bema
How it works

How Bema works, step by step

Bema helps a town go from scattered complaints to clear priorities. Here is every step: what it is, what you can do and why it is there.

Bema grows in phases: some steps already work in the pilot and the rest will be switched on as it progresses.

  1. 1Describe a problem (diagnosis)

    What it is
    A diagnosis describes something the town needs: what happens, where and who it affects. You do not need a solution.
    What you can do
    Write a new one, read the ones other residents have written and use them as the starting point for a proposal.
    Why this way
    If we first agree on what the problem is, the proposals that follow are more useful and less repetitive.

    Example“On Saturday mornings there is nowhere to leave a bike near the market.”

  2. 2Make a proposal

    What it is
    A proposal is a concrete solution to a problem. It has three parts: the problem, the solution you propose and who benefits.
    What you can do
    Publish one proposal a month. While you write, an AI assistant suggests how to make it clearer and translates it into Catalan, Spanish and English.
    Why this way
    One a month makes each person choose the idea that matters most to them and stops a few voices from filling the platform.

    Example“Install covered bike parking in the market square for families who shop there.”

  3. 3Bring similar ideas together

    What it is
    When two people propose the same thing, support is split and neither proposal moves forward. Bema detects proposals that look alike.
    What you can do
    While you write, you will see similar proposals that already exist. If one already says what you want, support it instead of creating a new one.
    Why this way
    Ten supports for one proposal carry more weight than one support each for ten repeated proposals.

    Later, two identical proposals can also be merged into one, with a review that makes sure no idea is lost.

  4. 4Citizen review by lot

    What it is
    Before a proposal collects support, seven residents chosen at random read it without knowing who wrote it.
    What you can do
    If you are chosen, you will get a notice to review a proposal. You read it in full first, then judge whether it is well put together. If not, you give reasons so the author can improve it.
    Why this way
    Drawing lots stops the same people from always deciding, and not knowing the author means the idea is judged, not the person. In ancient Athens many public offices were already filled by lot.

  5. 5Conviction support

    What it is
    Each month you get a limited number of supports. A support does not count the same all the time: it is worth 1 on the first day, 2 after one week and 3 after two weeks.
    What you can do
    Support the proposals you want to prioritise and withdraw your support if you change your mind.
    Why this way
    This way, what the town wants consistently outweighs a last-minute campaign or a group that mobilises for a single day.

    ExampleIf you support a proposal today and keep that support, in two weeks it will be worth three times as much.

  6. 6Reach the administration

    What it is
    When a proposal gets enough support, Bema sends it to the administration responsible, with its full history: the problem, the proposal and the support.
    What you can do
    Follow the proposal’s status and read the administration’s answer when it arrives.
    Why this way
    Bema has no power to force anyone. What it can do is make clear what the town is asking for and make sure the answer, whatever it is, is published. If the administration decides to commit, it must say so explicitly.
Also in preparation

More tools we will add

Incident reports

To flag a one-off problem, like a broken streetlight or pavement, and follow how it is fixed.

Challenges

When a problem is complex, a group of invited residents works on it in depth and produces a joint proposal.

Across towns

Spotting when several towns ask for the same thing, so they can push for it together.

Words you will come across

Diagnosis
A description of a problem or need in the town.
Proposal
A concrete solution to a problem: the problem, the solution and who benefits.
Topic
The category of a proposal or diagnosis, such as public spaces, mobility or facilities.
Monthly quota
How many proposals you can publish each month. During the pilot, one.
Support
How you say you want a proposal to be a priority. You get a limited number each month.
Conviction
The weight a support gains as you keep it over time, from 1 to 3.
Sortition
Choosing at random the people who review a proposal.
Escalation
The moment a proposal with enough support reaches the administration.

Try it in your town

Create your account, choose your town and start by reading what is being proposed.

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