smart cities and open data

We have 5 minutes to talk to a group of tech and business entrepreneurs par8cipa8ng in a weekend of startup brainstorming at #StartUpWeekend in Khayelitsha, Cape Town. This is a “leave behind” toolkit that aEendees can use throughout the weekend, and beyond. It consists of a series of ques8ons, prompts and resources that can help to refine the idea and business model adopted. These are not necessarily sequen8al, but can be seen as an “itera8ve” process – use them in the order best suited to you and your team, and feel free to come back to any ques8on at any stage of your process.

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These ques8ons will not tell you what to see, but rather advice on where to look

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The world is changing at a rapid pace. Watch some of the “ShiL Happens” and “Did you know” videos in Youtube for some ideas about the pace, scale and direc8on of change: ShiL Happens (2014 Remix): hEps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcZg51Il9no Did you know, in 2028: hEps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpEFjWbXog0 This has implica8ons for (almost) every aspect of our lives. We are seeing more “city data” and “city tech” research groups at top univers88es, state and privately funded R&D Labs for these themes We see economic consul8ng and city planning and engineering shiLing from the produc8on of sta8c reports and plans, to dynamic tools that respond to (almost) real 8me changes in variables “Mobile phones are the new mobility – with Apps that tell us where to move, what mode of transport to use, and that help us book 8ckets or call a cab, our mobility is inextricably linked to our phones” – do you agree? What will be the next “disrupter” in this space? Locally, we already have many, like GoMetro; Locomute, Uber and more!

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“The new norm is uncertainty and technology is in the drivers seat” – John Rendon At the same 8me, globally as much as locally, we witness a disconnect between centres of power, and people on street. People want par8cipa8on, they want feedback, and they want responses to their needs, ideas, complaints… when they do not have construc8ve plamorms for this, they oLen turn to one of the oldest plamorms: the street With rapid urbanisa8on, and hard economic 8mes (now more than ever?) we need to make efficient use of physical infrastructure (our roads, our built environment, our water, energy and transport networks and other physical assets). Ar8ficial intelligence and data analy8cs are suppor8ng not only this – but also economic, social and cultural development. By improving the intelligence of the city, we can learn, adapt and innovate and thereby respond more effec8vely and promptly to changing circumstances (Smart City, Wikipedia) John Rendon divides countries in to four types: •  those who have already ridden the wave of transi8on, landed on the beach, and

are saying “what a ride”: we can learn lessons from these places •  those who have ridden the wave, and are messed up, have their back to the series

of waves s8ll coming •  those who are in the water, but wai8ng for the wave, ready to ride it •  those who don't even see the water yet I would add a 5th: those who see the wave coming, are watching it come closer, and are over-‐analysing the size and speed of the wave, while its about to crash right over them Big companies, like Google, IBM, Siemens, SAP – they see the wave. They are benefi8ng by locking Ci8es in to proprietary systems. They are also inves8ng heavily in R&D: Google has collaborated with Doctoroff on their project SideWalk Labs, with applies technology to solving urban problems Young popula8ons + high growth in technology = new expecta8ons (of service providers, of democra8c process, of employers…) •  we are currently preparing students for jobs that don’t yet exist, using

technologies that don’t yet exist, solving problems that we might not even know exist

•  yet our classrooms look the same as they did half a century ago

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There is an emerging emphasis on collabora8on and learning together, not "being taught" -‐ online efforts like “brilliantminds.org” – and then we see 15year olds developing tech, cures etc Disrup8ons: “expect the staircase to move” (John Rendon again) •  Ci8es are increasingly recognised as prominent as centres of power and innova8on •  The public librariarian now needs to be an open data expert •  Ci8es are shiLing from policies & plans, to principles and tools •  From sta8c reports, to algorithm-‐driven models

Traffic, 8nkering and stop lights: •  Business as usual / government 8nkering: “we don't build a traffic light un8l there

are enough accidents, regardless of how many people have asked for a traffic light”

•  the tech, par8cipatory govt. wave is not one that can be 8nkered through.

Another example: “we check water services on a rota8onal basis, and address problems as we find them” vs. “we respond to real-‐8me feeds on water quality and flows from sensors that exist through the water system” Don't view the world as a "transac8on economy" -‐ compe88on, and transac8ons on set terms But a rela8onship, a nego8a8on, collabora8on and compe88on Ci#es are complex, not complicated: Complicated problem is unpacked, solved in pieces and aggregated for a broad systems engineering solu8on Complex problems change when you engage with them…

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Important reading: 7 steps to a smart city: hEp://theurbantechnologist.com/seven-‐steps-‐to-‐a-‐smarter-‐city/ 6 inconvenient truths about smart ci8es: hEp://theurbantechnologist.com/2015/02/15/6-‐inconvenient-‐truths-‐about-‐smart-‐ci8es/ Best prac8ce from Responsive Ci8es: hEp://www.amazon.com/The-‐Responsive-‐City-‐Communi8es-‐Data-‐Smart/dp/1118910907 Open vs proprietary: hEps://www.fiware.org/2015/03/25/fiware-‐a-‐standard-‐open-‐plamorm-‐for-‐smart-‐ci8es/ Towards open urban plamorms for smart ci8es and communi8es: hEp://ec.europa.eu/digital-‐agenda/en/news/memorandum-‐understanding-‐towards-‐open-‐urban-‐plamorms-‐smart-‐ci8es-‐and-‐communi8es Proprietary is oLen easier to procure, but risks locking a city in to a single service provider, with very costly licensing fees, update fees etc. The entrepreneur also has more opportuni8es to tap-‐in to an open, global system, than to try and connect to a proprietary backbone.

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Components of Smart City Architecture: hEp://theurbantechnologist.com/seven-‐steps-‐to-‐a-‐smarter-‐city/

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Please find more info on the local open data ecosystem here: hEp://www.wcedp.co.za/eic/blog/edp-‐presents-‐at-‐erln-‐technical-‐working-‐group-‐on-‐data Open data for Smart Ci#es: hEp://www.slideshare.net/soeren1611/open-‐data-‐for-‐smart-‐ci8es Why Open Data? •  Govt. produces a lot of data – untapped value •  Enhances transparency & innova8on •  The value of data supports the business case for digital economy, digi8cally

compe88ve city, smart city and vica versa •  There are no at-‐scale “person-‐centred outcomes” from smart city ini8a8ves if its

not also open •  The web has engendered a culture of, and expecta8on for, openness that

everyone can par8cipate in: we expect service providers, including the state, to respond on twiEer, to have Apps, to adapt to real-‐8me feedback and trends

•  The outputs of open data can be complimentary to other objec8ves: e.g. Intelligent Mobility and Public Transport

•  This requires intermediaries to support understanding between the subject maEer experts (e.g. transport planners) and techies. Other ci8es have

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Many interests converge: •  innova8on, entrepreneurship & commercial •  govt. solu8on finding, crea8on of efficiencies and greater effec8veness in state

services; increase par8cipa8on in governmenE process, and cool apps for ci8zens (transport etc) making the city more aErac8ve to live in

•  media (e.g. wWazimap) •  social audits •  improve local government, raise the civic spirits, increase trust between ci8zens

and state (IF state is responsive to new tools and the feedback into the system that comes from that)

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-‐-‐ inclusive economic growth – open data delivery should be structured in a way that helps to bridge inequality, not entrench inequality -‐-‐ A lot of govt data is collected in order to measure ac8vi8es – but how can this data be used to create innova8ve solu8ons?

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ODF is convened by the EDP Different interest groups working on the implica8ons of open data for their sectors, and for how they work with government (and vica versa) Join in: [email protected] Note: while membership is free, this programme is under-‐resourced, we rely on partners providing their own #me, venues and other resources.

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More resources on the green economy & opportuni#es in tech: Western Cape Green Economy Report, 2014: hEps://www.westerncape.gov.za/110green/sites/green.westerncape.gov.za/files/documents/WCG%20Green%20Economy%20Report%202014_0.pdf •  Water and technology in a transi8on to a green economy: hEp://www.un.org/

waterforlifedecade/green_economy_2011/pdf/info_brief_tools_technology_eng.pdf

•  Agriculture: How we can improve agriculture, food and water with open data: hEp://www.godan.info/wp-‐content/uploads/2015/04/ODI-‐GODAN-‐paper-‐27-‐05-‐20152.pdf

•  Air Quality (access Cape Town’s air quality data on CCT Open data portal) •  Waste (access Cape Town’s recycling data on CCT Open data portal) •  Energy (Have you see Durban’s & Google’s respec8ve solar panel poten8al

mapping tools? Here is Durban’s: hEp://www.durban.gov.za/City_Services/energyoffice/Pages/Solar-‐Map.aspx)

•  Mobility (low-‐carbon mobility is enabled through your cell phone...) •  Biodiversity (access on relevant data and research on the CCT open data portal,

CapeNature, or Sustainable Livelihoods Founda8on)

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These ques#ons will not tell you what to see, but rather advise on where to look

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Here is an overview of the ques8ons that you can cycle through throughout the weekend. The following slides unpack these in more detail, and provide you with useful ideas, examples and resources. Many of these steps are interchangable – some of you might already have a client, and you’re star8ng with empathy for their needs. Others will create an idea, and then think about the client. Make it an itera8ve process, and always make sure you have the skills, insight, knowledge required to understand the problem you are addressing.

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1)  Spend some #me thinking about the Future Ask kids what they think the future will be like… Be the catalyst for change, not the obstacle, or at the very least, “ride the wave” (vs. not even seeing the wave coming, or standing on the shore analysing the reality, size and velocity of the wave…) Expect the staircase to shiL… disrup8ons in health, water, educa8on, transport + -‐ are you the next disrupter?

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2) Think about scale: are you building a prototype to sell on & use for experience or to build your porPolio? Or are you growing a business? Ar8cle: Don’t do a startup, build a business: hEp://ventureburn.com/2015/09/dont-‐startup-‐build-‐business/

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3) Diversify your team, consult & collaborate This image is just an example – the exact composi8on and skills, (par8cularly inner circle on the diagram) will vary greatly based on the idea. You can do this once you have an idea, or you can put together a “dream team” of mixed skills, and collabora8ve people, and see what problems and solu8ons you collec8vely create. Resist the tempta#on to lead with the tech, lead with the issue you are solving. With ci#es, it is almost certain that understanding the issue will requires more than just technical knowledge! Chat to your ethnographer, anthropologist or marke#ng friends… A note on language: “Technical Specialists” = “Subject MaZer Experts” (SMEs) In “government speak” these are technical or professional officers; in “soLware developer speak” these are Subject MaEer Experts (SMEs)

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4) “Technology is the answer, but what is the ques#on?” (Cedric Price, 1956) What city or ci8es are you designing for? (tech is easily exportable: your idea doesn’t have to be for Cape Town – Durban also has Open data, as do many African ci8es; you can even target a leading Smart City in Europe or America) Get to know your market(s). Don’t copy and paste from a totally different context and think it will work here in Cape Town – our system fundamentals, and our cultural and socio-‐economic factors, must be taken in to considera8on

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Think big, and start with where you are: what is something that you would find useful? Is this something that many e.g. African ci8es might also benefit from? •  Ci8es are complex and made up of lots of parts: •  Housing & land use planning •  Transport and mobility •  Healthcare •  Educa8on •  Water quality •  Air quality •  Sanita8on •  Energy •  Social care (ECD tools, Apps for M&E on social services?) •  Public spaces, parks, libraries, community halls – can we have an app to find the

nearest community facility (this data is on the CCT Open Data Portal) and rate our experiences of them?

•  Par8cipatory structures and processes (“have your say”, open budgets and open tenders data on CCT website) – what other ways can people par8cipate and co-‐create the city?

•  Here are examples of all the poten8al that street lights offer: hEp://www.oecd.org/s8/ieconomy/smart-‐streetlight-‐smart-‐street-‐smart-‐city.pdf

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There are lots of typologies out there to help you find your niche… Here’s one from the Ripple Effect Group that looks at top-‐down vs boEom-‐up processes: hEp://rippleffectgroup.com/2014/05/21/smarter-‐smart-‐intranets-‐and-‐digital-‐workplaces/

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Here are some more typologies… (And Google image will lead you to many, many more…)

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5) Think outside the box While a cliched saying, do think about integra8on services, or meta services. An example of this is an App that helps city & private property planners and engineers evaluate the universal accessibility of their design – its not doing universal design, its helping designers think about this. This has been developed locally by Universal Design Africa: hEp://www.udafrica.com Can you make an App that helps city planners think about “smart” when doing their designs? How would a transport engineer think differently using a tool you create for her?

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6) Where in the city are you intervening/supply a solu#on for? System (read the fundamentals from boZom-‐up): •  Algorithms (translates data into value: analy8cs and visualiza8on, alerts, reports) •  Screens (this is an access issue – open data is not accessible to everyone; we need

a portal, APIs, and visualisa8ons and applica8ons of the data; we also need people to have access to screens connected to the web; and have the literacy to use and/or produce technology and related content)

•  Data Governance (policy must in touch with security concerns, and ci8zen concerns more than poli8cal concerns – luckily global standards for privacy, cleaning data of iden8fying informa8on, and meta-‐data standards exist; policy might also inform aspects around data colleciton that influence the “Vs” of Big Data)

•  Sensors (sensors in water, energy, traffic lights etc -‐ environmental quality, water quality, light, noise etc -‐-‐ real 8me transmission to open data portal as per Chicago, builds trust in govt. Collec8ng more and more data) and (the old way, but important for qualita8ve and demographic: surveys -‐ can these also be electronic and more regular?)

•  Database management: start with inventory of what is known (databases) and what could be known (what is known: how can this data applied to be more valuable?; what is not known: are their opportuni8es for collec8on through smart

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Reuse: •  Your product or service may create new data available for –re-‐use in another

process (e.g. GoMetro produces data of poten@ally of use to transport planners and operators)

ISOs exist for sensors, data governance, portals and more Look for OpenSource plaIorms, tools, chips and more

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7) Who is your client? And what is the model (once off sale, regular subscrip#on service, partnering..?) UX is a specialised field, understand your user needs, build so that they don’t need to “think” If government is your intended client, THINK CREATIVELY: government procurement systems are very difficult to navigate, and typically do not favour innova8on or pitches (“unsolicited bids”) •  Consider going “over the top” direct to the consumer, or to a service provider of

government (e.g. the transport consultants; or the traffic-‐light light bulb suppliers..)

•  Engage with public sector reform for procurement of innova8on for smarter and greener ci8es through the Open Data Forum or the Regional Innova8on Network

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Some local and global players who can approach for insight, skills, services, networking or collabora8ons.

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There are many research and private and non-‐profit efforts around the growth of urbanisa#on, the growth in data and tech; and how these intersect, here are just a few MIT has no fewer than four separate research groups focusing on this issue

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This is not an advocacy effort for techno-‐topia… There are many limita8ons to technical solu8ons for human challenges. Let us not be convinced that we can solve poverty, inequality, rapid urbanisa8on, economic and environmental instability from behind our laptops. PEOPLE must be at the heart of your process. We will always need qualita8ve insights and nuances and stories from the ground and site visits…

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