7 Citizen Engagement Tips to Help Build More Inclusive Smart Cities
How to effectively engage historically marginalized communities and advance inclusive citizen co-creation.
Lessons learned in the 20-year history of Smart Cities are testaments to the truth that successful and sustainable Smart Cities cannot be built solely upon the technology mainframe. Instead, cities must support and engage the broader community, prioritize and practice human-centered urban design, and provide diverse, accessible, and inclusive pathways for robust citizen co-creation.
“As part of a Smart City, People-Centered approach, it’s incumbent upon all of us to acknowledge our collective responsibility, as fellow human beings, to remove access barriers preventing persons who are aging, disabled and other underserved populations from equitable civic engagement.”
— Darren Bates, Global Inclusion Strategist, Founder of the Smart Cities Library™
Engaging communities in the planning of Smart Cities is critical to ensuring alignment with real-time citizen needs and expectations. Below are a few tips and approaches to foster robust civic participation, ignite citizen co-creation and build more inclusive human-centered Smart Cities.
- How can we create opportunities for people least likely to be heard to ensure they share their specific, real-time concerns, needs, and expectations? (e.g., use of multiple engagement techniques such as accessible and inclusive online surveys and focus groups, meeting people inside communities and at community events, intentionally seeking out community leaders, bulletin boards, community newspapers, social media, sign language, communication access real-time translation [CART], anonymous feedback)
- Is our Smart City team representative of the diversity of the population and what steps can we take to ensure we are inclusive of all community perspectives? (e.g., equitable representation from the disabled, LGBTQ and aging communities)
- What steps can we take to remove barriers to people’s participation? (e.g., accessible venue with accessible public transportation and parking, dependent care, safety, language, after-work event starting time, multiple and alternative/accessible formats, avoid religious and cultural holidays)
- Have we considered all possible target audiences in our outreach? Who might be at risk of exclusion? Are we asking about inclusion? (e.g., who is not included in the work we are doing? what could contribute to this exclusion? what can we do differently to ensure integration and inclusion?)
- Is the environment welcoming to all participants including those who may be reluctant to share their views? Does the pace, format, and language of the engagement activity accommodate everyone including participants with disabilities, older citizens, those facing socioeconomic challenges, and others who may be least likely to speak up and for whom the information may be new?
- Are the insights from populations facing systemic barriers and inequities reflected in our report, follow-up activity, and final product? How will your team report back the research and findings to the people/communities involved in the engagement activity to avoid bias, validate the data, approach, research, and findings?
- How will we close the “two-way interaction” feedback loop providing a tangible response/action based on citizen feedback? How will we ensure fulfillment of citizens’ needs and expectations for change? (e.g., develop strategies that reinforce transparency, accountability, and clearly demonstrate the equitable stake citizens have in Smart City planning, development, decision-making, and outcomes.
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Darren Bates is internationally recognized as a visionary strategic thought leader in global Diversity and Inclusion and Smart City Human-Centered Urban Innovation. Founder and President of Darren Bates LLC and the Founder and Chief Innovation Officer for the Smart Cities Library.™
Darren Bates LLC
Darren Bates LLC is a boutique global consulting firm that helps private and public organizations diversify their workforce by outreaching, hiring, retaining, and promoting qualified individuals with disabilities.
FMI: www.darrenbatesllc.com
Smart Cities Library™
The Smart Cities Library™ is the premier online resource for building and refining accessible and inclusive, human-centered Smart Cities that ensure no citizen is left behind or accidentally excluded due to the rapid pace of global urbanization and technology innovation.
FMI: www.smartcitieslibrary.com
Trademarks
▪︎ Building a Global Culture of Access and Inclusion™
▪︎A Smart City is a Connected City and a Connected City is an Accessible and Inclusive City™
▪︎ A City Isn’t Smart If It Doesn’t Include Everyone™
▪︎ Building a Culture of Access and Inclusion in the Modern Workplace™
