Collab is a prototype built by Sidewalk Labs and Digital Public Square to help break through barriers and help people participate from anywhere, at anytime

2020 UPDATE: Please note that Collab’s prototyping period has ended and the site is no longer accessible. However, Sidewalk Labs collaborated with Civil Space to integrate the trade-offs framework, which garnered strong initial evidence of diverse participation and informed choices, into their platform for community engagement. We’re excited to see how Civil Space will build off of Collab’s initial success to foster meaningful and inclusive dialogue and understanding.

As a first use case, we wanted to create a tool that would allow community members to propose their choices for events in public spaces and then walk them through the trade-offs associated with each proposal. For example, a farmers market provides fresh produce and draws a lot of foot traffic, but the space may then feel too congested for a community picnic.