To simplify its administrative processes, the town of Yverdon-les-Bains launched the Geocity project. Geocity's approach is not to limit itself to a particular type of request, but to seek the common factor of the needs expressed in order to extract generic elements.

Every permit application usually requires a paper or PDF form that is often redundant and tedious to fill out. From this starting point, we have now created an efficient and flexible online form. This helps avoid information having to be entered into the system multiple times and expedites the associated processes.

What if every municipality in Switzerland were to join the Geocity project? The digital platform instigated by the municipality of Yverdon-les-Bains in 2020 has already won over Vevey and the ASR (Association sécurité Riviera). The major innovation with this platform is the digitalisation of all types of permit applications (for buildings, roadworks, public protests, memberships, parking, etc.).

A smooth flow of information

Previously, citizens would send their applications to a dedicated department for the particular application, often using a paper form. This information then had to be entered into the municipality’s information system. The information was not always available to others involved in the process. Geocity keeps everything simple. The municipality’s and Liip’s teams thought about the structure and similarity of the processes in place. The platform aims to make it easier for residents whose predominant contact with the municipality occurs via forms. By avoiding having to enter the same information into the system twice, the platform saves authorities time, offers them a better means of sharing their information, limits errors and reduces the wasteful use of resources such as paper. The digitalised application can be sent to the departments that have to approve it and provides them with all the information they need. They can also comment on the project, making rejection or approval within a smaller time frame possible. Above all, the submission can be saved and generated as a PDF file on demand.

See applications in the area

The generic forms are easy and quick to configure. Every application generally contains information on either the location or time frame, allowing the information to be presented visually on a map or calendar. Therefore, the municipality’s departments can work together more efficiently, and citizens can find out what is going on in the local area at a glance. Do you want to improve how your municipality organises its work? Then you are in the right place.