How can urban planners be trained to create smart cities?

The only way to excel at urban design, planning or landscape architecture is to experience great places and uninviting places first hand. Spend time there. Sit on a bench and observe how people interact. Think about how it makes you feel. This is an experiential profession. You cannot understand it without experiencing it first hand.

Pour former les urbanistes à la création de villes intelligentes, il est essentiel d'intégrer des connaissances en technologies de pointe et en développement durable dans leur cursus. Ils doivent apprendre à analyser et à utiliser les données urbaines pour améliorer la qualité de vie des citoyens. La collaboration interdisciplinaire avec des experts en informatique, en écologie et en sociologie est cruciale. Il est également important de développer leur capacité à concevoir des espaces qui favorisent l'innovation et l'inclusion sociale.

With proper academic programs, professional training, collaborative projects, and ongoing education, urban planners can master the art of crafting smart cities.

Exchanging knowledge and experience is very important. But usually, after this kind of study trip, course, exchanging workshops and meetings urban planners go back to their business-as-usual planning process in their cities. Because of different aspects. So what makes planners use this exchanged knowledge is by defining goals and creating a concrete plan of how this knowledge will be used, tested, and implemented. In this way, a city can guarantee that new knowledge will be tested in specific projects. In this way, planners will have the chance to work on their newly gained knowledge and develop their skills to be trained to create a smart city. So there should be a follow-up plan. Learning is not useful so much without doing and practicing

I'd been skeptical of the "Smart Cities" paradigm, regarding cities as too complex to be 'managed' like the temperature in a room. But I've recently been reminded of the tiny amount of data we actually collect on the urban metabolism, and how transformative even a little more can be. Things like pedestrian counts, curb utilization, or parking supply are vulnerable to anecdotal-based narratives because of the lack of data. But collecting primary data, especially on an ongoing basis, is expensive, and the investment to do so needs tied to larger policy initiatives, lest the data wind up 'in a drawer', and the collection devices gradually left to rot and ruin.

Fully agree. But this discussion often narrowly focuses on tech and data--whereas a truly smart city is one that functions well for its citizens, cultivates local business development, and attracts tourists and other visitors. Things like design/aesthetics, walkability, culture are equally important.

People can learn about smart cities by enrolling in a master's degree program at our Zigurat Institute. Through collaboration with experts in engineering, sociology, and economics, students gain an understanding of technical and social aspects.

Training urban planners to create smart cities requires a multifaceted educational approach that blends traditional urban planning principles with the latest advancements in technology and data analytics. This includes coursework and hands-on experience in GIS (Geographic Information Systems), IoT (Internet of Things) applications, sustainable design, and urban data analysis. Planners should be equipped with skills in integrating digital infrastructure and services with physical planning to enhance city livability, efficiency, and sustainability. Emphasis on collaborative problem-solving, stakeholder engagement, and public policy ensures planners can navigate the complexities of modern urban development.

Una gran falencia es asumir que se sabe todo. El trabajo interdisciplinario es indispensable al entender las ciudades como sistemas complejos. Es inabarcable desde una sola profesión, mucho menos desde una sola persona. Por eso la humildad, la capacidad de escucha y el trabajo conjunto con otras áreas (sociales, políticas, de salud, económicas, ambientales, ingenieriles, etc.) es fundamental para el desarrollo de un proyecto urbano integral completo y eficiente.

we must break down these silos. We must foster collaborative leadership that embraces a new working method, building interactive holistic teams and engaging diverse stakeholders to create interconnected systems. This approach is not just about integrating efforts but also about inspiring hearts and minds to innovate within the boundaries of our planet. Through my Master's program, I've analyzed numerous cases where many promising circular ideas have died midway because they couldn't break down the traditional silos of doing things.

Urban planners should not be afraid to learn software outside of the “standard GIS/CAD” package - especially if they want to profile themselves as advocates for a certain planning concept, such as e.g. sponge city, 15-minutes city or nature-based solutions city. Good, simple collage using simplified graphic editors like Canva can tell more about the quality of the plan then complex GIS representations which only a handful of peers can really appreciate.

Digital operability awareness is often mistaken by many as being smart. While digital skills are important, it is just a tool to get things done in quick time. The context of specific city is important, while using the type of tools. Its like despite online shopping there is no dearth of malls and physical stores, and the real experience of engaging in person keeps the various untouched speres open and not restricted to scripted questions or fixed structures.

Urban planners should not be afraid to learn software outside of the “standard GIS/CAD” package - especially if they want to profile themselves as advocates for a certain planning concept, such as e.g. sponge city, 15-minutes city or nature-based solutions city. Good, simple collage using simplified graphic editors like Canva can tell more about the quality of the plan then complex GIS representations which only a handful of peers can really appreciate.

Las complejidades de las ciudades son tan únicas que las soluciones a plantear, deben ser abordadas por los planificadores de manera muy íntima, para que les permitan desarrollar estrategias innovadoras, desde el punto de vista tecnológico y social, que realmente mejoren la vida de las personas.

Integrating/interpreting data from IoT devices is a necessary skill for urban planners in the context of smart city development. IoT devices, such as environmental sensors, traffic monitors, and smart meters, generate a stream of real-time data that can provide a comprehensive understanding of urban dynamics. Data from IoT devices helps planners monitor air and water quality, manage energy consumption, optimize public transportation routes, and improve public safety with greater efficiency. For instance, environmental sensors can inform policies for reducing pollution or enhancing green spaces. The ability to integrate and interpret IoT data enables urban planners to create more adaptive urban environments.

Planner can enhance their skills by staying updates on smart technologies advancement ,attending different workshops and exploring sustainable solutions for urban development. By discovering these emerging technologies we can create smarter and more innovative cities.

To boost creativity and innovation in smart city planning, urban planners should adopt interdisciplinary approaches and engage in participatory design with local communities. Utilizing technologies like virtual reality for urban simulation can offer new perspectives. Encouraging risk-taking and providing spaces for experimentation are vital. Collaborating with academic institutions, tech companies, and other cities can enhance knowledge sharing and innovation. These strategies can lead to more innovative and responsive smart city development.

Urban planners should be able to think outside of the box in solving issues in cities using technology. Since it will affect the people, environment, and evolution of developments

It is important to learn from books, practices and more; but never forget to take into account the people that live in the city (now or in the future). A smart city is where citizens can express their needs. That will boost creativity and innovation.

creativity and innovation is a continuous activity , irrespective of the place being used. Out of box thinking is welcome in any field and working to have smart cities, is no different.

Training is the key, which includes understanding sustainability and resilience in the context of smart cities and requires urban planners to integrate practical steps into their training and practice. Planners should immerse themselves in the principles of sustainable urban development, such as minimizing resource consumption, promoting renewable energy, and preserving natural spaces. To address resilience, for example, planners must learn to assess vulnerabilities to climate change and other potential disruptions, developing strategies that enhance the city's capacity to absorb/recover from shocks. Besides learning about scenario planning can equip planners with the skills to anticipate future challenges and plan accordingly.

To keep learning and growing in creating smart cities, urban planners should adopt a learning-by-doing approach. This means actively applying new knowledge and skills in real-world projects and initiatives. By engaging in hands-on experiences, planners can gain practical insights and refine their abilities. Participating in pilot projects, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams, and implementing innovative solutions in urban environments provide valuable opportunities for experiential learning. Reflecting on these experiences and sharing lessons learned with peers and mentors further enhances professional development and contributes to the continuous growth of urban planners in the field of smart cities.

While it is often said, that a person learns throughout life, both knowingly and unknowingly, in today's scenario, learning and growing need to be linked to incentives for making the efforts.. and not considered to be taken for granted while the authorities and world benefits in real terms. Data is ruling the world and even this comment contribution shall be helping in somewhat way to the creators of this option, but the contributors should also be incentivized to take it seriously.

cities are a collective act, really too important a thing to be left only to planning professionals, and so urban designers and planners really have to work to set up a means for the community to contribute to, and take responsibility for, how cities function. Only in this manner of positing solutions, getting feedback and refinement can any city be as responsive as possible to the needs of the community itself.

We talk so much about best practices and what this city did and the other one etc. We have so many handbooks and guides about how to make smart and livable cities. I always ask planners to share " a not to do list", or " worst practices". We need to reflect and stop doing things. Not only learning doing new things. Because we may learn to do 10+ new things, at the same time we still doing 10 bad things. So let's reflect and create a not-to-do list, of activities that we should stop doing.

According to me, urban planners can be trained to create smart cities by several activities: 1st, training that emphasize understanding how various technologies integrate into urban systems to enhance efficiency, sustainability, and citizen well-being. 2nd, training in community engagement techniques to ensure technological solutions align with the needs of the residents. 3rd, training to develop skills in data analysis and interpretation for decision making. 4th, training that emphasize sustainability principles to ensures environmental conservation, resource efficiency, and ethical implications of technology deployment. 5th, training that encourage collaboration with diverse stakeholders (government, privates, academia, and community).

Remember, creating smart cities is not just about technology—it’s about enhancing quality of life, sustainability, and resilience for urban dwellers. By combining technical expertise with a holistic understanding of urban dynamics, urban planners can contribute significantly to building smarter, more livable cities.

Smart cities are created for functionality, livability, resilience and safety.They are digitally controlled for efficiency. Urban planners are trained to put the right thing, in the right place , for the right people at the right time. In an attempt to create such wanted smart cities as against the existing cities, urban planners must be trained to have expertise on how to look at the city from outside to inside for functionality thro' urban informatics, data analytics, sustainable development principles skill.Must have knowledge on how to factor stakeholders engagement in the design and implementation of innovative solutions to create smart cities as solutions for urban complex challenges in a dynamic rapidly urbanising world.