Page 81 - ITU Journal - ICT Discoveries - Volume 1, No. 2, December 2018 - Second special issue on Data for Good

ITU JOURNAL: ICT Discoveries, Vol. 1(2), December 2018

DATA AND GOVERNANCE IN SMART SUSTAINABLE CITIES

Nathalie Feingold
NPBA, Switzerland

Abstract – Smart cities use information and communication technologies to improve quality of life, effi-
ciency of urban operation and services, and competitiveness. Several challenges result from the large use of
data in smart cities; we focus here on three that we consider most urgent to address in terms of governance.
The first relates to the data heterogeneity that results from the diversity of stakeholders, applications, pro-
cesses and tools involved, requiring operational data governance to ensure ecosystem sustainability. The
second relates to the uncertainty generated by new business models and new technologies, requiring a risk
management approach that continuously takes into account new risks and threats. The third challenge is
the need to adapt people’s skills so that they can cope with rapidly evolving technologies.

Keywords – Data governance, data heterogeneity, data skills, risk management, smart city

1. INTRODUCTION The few applications we have just listed already re-
flect one of the main governance challenges gener-
In October 2015, ITU-T Study Group 5 agreed on the ated by smart cities: the data heterogeneity that re-
following definition of a “smart sustainable city” [1]: sults from the plurality of stakeholders, applications,
processes and tools involved. The SynchroniCity IoT
“A smart sustainable city is an innovative city that Large-Scale Pilot for Smart Cities [2] is a concrete
uses information and communication technologies example of an integrated project that illustrates the
(ICTs) and other means to improve quality of life, ef- multidimensional nature of smart city require-
ficiency of urban operation and services, and compet- ments.
itiveness, while ensuring that it meets the needs of
present and future generations with respect to eco- In addition, reliance on the implementation of new
nomic, social, environmental as well as cultural as- business models, innovative solutions and ad-
pects”. vanced technologies creates uncertainty and re-
quires adapted skills and capabilities. Ensuring a
Hence, smart sustainable cities pursue multi-di- successful transition to smart sustainable cities
mensional objectives, each requiring the use of therefore requires managing data complexity and
large amounts of data. This specific situation results uncertainty through operational data governance
in several challenges in terms of governance. After a (3), a risk management approach that takes into ac-
description of the specific context of data pro- count new risks and threats (4), and the develop-
cessing and management in smart cities, we will fo- ment of people’s skills to help them cope with rapid
cus on three challenges that we consider most ur- change (5).
gent to address: operational data governance, new
risks and threats, and people’s skills. 3. OPERATIONAL DATA GOVERNANCE

2. CONTEXT Massive amounts of data pass through smart cities.
One could say that smart cities rely on data, while
Innovative cities use large amounts of data. Data is smart sustainable cities rely on data governance.
produced, analyzed and stored for many applica-
tions; this includes street lighting, air quality, en- The major challenge smart cities face is data heter-
ergy monitoring, traffic regulation and smart build- ogeneity, which stems from the plurality of stake-
ings. Applications that require the use of sensors holders, applications, processes and tools involved.
and data collection are everywhere. Data heterogeneity, in terms of granularity, quality,

© International Telecommunication Union, 2018 59