Smart City Lab - Proposal
This thread will collect written and visual content for the pitch and proposal. The upcoming opportunity to present this concept is at the Open Source Open Society Conference on April 17 and 18, in the open space session on the 18th.
One of the challenges such an initiative faces is trying to appeal to diverse audiences. Concepts like Smart Cities, Resilience and Sustainability can be easily dismissed as 'meaning different things to different people', and being so broad they become meaningless.
The approach taken with the Smart Energy Challenge was to design and deliver a rapid prototype, based on the needs of the keen early adopters.
Likewise, we need to identify some likely early adopters, and tailor and present this proposal to them. Once resourcing has been secured, a working prototype can be rapidly designed and delivered.
Caroline Taylor Sun 12 Apr 2015 9:06AM
@nigeltaptiklis I think the proposal looks great. One thing I suggest adding is a bit more on the pitch to Wellington - eg. Some ideas are it's a tech and innovation savvy place where many people enjoy collaborating and are open to new ways of doing things. Our size makes it easier to connect innovators. As the lab gains traction it has the potential to help Wellington to add to our reputation as the best small city in the world.
Sam Rye Sun 12 Apr 2015 11:56PM
Sorry I've been a bit out of the loop recently - bandwidth was all needed for Lifehack to get through onboarding etc.
I like the look of the proposal - added a little something about the importance of Space. I wonder if pointing to Social Labs Aotearoa would help for people to understand practically what a lab is?
Theodore Taptiklis Mon 13 Apr 2015 3:00AM
This looks like a very useful start. My immediate thought is that people outside the network and who are less informed might easily confuse the Smart City Lab with other economic development and community initiatives...can we name the others and distinguish them from this one?
Sam Rye Thu 23 Apr 2015 11:53PM
@theodoretaptiklis are you thinking it might be confused with Lightning Labs or Lifehack Labs because of the 'lab' bit? Or something else?
Theodore Taptiklis Fri 24 Apr 2015 12:12AM
@samrye Woooah, I wrote this a while ago and I need to recall the moment...I think it was the generic "Smart City" title that bothered me...there are so many versions of this...typically it has meant somewhere with wifi. No problem with 'lab' - apart from the risk of overuse. Brilliant City Lab?
Luminous City Lab?
Nigel Taptiklis Fri 24 Apr 2015 12:26AM
Thanks @samrye and @theodoretaptiklis. The 'Smart City' handle arises from one option for broadening the Smart Energy Challenge to be the Smart City Challenge. There is a big focus from WCC on economic development, and I agree we need to distinguish a Lab from this, but also show how it is relevant and connected.
Nigel Taptiklis Fri 24 Apr 2015 1:12AM
The distinction could be a focus on catalysing/fertilising a low-carbon ecosystem, and also the prerequisite social and technological innovations to enable a city to be collaboratively innovating at all scales and levels.
I think these are much deeper and richer than 'economic growth', but they also need to be succinctly packaged!
Nigel Taptiklis · Fri 10 Apr 2015 10:04PM
I've started a proposal here.