AI Created Community Engagement App

I used Chat GPT to research how Taylor can stay informed about the government actions that affect her life directly and entertainment in her area without reading the news or social media. Chat GPT suggested reading community bulletin boards, listening to podcasts and going to the Austin public library. But Taylor doesn't have time for that. The solutions were very generic and not what I was hoping to find.

I used Chat GPT to come up with a list of features for my application that would inform Taylor of events and issues specific to their metro area and hobbies and it came up with an interesting list after I gave some helpful feedback. Find just a few of the recommended features below:

1.  User Profile & Preferences

   • Simple Onboarding: Minimal setup process with auto-detected location and quick hobby/interest selection.

   • Location-Based Personalization: Automatically set user’s metro area, allowing for tailored event and public meeting recommendations.

   • Customizable Preferences: Users can fine-tune what type of events or civic notifications they receive (e.g., hobbies, civic meetings, alerts).

2. Event Discovery and Local Alerts 

   • Event Feed: A personalized feed that shows upcoming local events based on user interests and metro area.

   • Public Meeting Alerts: Notify users about relevant public meetings or policy decisions that could affect their daily life (e.g., a skyscraper being built two blocks away, utility bill rate hikes).

   • Critical Local Updates: Notify users of key updates that could impact their day (e.g., road closures, protests, UT game day).

3. AI-Driven Personalization

• • Smart Recommendations: Machine learning to recommend events and meetings based on user behavior, location, and past activity.

  • Relevance Filtering: Automatically filter public meetings that are likely to impact the user’s immediate surroundings (e.g., public transportation updates).

4. Geolocation & Mapping 

• Location-Based Recommendations: Use geolocation to suggest nearby events in their area.

• Interactive Maps: Show event locations, venues, and nearby amenities (e.g., parking, public transit).

Chat GPT said these features ensure that even the busiest users can stay informed about events and public meetings relevant to their interests and location, without spending too much time browsing or managing settings.

Location-based recommendations in the app would be designed to ensure that users can easily discover events and public meetings happening near them, leveraging the app’s geolocation capabilities. Here's how the interface and functionality could look:

 Interactive Map View 

•    Event and Meeting Pins: An interactive map showing event and meeting locations using pins. Each pin represents a different type of activity (e.g., public meeting, concert, or local event) with distinct icons or colors.

•    Radius-Based Filtering: Users can set a radius from their current location (e.g., 5 miles, 10 miles) to see events within their preferred proximity.

•    Current Location Indicator: A visible marker showing the user’s current location on the map for easy orientation and understanding of where events are happening relative to them.

•    Clustered Events: If there are multiple events in the same area, they would cluster together on the map, with a number indicating how many are in that spot. Zooming in breaks the cluster into individual events.

Nearby Events Section

"Nearby" Tab or Section: A dedicated section for events happening near the user. It could be featured prominently on the home screen or accessed by clicking on a “Nearby” button. 

This section would:

• • • •    List events in order of proximity (starting with the closest).

      •    Provide a distance indicator for each event (e.g., “2 miles away”).

      •     Display key event details like title, time, venue, and type of event.

      •    Filters: Users could filter nearby events based on categories like “Free,” “Family-Friendly,” “Outdoor,” or specific interests.

 Geolocation-Based Notifications 

• Location-Specific Push Notifications: When users enter a particular area or are near an event they might like, the app could send a push notification (e.g., “You’re near the downtown area! There’s a Farmers’ Market happening 2 blocks away”).

• Real-Time Event Suggestions: Using geofencing, the app could send real-time notifications when users are close to an or event that could affect their area (e.g., "Concert beginning in 1 hour near you”).

Imagine an interface where, as soon as a user opens the app, the homepage shows a map view with pins for events scattered around their current location. Underneath, there’s a scrollable list of events with small indicators like "2 miles away" "happening today" or "15 minutes by car." Users can tap an event to view details or swipe left/right for more nearby options, all dynamically updated based on their current position.

This seamless integration of location-based recommendations ensures that users always see relevant, nearby activities, helping them discover what’s happening close to where they live or work.

 The events would appear on cards with information about the event or civic action. 

It would include the basic details like time, date, place with simple quick actions:

• RSVP or Add to Calendar: Users can add the event to their calendar directly from the card with a single tap.

• Get Directions: A quick link to a map would show walking, driving, or public transit directions from the user’s location to the event.

• More Information: A “Learn More” button to view detailed information about the event and/or associated documents.