(H)Appy Citizens? A political science perspective on the value of political Apps for democratic systems

Along with technological advancements, new possibilities opened for the political use of web-based technologies accompanied by research devoted to analyze the qualities of the new developments. A recent step in this evolution is the employment of Apps for political purposes such as campaigns. This contribution looks at the range of possible areas where Apps can be introduced to support participation and participatory linkage between citizens and representatives. It connects political science literature dealing with adequate representation and modes of participation with App design, in particular for creating stickiness and creating a pleasant user experience. The concept of gamification is key in this regard: appealing to the playfulness of humans, gamification may encompass a variety of elements making individuals willing to continue the use of an App and creating joy while doing so. Therefore, this contribution first aims at identifying criteria that unite design questions with the encouragement for political participation and participatory linkage. In a second step, a variety of existing political apps introduced by parties and civil society agents will be evaluated in consideration of these criteria.