Page 147 - Reference framework for integrated management of an SSC - A U4SSC deliverable on city platforms

Cities that are taking a whole-of-government approach to investing in digital infrastructure are best
able to achieve economies of scale for building shared infrastructure that is available to the whole
of the city and avoid duplication of investments. This helps them focus on providing innovative
services and solutions to citizens, businesses and the public sector. Investing in and adopting such
an approach puts cities in a better position to deliver digital services at scale with a greater return
on investment, as well as sustained citizen engagement.

In low-resource environments, this is an even greater need, since reducing costs, eliminating
duplicate systems, and avoiding inefficiencies in coordination tasks can allow additional resources
to be obtained to advance in the transformation and digitalization of the services provided to
citizens, with the aim of achieving compliance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In developing complex applications, this model of Building Blocks can also be applied. A Building
Block is an open and re-usable digital solution that can take the shape of a framework, a standard,
software, software as a service (SaaS), or any combination thereof. Examples of this can be the
blocks that offer services capable of electronically identifying users, creating and verifying an
electronic signature, exchanging electronic data and means of payment, and so on.

Within the reference architecture described in chapters 4 & 6 on City Platforms, the data-knowledge
layer and the common services-support layer allow functional blocks to be housed that can be
used in the design of applications and digital services for citizens, generating efficiencies and
cost savings. Database management, database processing, or geospatial management tools are
examples of these.

The GovStack initiative is an extension of the earlier effort established by the Digital Impact
50
Alliance (DIAL) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on the development of a

normative logical framework called the SDG Digital Investment Framework.
51
The GovStack initiative aims to build a common understanding and technical practice on
fundamental re-usable and interoperable digital components, which we refer to collectively as
“Building Blocks”, to enable countries and cities to kick start their digital transformation journey by
adopting, deploying, and scaling digital services. Through the digital “Building Blocks” approach,
cities can easily create or modify their digital platforms, services and applications by also simplifying
cost, time, and resource requirements.

In the following sections, the GovStack initiative, its architecture, the functional elements of which
it is made up, as well as its evolution will be described in greater detail.

Also, an initiative in this regard has been developed by the European Union through the Connecting
Europe Facility (CEF) to support the Digital Single Market. In succeeding, the Digital Europe
52
programme is funding a set of generic and re-usable Digital Service Infrastructures (DSI), also
known as Building Blocks. The Building Blocks offer basic capabilities that can be re-used in any
European project to facilitate the delivery of digital public services across borders and sectors.
Currently, there are eight Building Blocks.
53

Reference framework for integrated management of an SSC | June 2023 133