18 Jan Start of the MICADO piloting

Finally, we are entering the pilot phase! In a structured approach, local participants from public authorities, civil society and the target group of migrants and refugees are invited to test MICADO and express their feedback. MICADO is being piloted in the cities of Antwerp, Bologna, Hamburg and Madrid.

When we talk about piloting, we talk about the testing of the three MICADO applications by our target groups in order to receive information which functionalities are already well implemented and where there are still bugs or room for improvement. So far, the project team has worked intensively on the applications and made further improvements in quite a few feedback loops. In a first small test-run with selected LESC members (these are members of the Local Experts and Stakeholder Committees, here is an article about it) last year, we already received very valuable feedback that was incorporated into the development. This year we want to use a structured approach to ask our target groups for their opinion. For this purpose, usability tests, workshops, phases of self-testing and discussion rounds will be organised to give migrants refugees, employees of public authorities and civil society actors the opportunity to provide feedback. So that in the end of the project, there is a product available that is of real benefit and added value for our target groups.

In the piloting phase, all three MICADO applications are tested, i.e. the application for the public authorities, the application for the civil society actors and the application for migrants and refugees. The MICADO software is installed locally and filled with local content, e.g. how to extend a residence permit, where and how to have a vocational qualification recognized, where to find help for physical or mental illnesses.

The special feature of the MICADO piloting is the fact that during the piloting itself further content may be entered into the software in order to get to know the processes behind the visible front end. This addresses not only the translation, which is organized by an integrated software component. But also content from civil society actors, who can add information via their own MICADO application and therefore give valuable hints and advice as well as offer their services.

At the moment, the project team is busy in the local technical installation and the input of content, and in parallel, the features are being technically refined. Piloting will start in May 2021 with our target groups of public authorities, civil society actors and migrants and refugees. In May and June, a comprehensive usability test will initially take place, the findings of which will be incorporated into a further technical development loop. From July to December, the group of participants will be expanded and all interested stakeholders are invited to test MICADO. The four MICADO cities will proceed in the same way and exchange information on an ongoing basis.

It is a challenge to plan events in times of Covid-19 and the contact restrictions currently in place. Of course, we can also do digital! But especially the usability tests and discussion rounds are predestined as presence formats to exchange ideas, to ask questions and to think a little further what MICADO can be. The project team is currently working at full speed on the corresponding planning. So stay in touch for news!

If you are interested in participating in the pilot, please contact:

in Antwerp: valeria.lemaitre@stad.antwerpen.be

in Bologna: gabriele.manella@unibo.it

in Hamburg: micado@sk.hamburg.de

in Madrid: laura.diaz@colpolsoc.org