How do you evaluate the impact of a smart city project on the local community?

Advising 11 municipalities across Brazil has unveiled the diverse tapestry of challenges they face. Crucial in this journey is (1) grasping the city's essence, (2) assessing its existing master plan, and (3) conducting a maturity diagnosis across smart city domains. By weaving these elements together, we define tailored priorities and objectives. This approach ensures a tailored, impactful, and sustainable smart city roadmap for each municipality. In the dynamic landscape of Brazilian municipalities, a personalized strategy is paramount. By recognizing their unique attributes and addressing challenges systematically, we pave the way for smart, resilient, and thriving cities.

O tema cidades inteligentes vem se difundindo de forma ampla por todo o mundo, mas a prática ainda n?o é t?o clara. Converso com muitos gestores de cidades de diferentes tamanhos e a grande pergunta é "por onde come?o?". Há, muitas vezes, uma corrida pela busca de novas tecnologias, por solu??es que possam gerar visibilidade, mas n?o tem como fugir: a base de tudo deve ser a integra??o de pessoas pensando em como mudar a vida de pessoas (cidad?os). Ter clareza sobre o porque se está fazendo e onde quer chegar ajudará na efetividade das entregas.

Imagine a city trying to reduce traffic congestion. They launch a smart parking initiative without considering resident feedback or parking availability. The project fails to meet its goals because it didn't define clear objectives or consider resident needs. A better approach would have been to define the project's goals (reduce congestion, improve resident parking experience) and expected outcomes (increased parking availability, shorter commute times). This would have led to resident consultations and a data-driven solution that addressed the root cause. By clearly defining objectives, cities can avoid implementing solutions that miss the mark.

Dont forget in parallel to define some principles for your smart community. These principles will help measure when your project(s) have met their objectives? Plus they help hold the project to account, for instance from a security or putting citizen centricity in prime position.

Beim Stichwort ?Smart City“ denken die einen an digitale Verwaltung, andere an st?dtische Mobilit?t. Einen nachhaltigen digitalen Wandel erreichen wir nur, wenn Kommunen eine übergreifende Smart-City-Vision entwickeln. Nehmen Sie sich ein Beispiel an #Kopenhagen: Die d?nische Hauptstadt geh?rt weltweit zu den smartesten Vorreitern und hat fünf Schwerpunktthemen ausgew?hlt: #Gesundheit, #Mobilit?t, #Energie, #Lernen und eine generell bessere #Lebensqualit?t für alle Menschen. Nur mit einem solchen ganzheitlichen Ansatz lassen sich auch ehrgeizige Ziele erreichen. Kopenhagen will bis 2025 die weltweit erste CO2-neutrale Hauptstadt sein.

Determine the precise measurements that will enable you to assess the smart city project's success. Indicators of efficiency, sustainability, civic involvement, economic development, and quality of life may be included in this.

Ter clareza é fundamental nessa etapa. Vale a compreens?o sobre o histórico de gest?o de projetos do município e de como está a articula??o entre o executivo e as secretarias existentes. Caso ainda n?o haja uma cultura de projetos e gest?o de indicadores, comece com os principais e fa?a uma evolu??o gradativa. é importante que os times envolvidos passem a compreender a importancia do monitoramento no processo de execu??o e também a visualizar as evolu??es. Aos poucos vai se tornando natural dentro da cultura corporativa, trazendo mais credibilidade ao planejamento.

Once, my team struggled to track a community garden project's impact. We set vague goals like "increase vegetable consumption." Later, we adopted SMART indicators: "% of households harvesting vegetables weekly" (measurable) by year's end (time-bound). This shift helped us focus efforts and celebrate reaching a specific, achievable target, inspiring the community!

Choosing the right indicators is crucial for evaluating smart cities projects effectively. These indicators, whether input, output, outcome, or impact, should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Integrating community engagement in selecting these indicators ensures they truly reflect the needs and priorities of the local population. How do you incorporate community engagement when choosing indicators for your smart cities initiatives to ensure they align with real community needs? Let's share practices to refine our approaches.

Once you've set your objective, it's important to determine the metrics that will make it count. The right indicators should be carefully selected, taking into account what needs to be measured and what information will be valuable for all stakeholders. Excellent indicators should cover essential areas such as governance, engagement, education, innovation, creativity, infrastructure, mobility, and other pertinent subjects. Undoubtedly, one of the most significant challenges is to discover how to collect the data needed to provide the correct information. But with the right approach, you can overcome this challenge and make the most of your metrics.

Volte sempre aos objetivos que foram tra?ados no plano de transformar a cidade para que se torne ainda mais inteligente para compreender os principais indicadores que ser?o medidos. Dessa forma, fica mais fácil definir os métodos que ser?o utilizados. Leve em considera??o que os existem processos para isso, principalmente quando falamos do método qualitativo. N?o é simplesmente direcionar uma entrevista para coletar a informa??o desejável. Temos que ter uma isen??o para compreender a realidade como ela é.

There are two major types of methods to choose from when selecting a research approach. 1) Logical methods: These methods use logical data that can be generated by software, devices, or other methods. This type of data is relatively easy to work with because it can be correlated. 2) Physical methods: These methods require the creation of surveys, experiments, simulations, interviews, case studies, and other formats. It is important to create the correct format to obtain the information needed.

Imagine revamping a library website. We could use a survey (quantitative) to see how users rate the old site's ease of navigation (numbers). But to understand user frustrations, we could also conduct interviews (qualitative) to hear their thoughts and suggestions (descriptive data). Combining these methods gives a clearer picture for improvement.

Sélectionner les méthodes adéquates est essentiel pour une évaluer une Smart City. Pour un projet visant à améliorer l'engagement citoyen via une application mobile, on pourrait combiner des méthodes quantitatives, comme des enquêtes pour quantifier le taux d'utilisation de l'application et l'augmentation de propositions citoyennes, et des méthodes qualitatives, telles que des entrevues ou des groupes de discussion, pour explorer la satisfaction des utilisateurs et les obstacles rencontrés. Cette approche mixte permet de mesurer l'efficacité de l'outil quantitatif et d'en comprendre les impacts sur la qualité de la participation citoyenne, offrant ainsi une image complète et nuancée de l'impact sur la société.

Selecting the right methods is key to evaluating smart cities effectively. Combining quantitative methods, like surveys and experiments, with qualitative approaches, such as interviews and focus groups, ensures a comprehensive understanding. Integrating community engagement throughout this process helps capture diverse perspectives and experiences, enriching the evaluation. How do you balance quantitative and qualitative methods to evaluate your smart cities initiatives while maintaining strong community engagement? Let's exchange ideas to enhance our approaches together.

Muito cuidado nessa etapa para n?o direcionar os resultados. Descobrir os pontos de vulnerabilidade da cidade é fundamental para poder desenvolver novas a??es e projetos de melhoria. Dessa forma, o acompanhamento sistemático da evolu??o dos parametros tornam-se chave. Nem todos os métodos de avalia??o far?o sentido. No processo real de implementa??o, vamos aos poucos descobrindo aquilo que faz mais ou menos sentido dentro do planejamento e objetivos. O entendimento de cada etapa e adequa??o dos processos v?o dando maturidade à toda estrutura.

Compare the results to the smart city project's original aims and objectives. Assess whether the initiative has produced the desired results and note any unexpected repercussions.

La mise en ?uvre de l'évaluation d'une Smart City, telle que celle de Copenhague axée sur les solutions de mobilité durable, nécessite une approche méthodique en se concentrant sur des indicateurs tels que la réduction des émissions de CO2 et l'amélioration de la fluidité du trafic. La collecte de données s'appuie ici sur des capteurs urbains et des applications mobiles de suivie en temps réel de l'utilisation des modes de transport écologiques. L'analyse, basée sur des preuves, permet d'ajuster les stratégies. Les résultats sont communiqués clairement et favorisent l'amélioration continue de la ville. Cette démarche assure que l'évaluation contribue efficacement à soutenir l'innovation au sein de la communauté des Smart Cities.

Collect and analyze data from the indicators and methods, utilizing AI for enhanced data processing and insights. Conduct the evaluation systematically, transparently, and ethically, respecting participant rights and interests. Use an Agile approach to ensure adaptability and flexibility, allowing for adjustments based on feedback. Report the findings and recommendations, providing useful, actionable insights for project management and decision-making, benefiting the project and the wider smart city community.

It is crucial to keep track of the project's progress by monitoring key indicators and evaluating how close or far it is from achieving its goals. A multi-disciplinary team should conduct the evaluation to ensure a comprehensive and unbiased assessment of the results. This phase presents an opportunity to fine-tune the actions taken and make necessary adjustments to ensure that the project stays on track. It is essential to be clear about the results of the evaluation to facilitate effective decision-making.

In order to track success over time and make necessary adjustments to optimize the project's impact on the local community, establish methods for ongoing monitoring and evaluation.

I would like to share more about the City of Curitiba (where I come from). Iniciatives that supported the Smart City Award won in Barcelona in 2023. Curitiba's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system has long been a model for smart urban mobility. Now we also have Electric Buses, reducing GHGs. The emphasis on green spaces and sustainability: from 50 public parks, to initiatives promoting waste recycling. Curitiba embraces tech innovation to enhance the quality of life for its residents. Digital platforms for citizen engagement, and the use of IoT in public services is noteworthy. The city's investment in education and cultural initiatives has created a vibrant and informed community. The famous "Knowledge Lighthose" is now also a maker space.

My city was lost in evaluating our smart city efforts. We spent ages figuring out how to measure success. Then I learned about smart city evaluation frameworks! SCMM, SCM, SCI & SCW - all these tools helped us benchmark our progress and identify areas for improvement. Now we're on the right track to a smarter city!

A set of very clearly defined KPIs are important to measure the impact of smart city RoI. These KPIs have to be aligned with what citizen's priority are. These KPIs can be combined to calculate overall happiness quotient of citizen.

L'adoption de cadres éprouvés, tels que le modèle de maturité des Smart Cities de l'PEI-SCC, facilite l'application d'une méthode structurée pour évaluer les avancées et les performances. Je prends l'exemple de Barcelone, souvent citée comme référence en matière de ville intelligente. En utilisant la Smart City Wheel de Boyd Cohen, Barcelone peut évaluer ses initiatives dans des domaines clés comme la mobilité intelligente, l'efficacité énergétique, et l'engagement citoyen, et comparer ses performances avec celles d'autres villes pour identifier des domaines d'amélioration. Ces outils fournissent non seulement une base pour l'analyse mais encouragent également l'innovation et l'amélioration continue en offrant des benchmarks clairs.

this is a key issue for many municipal governments. Often, generic ranking systems, which propose generic key performance indicators, are used as benchmarks for evaluating the impact of smart city efforts. However, this approach fails to capture the real impact of smart city project activities, outcomes, and the quality of the implementation process. It is crucial that we assist local governments in developing ad-hoc evaluation systems tailored to the specific characteristics of smart city projects. Without these tailored systems, we cannot gain an accurate understanding of the true impact of smart city projects on local communities. This approach also makes it challenging to capture and share key lessons learned.

My favorite topic in smart Sustainable cities is the best practices lead by Smart communities that play crucial role in succeeding smart city projects in any city around the world taking in consideration the identity of the city and people.. Communities are leading cities and we should always create any smart city model based in people centered approach..

Example- Smart City Transformation in Copenhagen Copenhagen's smart city initiatives have transformed the city into a global benchmark for sustainability and livability. The city's district heating system, powered by renewable energy sources, has significantly reduced carbon emissions, while its extensive network of bicycle lanes and public transportation options has promoted healthier lifestyles. Insight- Continuous Evaluation and Adaptation Evaluating smart city projects is an ongoing process, requiring continuous monitoring and adaptation. Community feedback, data-driven analysis, and regular impact assessments ensure that projects remain aligned with local needs and effectively address community priorities.

I believe that the most significant accolade a city could receive is recognition from its people. When this happens, it signifies that the project is progressing in the best possible manner, as one of its primary objectives is to serve the needs of the community.

in evaluating smart city projects, one important consideration is the unique context of each city and its community. No two cities are alike, and the local culture, needs, and priorities can significantly shape the project's impact. Sharing success stories and learning from both challenges and breakthroughs in other cities can inspire innovative approaches. It’s also essential to foster strong community engagement throughout the process, ensuring that the benefits of smart city innovations truly align with the well-being of the people they serve.