scieee Science in your language
[en] (orig)

The Migrant Integration Platform MICADO - A Tool for Social Integration and Cohesion

Abstract

Anchored in the domain of migrant integration, the article reflects cross-national ICT development for public services. It reports about MICADO, a digital platform bringing together business intelligence, data analytics and visualisation in support of migrant integration management in EU cities. Resulting from a Horizon2020 innovation action, the solution targets public authorities, civil society organisations, and migrants, by providing information access, data exchange, and navigation across institutions. The paper examines challenges of embedding a new platform in the administation and data environments of cities and discusses the complexities of a solution aiming to address multiple target groups in multiple application areas. The text illustrates how MICADO created solutions responsive to local specificities while securing sustainability and institutional uptake. Finally, MICADO is discussed as a potential conceptual blueprint for similar challenges in the European public sector.

Read accessible full text

The Migrant Integration Platform MICADO - A Tool for Social Integration and Cohesion

Author: Noennig, Jörg Rainer,Cserpes, Balázs,Ceola, Francesca,Barski, Jan,Brandenburger, Klara-Marie,Malchow, Marie
Publisher: CEUR-WS
Source: https://repos.hcu-hamburg.de/bitstream/hcu/855/1/paper5.pdf
The Mig an In eg a ion Pla o m MICADO – A
Tool o Social In eg a ion and Cohesion
Jö g Raine Noennig 1, Balázs Cse pes 1, F ancesca Ceola 1, Jan Ba ski 1, Kla a-Ma ie
B andenbu ge 1, Ma ie Malchow 1
1 Digi al Ci y Science, Ha enCi y Uni e si y, Henning-Vosche au Pla z 1, 20457 Hambu g, Ge many
Abs ac
Ancho ed in he domain o mig an in eg a ion, he a icle e lec s c oss-na ional ICT
de elopmen o public se ices. I epo s abou MICADO, a digi al pla o m b inging
oge he business in elligence, da a analy ics and isualisa ion in suppo o mig an
in eg a ion managemen in EU ci ies. Resul ing om a Ho izon2020 inno a ion ac ion, he
solu ion a ge s public au ho i ies, ci il socie y o ganisa ions, and mig an s, by p o iding
in o ma ion access, da a exchange, and na iga ion ac oss ins i u ions. The pape examines
challenges o embedding a new pla o m in he adminis a ion and da a en i onmen s o ci ies
and discusses he complexi ies o a solu ion aiming o add ess mul iple a ge g oups in
mul iple applica ion a eas. The ex illus a es how MICADO c ea ed solu ions esponsi e o
local speci ici ies while secu ing sus ainabili y and ins i u ional up ake. Finally, MICADO is
discussed as a po en ial concep ual bluep in o simila challenges in he Eu opean public
sec o .
Keywo ds 1
Public Se ices, Mig a ion, Go e nmen Technology
1. Backg ound and Ambi ion
This a icle e lec s on he po en iali ies and limi s o c oss-na ional inno a ion ac i i ies o ICT
se ices in he public sec o , as a ge ed by a ious EU unding p og ams. The pape discusses how
complex p ocesses o so wa e design and de elopmen can be shaped in acco dance o sensi i e
socio-cul u al demands, and in espec o cons ella ions de e mined by mul iple s akeholde s and
applica ion scena ios. Analysing he case o he Ho izon2020 Inno a ion Ac ion MICADO, he ex
in oduces a no el concep ual app oach ha can se e as a u u e bluep in o challenges o simila
na u e. The ac onym MICADO s ands o “Mig an In eg a ion Cockpi s and Dashboa ds”. The
p ojec b ough oge he pa ne s om public au ho i ies, uni e si ies and ICT companies in An we p,
Bologna, Hambu g, and Mad id in o de o de elop new se ices in suppo o mig an in eg a ion.
Coo dina ed by he Digi al Ci y Science g oup a Ha enCi y Uni e si y Hambu g, he conso ium was
designed o p o ide o an e ec i e inno a ion p ocess be ween au ho i ies, esea ch ins i u ions, ci il
socie y and mig an s in each o he pa ne ci ies. The pa ne ship comp ises i een ins i u ions om
i e coun ies, con eying expe ise om public adminis a ion, mig a ion esea ch, so wa e
de elopmen and ci y science. Running om 2019 h ough 2022, he p ojec e o s ha e culmina ed
in a no el digi al solu ion whose p o o ype has been es ed in ou pilo ci ies – each one ep esen ing
a ho spo o mig an in eg a ion in Eu ope. The solu ion aims o ease local challenges by enabling a
use -d i en exchange be ween mig an s, public au ho i ies and ci il socie y o ganisa ions, and o ill
in s ill exis ing gaps in e ms o da a a ailabili y, in o ma ion access, and a ge ed se icing. This
s udy is o pa icula impo ance in imes o ising mig a ion lows owa ds Eu ope, he inne -
Eu opean discussion abou he dis ibu ion o mig an s and he aim o ha monizing asylum p ocedu es
1IFDaD 2022 INTERNATIONAL FORUM on DIGITAL and DEMOCRACY, No embe 17-18, 2022, li e and digi al e en in Rome, I aly
EMAIL: [email p o ec ed] (J.R. Noennig); ba[email p o ec ed] (B. Cse pes); [email p o ec ed] (F. Ceola);
[email p o ec ed] (J. Ba ski); [email p o ec ed] (K.B. B andenbu ge ); ma iella.ma[email p o ec ed] (M. Malchow)
© A 2020 Copy igh o his pape by i s au ho s.
Use pe mi ed unde C ea i e Commons License A ibu ion 4.0 In e na ional (CC BY 4.0).
CEUR Wo kshop P oceedings (CEUR-WS.o g)
CEUR
Wo kshop
P oceedings
h p://ceu -ws.o g
ISSN 1613-0073
among he membe s a es. An imp o ed coope a ion bo h be ween Eu opean s a es bu also wi hin
ci ies adminis a ions and CSO can con ibu e o acili a e in eg a ion p ocesses and o c ea e be e
coping mechanisms and s a egies o accommoda e and in eg a e mig an s. The p ojec ’s e y
ambi ion was o exploi s a e-o - he-a ICT, da a science and business in elligence in suppo o
mig an in eg a ion, and o p o ide o e ec i e analysis and managemen o mig an in o ma ion by
way o ad anced isualisa ion ools, such as da a cockpi s and dashboa ds. To sol e he p oblems o
insu icien in o ma ion linkage and da a p o ision abou and o mig an s, MICADO aimed o ap he
mul iplici y o mig an - ela ed da a om all accessible sou ces in he ci ies, and o link hem h ough a
pla o m se ing all use g oups.
Complemen ing his echnical goal, and building upon esea ch in he ields o se ice design and
co-c ea ion [1], [2], he conso ium also wan ed o esol e a me hodological de ici by es ing a no el
concep ual app oach ha would b ing all ele an s akeholde s in o a goal-o ien ed inno a ion
p ocess. The wo king hypo hesis was ha well-designed co-c ea i e in e ac ion o all ele an
s akeholde s would ca alyse mig an se ices p o ision on new le els o quali y, anspa ency, and
in eg i y. The e o e, he p ojec en isioned a ca e ully calib a ed linkage o h ee a ge g oups which
we e ecognised no as isola ed bu digi ally in e connec ed en i ies:
1. Public Au ho i ies (PA): Local au ho i ies in cha ge o he adminis a i e and legal p ocesses
conce ning mig an in eg a ion;
2. Ci il Socie y O ganisa ions (CSO): Associa ions and ci izens’ ini ia i es ac i ely engaged
wi h mig an s’ in eg a ion;
3. Mig an s: Especially non-EU coun y na ionals (including 1s gene a ion non-EU mig an s),
and EU mig an s who we e no bo n in he coun y o esidence.
By in es iga ing and c oss-linking he needs and objec i es o hese a ge g oups, he MICADO
p ojec was o design a ac i e digi al se ices ha could acili a e e ec i e in eg a ion p ocesses.
Enabling communica ion and da a low be ween all s akeholde s, i was o simpli y and accele a e
adminis a i e in eg a ion pa hs, and achie e a subs an ial educ ion o socie al expendi u es o he
in eg a ion o mig an s. Acknowledging bo h he di e si y and sca e ed dis ibu ion o se ice
applica ions and a lack o coo dina ion be ween public and ci il socie y ac o s – no only ac oss
Eu ope bu also wi hin each ci y – he p ojec en isioned a digi al “one-s op-shop”. A i s common
denomina o ac oss he di e en geog aphical and cul u al con ex s was gi en by he ou
undamen al challenges in mig an in eg a ion managemen which need o be add essed in conce :
housing, heal h, educa ion, and employmen . As each o hese domains is usually add essed by a
speci ic au ho i y o adminis a ion in each ci y, c oss-ins i u ional da a in eg a ion appea ed o be a
logical app oach. Howe e , o ganisa ional and echnical cons ain s obs uc i s implemen a ion in
p ac ice. A second majo challenge is he gene a ion and usage o da a by he mig an s hemsel es –
who a e o en di icul o each. The c ea ion o de ailed knowledge by, o , and abou mig an s,
howe e , is equisi e o he p o ision o a ge ed se ices (Figu e 1).
Figu e 1: Applica ion domains and basic se ices o e ed by MICADO (Sou ce:
MICADO)
On he backd op o hese challenges, he a icle discusses and e lec s he inhe en complexi ies o a
socie y-o ien ed ICT en u e ha needs o add ess mul iple a ge g oups and applica ion a eas wi hin
highly di e se socio- echnical se ings – which he EU wi h i s egions and ci ies ce ainly ep esen s.
2. Digi al Solu ions o Mig an In eg a ion
Managemen : S a e o he A and he MICADO P oduc
As a so wa e de elopmen en u e aiming o suppo he in eg a ion o mig an communi ies in o
Eu opean ci ies, MICADO is embedded wi hin a wide landscape o digi al solu ions, many o which
ela e o agendas o ICT inno a ion and da a policies se o h by he Eu opean Commission o
ela ed en i ies [3]. The Riga Minis e ial Decla a ion issued by he con e ence “ICT o an inclusi e
socie y” (2006) en isioned he p omo ion o ICT as an e ec i e ool o social inclusion as well as o
he enhancemen o c ea i i y and ci ic pa icipa ion o mig an s and mino i ies (A icle 24, Eu opean
Commission, 2006). A g owing body o li e a u e indica es he bene i s ha de i e om he use o
ICT and digi al ools o in eg a ion and inclusion [4], [5]. These indings ound consis en and o mal
ecogni ion by he EU, namely h ough policies add essing ICT de elopmen o he esponse o
disad an aged popula ions’ needs, o ins ance in he s a egy “i2010: A Eu opean In o ma ion
Socie y o G ow h and Employmen ” [6] o he “Eu ope 2020 S a egy” [7]. The mo e ecen “Ac ion
plan on In eg a ion and Inclusion 2021–2027” [8] encou ages membe s a es o ensu e he
accessibili y and inclusi i y o digi al public se ices, whose c ea ion and design should be based
upon consul a ion also o he mig an popula ion. Common o hese amewo k documen s is he
no ion ha ICT has a p o ound impac a e e y s age o he mig a ion ajec o ies – namely p e-
mig a ion, mobili y, and se lemen . This applies o he pe spec i e o he mig an (who accesses
in o ma ion and esou ces, main ains ansna ional ela ionships, sends back emi ances), o he
pe spec i e o na ional and sup ana ional managemen en i ies (which obse e and con ol mig a ion
lows), as well as o he pe spec i e o mig an ad ocacy g oups and associa ions (which in e ene
on he g ound o acili a e ecep ion, ansi , and in eg a ion) [9], [10], [11]. Impo an ly, i is
con es ed ha he use o digi al echnologies by mig an s, CSO and PA lies a he sensi i e
in e sec ion be ween empowe men and su eillance h ough mig a ion con ol [12].
As an ICT solu ion, MICADO embedded wi hin a wide landscape o public se ices and use -
o ien ed applica ions suppo ing he EU agenda. One deli e able [13] has e iewed he landscape o
exis ing echnical solu ions o mig an in eg a ion, ocusing on he de ini ion o use equi emen s,
and ou lining guidelines o he selec ion o unc ional componen s o he de elopmen o he u u e
so wa e applica ion. Based on he expe iences om o he digi al solu ions o mig an assis ance, key
equi emen s o MICADO could be de i ed: simple use in e aces, cul u e sensi i e design,
language ba ie a oidance, in e ac i e isual and ex ual in o ma ion, use p i acy p o ec ion. The
chap e “In e ac i e ICT unc ionali ies” in he deli e able D2.1 ela es he ea u es o he MICADO
p oduc o simila unc ionali ies o exis ing apps such as Re Aid, ImMiG an app, o App4 e s [14].
The documen also indica es he he e ogeneous da a a ailabili y as well as he limi ed compa abili y
o da ase s s emming om mul iple geog aphical loca ions wi h di e en mig a ion con ex s as majo
me hodological cons ain .
Mos o he al eady exis ing applica ions ocus on he necessi ies bo h o immig an s and e ugees
(language, heal h, educa ion, housing, legal aspec s). In addi ion, some o hem include he possibili y
o c ea ing communi ies and communica ing be ween use s wi h he same cha ac e is ics in o de o
sha e expe iences and o help each o he . Many apps ocus on social in eg a ion, p o iding cul u al
e en s and language lea ning ea u es. Some apps ha e an in eg a ed map o loca e poin s o in e es .
Mos apps so a ha e been de eloped o a speci ic egion o coun y.
MICADO on he con a y aims o p o ide an umb ella amewo k ha can be easily adap ed o
di e en con ex s and loca ions om small illages o me opoli an egions. In ac , e y ew
applica ions a e de eloped by coun y au ho i ies o us ed en i ies such as wellknown NGOs . This
causes he in o ma ion o be un eliable o he immig an / e ugee. MICADO ins ead o ocusing on
one a ge g oup, like many o he o he apps, c ea es a link be ween he di e en ac o s in ol ed in
immig a ion and in eg a ion p ocesses.The logic o con en p o ision o esees a mul i-s ep app oach
du ing con en gene a ion, meaning ha un il in o ma ion appea s in he mig an applica ion, i needs
o be ansla ed and alida ed, bo h i i was added ia he in e ace o PAs o CSOs. This ensu es
accu acy and us wo hiness o all en ies wi hin he MICADO ecosys em.
Di e en local, egional, and na ional indica o s uc u es o he a ge domains (housing, labou ,
educa ion, and heal h) pose a subs an ial di icul y o ICT solu ions ha wan o c ea e a cohe en
se ing and supply meaning ul da a o mig an in eg a ion. Comp ehending hese challenges, he
MICADO p ojec managed o pu o wa d a p oduc on Technology Readiness Le el (TRL) 7 – ha
is: a ield- es ed and eady- o-use ICT p o o ype. The e y p oduc i sel is a complex solu ion
composed om h ee sepa a e se ice applica ions (one pe a ge g oup) which, howe e ,
in e connec ia he sys em backend (Figu e 2):
1. PA applica ion, h ough which adminis a ion ope a o s a e able o moni o mig a ion e en s
a he local le el and p ocess indi idual mig an s’ cases;
2. CSO applica ion o hi d sec o en i ies ha allows o he dissemina ion o in o ma ion on
se ices a ge ing mig an s;
3. Mig an s applica ion wi h mul i-lingual i ual assis ance h ough which indi iduals a e able
o ecei e guidance on in eg a ion p ocesses, access ele an in o ma ion, and s o e hei
documen s a.o.
Figu e 2: Dis inc ye connec ed applica ions o h ee a ge g oups (Sou ce:
MICADO)
To adequa ely add ess he h ee a ge g oups, he web design, con en s, and use igh s a e
s uc u ed di e en ly pe each applica ion. Gene ally, mig an s a e iewed as he main use s, while
local CSOs and PAs p oduce con en , moni o in eg a ion p og ess, and ga he and exchange
in o ma ion abou he use s. Fo mig an s, he pla o m p esen s easy in o ma ion access and
communica ion channels, in e ac i e assis ance, as well as ins i u ional na iga ion h ough he
p ocesses o a i al and in eg a ion. Gi en hei di e se backg ounds and di e en le els o li e acy,
he applica ion p o ides o easy and in ui i e handling, a oiding ex ensi e and legalis ic ex s.
G aphical elemen s a e o suppo low- h eshold accessibili y and quick comp ehension. To o e come
language ba ie s, MICADO use s can access con en in p e e ed language, such as A abic, Chinese,
Uk ainian, o Da i. Fo illi e a e use s, he solu ion capi alises on eading ools ha p o ide an au o
ead- unc ionali y. The uni e sally applicable MICADO p o o ype comp ises he ollowing key
unc ionali ies ha a e ho oughly linked by way o in e nal da a exchanges and communica ion
p ocesses:
In o Po al: P o ision and exchange o aluable in o ma ion o mig an s
S ep-by-s ep Guides: Guided p ocesses owa ds mig an in eg a ion
Cou ses & E en s Moni o : Publishing ac i i ies o mig an in eg a ion
Mig a ion in Figu es: Display and analysis o local mig a ion s a is ics
Mig an & CSO Accoun s: Display and managemen o se ice accoun s
MICADO Analy ics: T acking o he pla o m´s ac i i ies and pe o mance
The lis ed unc ions include a ange o sub- unc ionali ies, such as a pe sonal po al wi h a
documen walle , a egis a ion and consen managemen ea u e, an o e iew o pe sonal in eg a ion
p ocess, as well as a dashboa d solu ion called “Mig an Si ua ion Moni o ”. De ailed desc ip ions o
echnical ea u es as well as scien i ic esul s a e accessible ia he p ojec ’s websi e
(www.micadop ojec .eu). Mo e de ailed in o ma ion on he MICADO ecosys em and he
implemen a ion o i s componen s is made a ailable on a webpage o solu ions exchange
(www.solu ions.micadop ojec .eu).
The so wa e codes a e published wi h he copy-le open sou ce public license scheme o he EU
(EUPL Eu opean Commission's Eu opean Union Public License) on he eposi o y Gi Hub
(h ps://gi hub.com/micado-eu/). The componen s desc ibed abo e o m wha he conso ium had
labelled he “uni e sal MICADO” – ha is: he gene ic solu ion p epa ed o and p o ided o all
pa ne ci ies.

The MICADO ecosys em has adop ed a ci cula design app oach in so wa e de elopmen , as laid
ou in he design amewo k o he MacA hu Founda ion [16]. This means ha he o e all sys em
a chi ec u e has been designed enable a simple main enance o he componen s, as well as o acili a e
o euse, e ac o and ecycle hese based on he needs o i s adop e s. P ac ically, his ansla ed in o
he adop ion o con aine iza ion so wa e (Docke ) in de elopmen and deploymen , which enables o
un speci ic componen s in a coo dina ed, hough indi idually independen mode [17].
As an example, MICADO uses a Pos g eSQL da abase o s o e all equi ed in o ma ion hos ed
wi hin he ins alla ion (including use in o ma ion, a ailable languages, en- and disabled
unc ionali ies). All included con aine s (e.g. he in e ace o mig an s, he ansla ion pla o m, he
iden i y managemen ) que y he same da a sou ce. Howe e , i an adop e decides o use ano he DB
sys em (e.g. MySQL), he con aine can be changed and wi h ela i ely li le adap a ion he same
connec ions can be es ablished o e-enable da a lows be ween he componen s.
Du ing he cou se o he p ojec , he con aine ized app oach has been p o en use ul, on he one hand
because i enabled a be e coo dina ion and delega ion o echnical de elopmen e o s, on he o he
because o easing an upda e o he sys em a chi ec u e du ing he cou se o he p ojec . This has
happened mul iple imes, o example as an API-manage componen has been emo ed om he
a chi ec u e and iden i y managemen swapped he ini ial ool implemen ed wi hin he MICAO
ecosys em.
The o e all modula app oach wi hin he p ojec has also been a p emise o mee he main
objec i e o he p ojec o u he de i e local “MICADAs” whose unc ional p o iles would mo e
closely espond o he speci ic condi ions o each ci y. This adap a ion p ocess is explained in de ail in
he ollowing chap e s.
3. Con ex ualising he Solu ion and Adap a ion o Local
Demands
The ans o ma ion o he gene al MICADO solu ion in o mul iple local and con ex -speci ic
applica ions o each pilo ci y (“MICADAs”) was a key challenge in he o e all p ojec pu sui . The
p e equisi e o he success ul pilo implemen a ion o he p ojec was building he uni e sal Minimal
Viable P oduc (MVP) [15] as a modi iable s uc u e ha allowed o adap a ion o di e en local
condi ions. Al hough he uni e sal MVP ep esen s key equi emen s and ea u es sha ed by all ou
pilo ci ies, speci ic demands would s ill a y om place o place. The ansla ion o highly speci ic
use needs in o local MVPs cons i u ed a second de elopmen phase wi hin he p ojec which would
no esul in a “one o all” solu ion bu b anch ou in o mul iple de i a i es. This was possible due o
he echnical decision o design he uni e sal MVP in a modula way, based on a se o key unc ions
ha could be enabled o disabled in o de o adjus he indi idual MICADAs o local equi emen s. To
acili a e he success ul con ex ualisa ion o he uni e sal MICADO in o mul iple MICADAs, he
decen alised p ojec s uc u e p o ed o be pi o al. I ga e high independence and lexibili y o local
s akeholde g oups in e ms o in ol ing speci ic ins i u ional and social en i onmen s. Thus,
cus omised local s akeholde ne wo ks could o m wi h a capaci y o ope a e, u he de elop, and
u ilise he local solu ions. In he p ocess o adap a ion, hese g oups played a c ucial ole in b inging
oge he mig an s, PA o icials and CSO ep esen a i es in each place. Each pilo ci y’s g oup had a
di e en composi ion in e ms o o ganisa ional s uc u e, expe ise, and ac i i y ange, hus cla i ying
he di e ences be ween he locally adap ed MICADAs. The p oac i e wo k o he LESCs ca alysed
he local adap a ion and con eyed he app op ia e means o i , while secu ing a cons an upda e o
in o ma ion and ele ance o con en in he applica ion.
Each ci y´s local g oup c ea ed con ex -speci ic use cases and pe sonas o de e mine he MVP
ea u es o be included in he cus omised e sions and es ed wi h end-use s. In addi ion o he
di e en se s o ea u es o each ci y (Figu e 3), he local solu ions p edic ably also p esen ed
di e en con en o each domain. A mul iplici y o ac o s inally de e mined bo h he angle and he
selec ion o con en o he app – including he deside a a iden i ied a he ini ial esea ch s age o he
p ojec , he use s o ies gene a ed in he co-c ea ion phases, o he a ailabili y o da a o local
echnical suppo .
MVP Fea u e Ci y An we p Bologna Mad id Hambu g
Guided P ocesses x x x x
In o Po al x x x x
Pe sonal Po al x x
Documen Walle /
Regis e
x x
In eg a ion Task
Moni o
x x
Mig an Si ua ion
Moni o (MSM)
x x x
Consen Manage x x x x
Figu e 3: Dis ibu ion and ac i a ion o key- unc ions in pilo ci ies (Sou ce:
MICADO)
In he case o Hambu g, o example, he local eam decided agains implemen ing unc ions ha
collec pe sonal da a om mig an g oups. The in en ion was o align wi h he s ic Gene al Da a
P o ec ion Regula ions, and o secu e he da a o ulne able g oups o a maximum. Howe e , he
Hambu g s akeholde ne wo k had iden i ied he digi isa ion o he so-called “Si ua ion Repo on
Re ugees'' a ele an use-case o MICADO. The Si ua ion Repo is a public documen egula ly
issued by he e ugee managemen ask o ce in he ci y adminis a ion, collec ing ele an mig a ion
indica o s and p ocessing ends. Du ing he co-c ea ion and con e gence ac i i ies o MICADO,
Hambu g´s au ho i ies exp essed an in e es in ans o ming he epo om a con en ional p in
documen o an in e ac i e, digi al solu ion. Th oughou he de elopmen p ocess, his idea
ans o med in o a cen al use case o MICADO, esul ing in he dashboa d applica ion o he
“Mig an Si ua ion Moni o ”. Gene a ing in e ac i e and accessible cha s on he g ound o mig a ion
da a inpu s om PA use s (Figu e 4), i became a componen o he uni e sal MVP since also he
o he ci ies wished o ha ness i s u ili y.
The ocus on a clea layou and simple in e ace is a s eng h ac oss all in e aces, especially o
ha add essing mig an use s. Du ing usabili y es ing and pilo ing wi h end-use s, a ge ed ques ions
we e included in he guidelines and ques ionnai es o inqui e abou he c oss-cul u al
unde s andabili y o symbols and icons, such as o he bu on o language selec ion o he glossa y,
which ha e been upda ed mul iple imes du ing he de elopmen p ocess.
Figu e 4: PA in e ace o Hambu g-speci ic Mig an Si ua ion Moni o (Sou ce:
MICADO)
4. Ou look and P ojec Sus ainabili y
Thi d-pa y unded esea ch p ojec s – especially hose in which la ge mul ina ional conso ia a e
equipped wi h subs an ial esou ces – ace he challenge o secu ing hei sus ainabili y beyond he
ac ual unding pe iod. Many digi al solu ions c ea ed wi h la ge public suppo ha e ended up as
“abandonwa e”. Recognising ha speci ic up ake measu es a e needed i a p ojec is no o emain
jus an expe imen , and ha esea ch is no ge ing los in a chi es, secu ing he u u e con inua ion o
he MICADO solu ion eme ges as he cen al ask. Al eady in he p e-p ojec phase o MICADO, he
sus ainabili y o he solu ion had been iden i ied as a c ucial issue and a ge ed ac i i ies we e
included in he p ojec design. Since he p ojec ’s s a a cons an dialogue wi h local agencies and
ci y adminis a o s has been cu a ed o p epa e he “su i al” o he esul s and ou comes in he long
un. Mos eminen ly, he wo k package o “Local Solu ions De elopmen & Exchange” was d awn
up o add ess he p oli e a ion, con inuous de elopmen and usage o he pla o m solu ion, and o
enhance he in ellec ual exploi a ion o he esea ch p oduc s by he scien i ic communi y. Besides
s a egies ha add ess he local up ake in he ou pilo ci ies, he wo k package also a ge ed b oade
dissemina ion concep s ha each beyond he o iginal pa ne ship (e.g. es ablishing a non-p o i
o ganisa ion, social en u e, o ounda ion), in o de o make i a uni e sally accessible solu ion. The
main ins umen s in suppo o hese objec i es a e so-called “Up ake and Sus ainabili y Plans”
(UASPs). These plans a e o suppo he pilo ci ies in hei decision conce ning he e ms by which
MICADO will be embedded in hei digi al and adminis a i e ecosys ems. The plans a e d a ed om
a double pe spec i e, aking in o accoun he wo- old na u e o his Eu opean scale inno a ion
en u e which esul ed in he uni e sal MICADO solu ion, bu also in a mul iplici y o local
MICADA solu ions. This implies a Gene al UASP ha wo ks on a highe and sys emic le el, and
ela es o a la ge ange o loca ions ac oss Eu ope. In pa allel, Local UASPs we e c ea ed ha
acknowledge he speci ics o he ou pilo ci ies – which na u ally ep esen he i s si es o a
po en ial long- e m applica ion. The Gene al UASP de ines common goals o all pos -p ojec
sus ainabili y e o s pe aining o he main enance o MICADO´s open-sou ce iden i y, he
con inua ion o ope a ions and unding, as well as he synch oniza ion o scien i ic- echnical
e inemen s wi h he e olu ion o p ac ice-side use equi emen s. The plan de ines h ee gene ic
le els o up ake and sus ainabili y o be conside ed in any local ins ance, and indica es he espec i e
s akeholde s o be add essed:
1. Usage: egula applica ion in p o essional wo k con ex (solu ion owne s)
2. Hos ing: echnical deploymen and main enance o ope a ions (IT p o ide )
3. De elopmen : explo a ion o use cases and echnologies (de elope communi y).
In con as , he Local UASPs o each pilo ci y comp ise si e-speci ic measu es and means ha
help ans o m he uni e sal MICADO solu ion in o con ex ualised de i a i es – he local MICADAs.
The Local UASPs comp ise u o ials and guidelines o adap a ion ac i i ies and o ma s on si e. Wi h
hem, each ci y can cla i y how a one ins i u ion can accommoda e he h ee le els o up ake (as
ou lined in he Gene al UASP), o whe he a mo e complex scheme dis ibu ing he oles ac oss
di e en pa ies is necessa y.
The decision o use only open sou ce componen s wi hin he MICADO ecosys em enables
lexibili y o cus omiza ion and acili a es adop ion in po en ial use cases, as no addi ional cos s a e
equi ed o licensing o usage. The pla o m and all i s componen s a e hos ed on he same se e ,
meaning ha adop e s a e no dependen on he a ailabili y o ex e nal se ices. A he same ime,
op ing ou om using p op ie a y ools na u ally leads o a scale-down o he scope o a ailable
unc ions. As an example, e en hough he MICADO pla o m is able o display con en ega dless o
languages and sc ip s, he ex - o-speech unc ion is a ailable only in a e y ew o hem.
As he de elopmen and aining o such a componen is e y cos ly and complex, i is challenging
o de elope s o gene a e accessible and open sou ce ools wi hou inancial backing. This highligh s
he impo ance o ( inancial) incen i es om public bodies no only o c ea e eady- o use solu ions
and ecosys ems such as MICADO, bu also o de elop basic componen s o be used in such
ini ia i es.
MICADO’s uniqueness, which migh p e en he app om becoming “jus ano he app” is i s all-
encompassing cha ac e , being one applica ion ha add esses h ee e y di e en ac o s in he ield o
mig a ion h ough i s h ee connec ed in e aces. The in o ma ion being inse ed by he go e nmen
agencies c ea e a us wo hy in o ma ion sou ce, which – depending on he wo k low o he
espec i e go e nmen al agency – always con ains he mos up o da e insigh ega ding asylum
p ocedu es and o he aspec s o in eg a ion. P o iding all necessa y in o ma ion can be an
empowe ing ool o mig an s h oughou hei in eg a ion p ocess [18].
None heless, he e lays also one o he weakness when implemen ing ICT solu ion o social
se ices and especially o mig a ion and in eg a ion ma e s, which a e highly complex and
con es ed. As he o e all MICADO solu ion comp ises he op ion o collec pe sonal da a and o
c ea e pe sonal in eg a ion plans, he e is a isk o misuse, especially by es ic i e and conse a i e
go e nmen s, o use i a he as a ool o con ol mig a ion [19].
Conside ing he challenges ha commonly obs uc inno a ion p ojec s un by sup ana ional and
mul idisciplina y conso ia, he success ul de elopmen and pilo es ing o MICADO may coun as a
signi ican scien i ic and echnological achie emen . The s ong in e es o u he he solu ion, as
exp essed by public adminis a ions as well as om pa ne s in science and echnology, hin s a a
po en ial long- e m sus ainabili y o he p oduc . This makes MICADO a p omising concep ual
pa e n o simila esea ch and inno a ion challenges in he u u e, a ge ing ICT sys ems in he
public ealm. I s gene ic applicabili y o a a ie y o con ex s makes i sui able especially o mul i-
na ional and ansdisciplina y pa ne ships which need o ecognize, p ocess, and ans o m complex
socio- echnical equi emen s in o easible echnical solu ions.