Mass Transit - 14

SMART CITIES
4. CAPITALIZE ON ADVANCED
TECHNOLOGIES
Having a strategy to harness the power
of new technologies helps with launching new initiatives, as well as providing
a better understanding of cybersecurity.
The study found that 68 percent of leader
cities have an innovation hub to manage
and promote the city's relationship with
new technologies.
5. USE THE ECOSYSTEM EFFECTIVELY
Partnering with technology partners is
the most popular way for leader cities
to acquire new technology. Partnerships
can align strategic goals, generate continuous program improvements and enable cities to do more with less resources.
Working with technology providers, operators and holistic consultants can be
the winning combination that delivers
projects that work.
This also allows cities to be more independent than outsourcing projects completely and gives them the opportunity to
operate systems internally, making them
more self-reliant.
6. GENERATE MORE VALUE FROM DATA
Generating more value from data is a
core characteristic of a hyperconnected city. Leader cities tend to work with
businesses and third parties to use data
that can inform city planning, operate
under written data policies to guide
proper use and implement flexible policies that can change with new technology. Involving the public is key as well,
with leader cities making around 620
data sets available to the public, while
the average city shares 400.
7. ENSURE ALL CITIZENS ARE
ENGAGED AND CONNECTED
Hyperconnected cities are far more
engaged with the public - 96 percent
reach out to stakeholders to demonstrate the value of projects. They also
actively engage with stakeholders to ensure the success of projects and ensure
that disadvantaged demographics are
involved in the process. Some hyperconnected city leaders are starting to
appoint chief citizen experience officers
(CCXOs) responsible for the citizens'
experience with city websites, call centers and mobile apps.

14 |

Stantec

THE REAL power of smart technologies
lies in how well they work together.

The fact is, the best
ideas often come
from the people
who live in the
community - they
know the streets
and they deal with
local challenges
every day.
The first step to becoming
hyperconnected -
start with citizens

Smart cities have been around for a
while, but the future of urban life is
hyperconnected. It's always been true
that technology moves faster than public
opinion, so it's not surprising that cities
identify gaining public support as the
top challenge to pursuing smart projects
(52 percent).
As an urban planner, I'm trained to
listen to people and incorporate their
feedback in community planning and
design. The fact is, the best ideas often
come from the people who live in the
community - they know the streets and
they deal with local challenges every day.
It's up to cities and planners to work with
communities, to demonstrate the value of
smart technologies and to show citizens
how their lives will improve as the city
becomes more connected.

Mass Transit | MassTransitmag.com | DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

Barcelona stood up and did the hard
work of building trust early, launching
Decidim. Barcelona, a digital democratic platform used by 400,000 citizens to
discuss urban solutions and policies. The
city's chief technology officer has called for
"a new social contract for the digital age,"
which respects individual "digital sovereignty." Stockholm has also been recognized for its scaled approach to building
a trusting relationship with citizens by
opening lines of communication and prioritizing public education. The trust from
an open dialogue not only makes adoption
smoother, but it makes sure citizen input
is being heard and considered in projects
that affect the lives of people.
Smart technology isn't going to
change what cities are trying to do, which
is to create vibrant economic and culturally rich communities that are desirable
places to live, work and play. Technology
is there to help us do a better job of planning communities that work efficiently,
that dedicate resources appropriately and
that provide opportunities for wider segments of the population than ever before. Cities that embrace the conversation
around technology, take the hard steps
to build public trust and lay out a roadmap to becoming hyperconnected will
outcompete their peers when it comes
to livability and economic investment.
In the future, we will still be planning
for people. And the smartest cities will
put people first.
Nancy MacDonald is director
of Stantec's Urban
Places and the firm's
Smart Cities Lead.
http://www.MassTransitmag.com
Mass Transit

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