Summary

This project aims to understand how citizens can access the necessary public information to participate in the consultation and participation processes of the public administration (front office) and to contrast this with the back-office of open government. This objective implicitly involves understanding the contexts of participation and the operational dynamics of the Catalan government regarding information management, as well as the informational competencies of citizens.

The methodology used is qualitative, with data collected in two ways: 1) analysis of active participation portals and existing processes; and 2) in-depth interviews with both civil society organizations and public administration representatives. The difficulty in contacting interlocutors, both in the public administration and the associations, is an indication of the lack of information and communication channels through which information should flow.

Access to information and informational competencies do not emerge as a major concern; therefore, these are areas that need improvement. The portals used for participation are well-structured and facilitate access if made available. The context of participation is well defined in the established guidelines and procedures. However, there is room for improvement regarding the language used in the documents and in establishing systems that ensure the relevant information for the process is available, ensuring its validity, reliability, and integrity.

In conclusion, we observe a contrast between the efforts made by the public administration and the low level of participation, as indicated by the interviews conducted with representatives from both the administration and civil society.