Page 22 - Redefining smart city platforms: Setting the stage for Minimal Interoperability Mechanisms - A U4SSC deliverable on city platforms

– Dimension 2 – Environmental: The ability to protect the existing, as well as the future, quality
and reproducibility of natural resources.
– Dimension 3 – Social: The ability to ensure that the welfare (e.g., safety, health, education) of the
citizens can be delivered equitably despite differences such as background, race or gender.

These dimensions are aligned with what in the European Union Urban Agenda’s “New Leipzig
Charter” (EU, 2021) is called productive, green and just – complemented by a new cross-cutting
perspective: digital.

A further good resource can be found in Appendix I of Recommendation ITU-T Y.4472 (08/2020),
which provides instructions for open API implementation using a four level (from level 0 to level 3)
maturity model with instructions on how to move from one level to the next (ITU-T 2020).

Once the goals have been agreed upon, a roadmap has to be developed on how to achieve them.
The key is to develop a clear blueprint for what your city or community needs to have in place,
and then leverage specific projects that address defined and urgent needs to help put in place
the building blocks needed.

3.2 Focus on data

This step focusses on the following aspects:

What: Make a plan for your data, from its creation until its deletion. This is called data life cycle
management. Data are not just data: they may, for example, be open, closed or personal; and
special consideration should be given to each type. Keep a strong focus on rights and obligations
– no data and algorithms (which are code and, therefore, also data) should exist without a clearly
applicable set of rules or a specific licence for use and sharing. Particularly in the context of public
service, there is a considerable need for transparency, accessibility and independence from
specific suppliers. Therefore, it is preferable to ensure a high degree of openness regarding data
and algorithms. Access and use are not necessarily free of charge, but should be offered on fair,
reasonable and non-discriminatory conditions. Start with data that can create value for you, but be
aware that data can add value to other (people’s) data without you being aware of it.

Why: Data are the basis for information, which provides us with knowledge, which enables us to act
and experience. Digital systems collect and process data that allows us to make good and timely
decisions as individuals, organizations and communities. Increasingly, certain decisions are being
made automatically by digital systems. Therefore, data and algorithms form an important basis.
We are witnessing a significant increase in the amount of data, particularly in data from sensors.

This has created the need to manage these data flows in such a way as to support the provision of
services “in real time” with a high degree of automation and without compromising established
principles of governance and security.

12 Redefining smart city platforms: Setting the stage for Minimal Interoperability Mechanisms