Better Decisions for a Better Quality of Life: the Potential of Rural Districts Supported by e-governance Tools

E-participation in decision making is gaining ground. An increasing number of administrational structures currently try to foster innovation processes at all levels of government, supported by EU cooperation strategies and funding. The aim of the paper is to test the usefulness and opportunities deriving from a mix of e-participation and “proactive” decision support tools by defining a policymaking process,. The authors present an overview of the work-in-progress of policymaking through a series of methods and tools to encourage participation and identifying consistent and low cost policy choices in PA. We conclude that this bottom-up approach, which is very different from the technology-based smart city paradigm, is extremely useful. It provides institutions with a simple, immediate and free use of a pool of ideas. It also supports administrational structures by organizing a number of basic services in low density rural areas affected by structural limitations in terms of accessibility, loss of population and public services in a better manner and at lower cost.