Problem Space

Often governments and corporations embrace smart technologies as solutions to problems without public input or reflection. The Right to the Smart City workshop sought to disrupt this dynamic and create models of a civic smart city that works with publics to define problems, and reflect on potential solutions, before implementing new technologies.

Proposed Intervention

Attendees were asked to answer the following question: “What are the best ways of involving publics in decision-making about smart digital infrastructure and tools in their city?” They were also presented with scenarios that embodied the challenges to smart cities and asked to design the implementation of a smart city that has methods for effectively engaging publics.

Social Impact

Based on the outcomes of the symposium, we drafted a summary document, as well as a process outline which is available online at civicsmart.city, along with the white paper “Making A Civic Smart City.” Follow-up workshops in Boston, Charlotte, Philadelphia and Detroit will focus on creating locally actionable playbooks Online webinars will also be available for those unable to attend the in-person workshops.