Optimizing Village Websites as a Development Communication Media: Case Study of the Tridadi Village Website, Sleman District

Village websites are vital instruments within Indonesia’s e-Government framework, designed to enhance transparency, participation, and accountability in local development. This study examines the Tridadi Village website to explore how digital infrastructure aligns with the communication culture of local governance. Using a qualitative descriptive method that combines non-participatory observation, content analysis, and literature review, the research assesses the website’s effectiveness as a medium for development communication. Findings indicate that while the website performs well as an informational portal, it lacks participatory features, open data, and interactive mechanisms that enable two-way communication. This limitation reveals a gap between digital infrastructure and communication culture, where technological readiness is not accompanied by dialogical or reflexive communicative practices. The study contributes theoretically by emphasizing that digital participation depends not only on technology but also on the transformation of communication values and institutional behavior. Practically, it recommends strengthening human resource capacity, integrating participatory features, and developing digital communication strategies based on openness, inclusiveness, and accountability. These steps are crucial for transforming village websites from static administrative tools into dynamic communication ecosystems that embody the principles of sustainable and participatory local governance.