Page 23 - Redefining smart city platforms: Setting the stage for Minimal Interoperability Mechanisms - A U4SSC deliverable on city platforms

How: Find out what data you and others need in order to create value. Then identify the individuals
in the organization who can establish and monitor your data life cycle. This requires a mandate
and a follow-up from management, as well as from technical and legal specialists with links to
“the business". In addition, resources for project management, and a forum for exchange and
clarification when the system is operating, should be provided. If your organization cannot provide
this in house, you will need to seek help from networks, innovation hubs, clusters and the authorities.
You can also find courses and consultancy services on the market.

3.3 Build with interfaces

This step addresses the following for the “what”, “how” and the “why”:

What: Select systems that consist of components with clear functionality and interfaces (APIs)
between the components. Choose components that have a broad user base across suppliers
and developer tools. Use established metadata models to describe specific information models
in their context to make it possible, but not necessary, to express the relationship between more
domain-specific data models.

Why: Interfaces (or APIs) make it cheaper and easier to make changes. They also ensure your access
to data even if you change supplier or technology. In addition, building with interfaces results in
a higher degree of innovation and enables the development of a market based on transparent
catalogues of digital components, services and solutions. Metadata models make it possible to
translate between more specific data models that are widely used in, for example, a particular
sector or geographic area.

How: Follow commonly accepted technical principles for the sound development of software, as
laid out by International Standards Development Organizations (SDOs), for example, ITU-T and ISO.

3.4 Secure a minimum but sufficient level of interoperability

This step encapsulates the following:

What: Be sure to always allow for at least a minimum level of semantic interoperability with other
systems, particularly when it comes to metadata (Context Information Management), data models
and conditions for using and sharing data. Do this by implementing widely used mechanisms to
allow for systems and components to be coupled in ways that do not hamper robust and transparent
data management.

Why: Minimum interoperability ensures a balance between efficiency and flexibility, and provides
benefits to the customer (requisitioner), the supplier, the authorities and to society: Customers are
less bound to individual suppliers because they can move their data or have multiple suppliers.
Suppliers can address many customers with the same system because the basic requirements are
the same, and the design and development costs are lower. Authorities can provide guidance more

Redefining smart city platforms: Setting the stage for Minimal Interoperability Mechanisms 13