Yesterday, I wrote an introduction to Smart Cities, and hinted it would segue into some thinking on "Intelligent Communities". In particular, that post highlighted that broadband is critical to Smart Cities. Turns out it's also critical to Intelligent Communities.
But first, why am I interested in Smart Cities and Intelligent Communities?
Since I first heard of Smart Cities, along with the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the Internet of Things and the Internet of Value, I've been fascinated with how disruptive technologies could contribute to better, more equal and sustainable living.
Now that we have a home in a reasonably affluent, medium-sized (about 6000 households) suburb of Johannesburg in South Africa, we've been struck by the impact of good security on other aspects of quality of life in the suburb. Walkers and runners are on the streets at all hours. Families make use of the many parks in the community. Children (sometimes) walk alone to and from school. Crime, including violent crime, is low compared to other suburbs in the country and that attracts new residents and retains those who already live here. People feel relatively safe here.
This is not typical in South Africa
Now, friends in North America or Europe, you might not find it surprising to hear that people walk where they live, but to a Joburg resident this is nothing short of revolutionary. Kids grow up in this city with virtual walls in their minds and hearts because of all the terrible things their parents worry might - could well - happen to them if they aren't surrounded by razor wire, CCTV cameras and Rottweilers. And walk somewhere on their own? Ride their bikes on the street? Play football (North American friends - that's soccer) in the park? Bite your tongue - don't even think it! That would be far too dangerous.
There has to be a better way to live
I'm not a child psychologist, but I'm not blind to the possible impacts on young hearts and minds of this situation either. I can only imagine how this long term effective imprisonment can affect a young person's perspective on freedom and their confidence to step into the unknown. Also, the underlying parental stress caused by constant fear, in this case not our ancestors' fear we'd be stalked and eaten by a saber-toothed tiger, but the modern fear (probably no less in its effect on our endocrine systems) of being hijacked, robbed at gunpoint, kidnapped, raped...well, you get the drift, the list is long...must play out in home dynamics in some way, regardless of how well parents manage to shield their children from the dangers of the outside world. That stress hormone cortisol gets released when humans feel under threat, and if they feel that constantly, it can have a severely adverse impact on their health in the long term.
By the way, is that photo above a photo of our community? Unfortunately not. While we enjoy daily walks through the interconnected park system here, I usually take off all valuables and don't carry my smartphone with me. Could I carry my smartphone? After two years of walking this place, I doubt there'd be any problems. However, I'm not interested in tempting fate and attracting a bad guy my way.
So yes, there has to be a better way to live, and our little suburb of 6000 households seems to be onto something. And I'd like to do my little bit as a responsible citizen to take what has already been achieved here and help it become, well, an Intelligent Community.
Which is why "Intelligent Communities" began to catch my eye
I've only just begun my journey of understanding into the Intelligent Community, but I've already picked up that there's a clear distinction between the proverbial tail and dog in this world: technology is not the driver, it's the means by which people improve the place they call home. Technology (broadband, IoT, smartphone applications, is the tail, and the dog doing the wagging is the vision which establishes in the community's hearts and minds how life can be
Here's a useful starting definition/description of Intelligent Communities, from the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF):
Intelligent Communities are those which have – whether through crisis or foresight – come to understand the enormous challenges of the Broadband Economy, and have taken conscious steps to create an economy capable of prospering in it. They are not necessarily big cities or famous technology hubs. They are located in developing nations as well as industrialized ones, suburbs as well as cities, the hinterland as well as the coast.
The ICF is "a global network of cities and regions with a think tank at its center. Its mission is to help communities use information and communications technology (ICT) to create inclusive prosperity, tackle social and governance challenges and enrich their quality of life".
It sounds like it's about residents feeling at home in the place where they live. Feeling safe, comfortable and able to prosper. Feeling that the place they call home is the place where they, their families and their loved ones, can start to become their best potential selves. To me that's a worthy aspiration - and even better, one that's attainable.
Wrap-up for today
Let me close today's post with some thinking from the ICF about the fundamental difference between Smart Cities and Intelligent Communities.
Smart City projects make cities work better. They apply information and communications technology to accurately monitor, measure and control city processes, from transportation to water supplies, the location of city vehicles to the performance of electric grids. Smart Cities are about saving money, becoming more efficient and delivering better service to the taxpayer.
Intelligent Communities are different. They seek to make better cities: places large and small, urban and rural, where citizens and employers thrive and prosper in the broadband economy.
Intelligent Communities adopt technology but do not make it their focus. Instead, they find vision-driven, community-based, technology smart solutions to their most urgent problems.
They make sure they have the broadband and IT infrastructure they need to be competitive. But they know it is only a means to an end. More of their energy goes into developing a workforce able to do knowledge work. More effort goes into crafting an innovation ecosystem where business, government and institutional partners create high-quality employment and meet social needs. More emphasis is placed on expanding access to digital skills and technology for those otherwise left out. More work goes into engaging citizens as advocates for progress.
Make better cities by finding vision-driven, community-based, technology smart solutions to our biggest, toughest problems. I like the sound of that, and it's a journey I'm keen to take.
