How do you define a “smart city?” Is it an information hub? A connected city? A community? All of the above? 

The reality is, there’s no universal definition for a smart city. It varies from city to city and country to country. That’s why no two smart cities are exactly the same, just as no two traditional cities are the same. This can lead to different definitions and expectations for city leaders and citizens alike.

To help clarify, let’s explore what both parties hope to gain from smart city projects, and then identify where their definitions intersect.

What do city leaders want?

1. To move from CapEx to OpEx – City leaders have started moving away from making their smart city projects a one-time, stand-alone investment.  Instead, they’re finding success by executing smaller projects and then continuing to build and expand on those projects. As a result, city leaders are moving smart city projects into their regular operating budgets for a longer-term revenue stream to keep their projects moving forward.

2. Instant interoperability – In order to analyze data of different types, city leaders want an open integration architecture. This will enable interoperability of disparate data sets and diverse IoT devices, so the city can collect data of any type for analysis to ultimately drive better decision-making.

3. More revenue opportunities – The ideal smart city should encourage and attract new business to drive the local economy as well as create an opportunity for city leaders to make smarter, data-driven decisions to improve efficiencies and lower costs in their own operations, resulting in a higher return on investment (ROI).

What do citizens want?

1. A human-first approach – Citizens want their city centered around their needs. They want to find a parking spot without having to keep circling the block, spend less time in traffic, and live in safer neighborhoods, just to name a few examples. At the end of the day, citizens want their smart city to take a human-first approach and improve their quality of life.

2. A louder share of voice – The advent of mobile apps has brought with it instant feedback and surveys. Citizens want to be involved. They want their voice heard so they can help shape and evolve their city, which is important because city leaders want to ensure the features and amenities of the city align with what its citizens want.

3. Insight into their government – Another benefit of technology is its ability to bring people together. Mobile apps and other data sharing tools not only allow citizens to provide feedback, but they also provide a portal where citizens can collaborate with their government representatives in real-time. This allows citizens to make inquiries and processes faster and smoother, so they have insight into their government.

Where do they intersect?

While city leaders and citizens may have different definitions of a smart city, there are many areas where the two groups intersect. Both city leaders and their citizens are looking for smart city technology to enable their city to be more productive, more efficient, offer a higher quality of life, and create new opportunities for a better future.

To learn more about smart cities, contact us.