of use for average FB user: - Limitations and things to consider:+**Seeking social activities and connections** 
  
-**Moderating closed group conversations** %%//%%As leaders of a local community organsiation, we want to be able to remove or permanently ban members who repeatedly misbehave, to ensure that our online group is safe for our members%%//%%. - How this can be achieved: - Ease of use for average FB user: - Limitations and things to consider:+//As a citizen, I want to be able to find others in my local neighbourhood with similar interests, so that I can build social connections and friendships.//
  
-**Requesting advice and recommendations per e.g. Good Karma Groups** _As a citizen, I want to be able to request advice and recommendations regarding local businesses so that I can get the goods and services that meet my needs and preferences - How this can be achieved: - Ease of use for average FB user: - Limitations and things to consider: See also: %%%%**%%%%Requesting and offering assistance – see In an emergency+  * How this can be achieved: 
 +  * Ease of use for average FB user:  
 +  * Limitations and things to consider:
  
-**Seeking social activities and connections** _As a citizen, I want to be able to f 

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