Page 16 - U4SSC Simple ways to be smart
P. 16
In selecting the cases to be examined in this publication, the authors considered what would make
a smart intervention simple. The following criteria served as the guide.
Table 1: What makes a smart intervention simple?
(Criteria developed by the working group)
Cost A smart intervention is simple if it is low cost, or creates a new revenue stream to offset
costs. If the intervention is demanding large proportions of the city budget, or a special
financing arrangement, it is not simple.
Duration A smart intervention is simple if it can be expected to show returns within a year.
(This might be done with a pilot project.) Interventions should be able to show real
results, quickly. If it will take 2 or 3 years for results, it is not simple.
Scale A smart intervention is simple if it is small-scale or can be piloted on a small scale and
then scaled up. If the intervention has to be implemented across the entire city, or
multiple city departments at once, it is not simple.
Technology A smart intervention is simple if it makes use of proven technologies. Proven
technologies have been in use for several years and there are documented cases of
success. Unproven technologies are not simple.
Skills A smart intervention is simple if it makes use of the skills that a city already has, or
skills that exist in the city’s businesses or communities. Interventions that require rare
or sophisticated technical skills or obscure knowledge are not simple.
Complexity There are a number of aspects that could contribute to the complexity of smart
interventions. Complexity is increased when the intervention requires: (1) ambitious
behaviour or process change from any city stakeholders, (2) co-operation or
interoperability across agencies, or (3) legal or regulatory changes (although this may
depend on context). Interventions that include these requirements are not simple.
Sustainability In addition to being smart and simple, interventions need to be sustainable. A smart
intervention is sustainable if (1) there is a plan for its continued operation, particularly
with respect to maintenance, skills, and financial sustainability beyond any initial
investment. The authors also consider an intervention sustainable if it (2) makes a
contribution towards one or more of the SDGs and does not work against any of the
SDGs. Specifically, smart interventions that increase inequality (SDG5 and SDG10) or
risk making life worse, particularly for people who are already vulnerable, should not
be considered.
These criteria can be used by cities to screen potential smart interventions, starting with simple
interventions, while they build their awareness of where complexities may arise and capacity for
more complex interventions.
One way to ensure that smart interventions are simple is to focus only on well-defined technology
solutions that have been implemented, reviewed and are already in the market with established
deployment and support models. However, such “out the box” solutions, no matter how customizable,
will only be simple to implement in contexts for which they were designed and where they have
already been proven. Where such smart solutions have been successful in neighbouring cities, they
are likely to be simple and smart. Otherwise, they need to be evaluated for contextual differences
such as support, cultural norms, local practices and skill levels.
4 U4SSC: Simple ways to be smart