ladies and gentlemen I have recently been a part of a smart city initiative
been a part of a smart city initiative
been a part of a smart city initiative at the city of
at the city of
at the city of and today I would like to share with you
and today I would like to share with you
and today I would like to share with you some of my learnings about how
some of my learnings about how
some of my learnings about how government is transforming some of you
government is transforming some of you
government is transforming some of you may have heard of the renowned urban
may have heard of the renowned urban
may have heard of the renowned urban theorist Richard Florida who said the
theorist Richard Florida who said the
theorist Richard Florida who said the better a city is able to facilitate
better a city is able to facilitate
better a city is able to facilitate interaction of people and exchange of
interaction of people and exchange of
interaction of people and exchange of ideas the more successful it will be the
ideas the more successful it will be the
ideas the more successful it will be the role of government in the way we live
role of government in the way we live
role of government in the way we live work and play is transforming and when I
work and play is transforming and when I
work and play is transforming and when I say we I mean each and every one of us
say we I mean each and every one of us
say we I mean each and every one of us but how is government facilitating that
but how is government facilitating that
but how is government facilitating that change on our behalf that can only be
change on our behalf that can only be
change on our behalf that can only be achieved by the power of people inside
achieved by the power of people inside
achieved by the power of people inside of these organizations this
of these organizations this
of these organizations this transformation requires people equipped
transformation requires people equipped
transformation requires people equipped with the right skill set the appropriate
with the right skill set the appropriate
with the right skill set the appropriate mindset supported by an enabling
mindset supported by an enabling
mindset supported by an enabling environment so what does the Australian
environment so what does the Australian
environment so what does the Australian government structure look like we have
government structure look like we have
government structure look like we have three tiers federal state and local each
three tiers federal state and local each
three tiers federal state and local each tier it’s departments its agencies often
tier it’s departments its agencies often
tier it’s departments its agencies often operate in isolation which some of you
operate in isolation which some of you
operate in isolation which some of you from the corporate world may know as a
from the corporate world may know as a
from the corporate world may know as a silo mentality I call this a meat
silo mentality I call this a meat
silo mentality I call this a meat culture while they may individually
culture while they may individually
culture while they may individually connect with their citizens this linear
connect with their citizens this linear
connect with their citizens this linear approach reinforces the silo mentality
approach reinforces the silo mentality
approach reinforces the silo mentality this meat culture and I believe this
this meat culture and I believe this
this meat culture and I believe this culture is no longer appropriate to
culture is no longer appropriate to
culture is no longer appropriate to address the challenges of the future
address the challenges of the future
address the challenges of the future let’s have a look at one of the
let’s have a look at one of the
let’s have a look at one of the challenges according to the UN by 2050
challenges according to the UN by 2050
challenges according to the UN by 2050 over 60% of the world’s population will
over 60% of the world’s population will
over 60% of the world’s population will be living in the cities and urban
be living in the cities and urban
be living in the cities and urban centers 60 percent that’s a significant
centers 60 percent that’s a significant
centers 60 percent that’s a significant number and many governments are taking a
number and many governments are taking a
number and many governments are taking a Smart City approach to address the
Smart City approach to address the
Smart City approach to address the challenges and opportunities this urban
challenges and opportunities this urban
challenges and opportunities this urban shift will bring but what is a smart
shift will bring but what is a smart
shift will bring but what is a smart city first let’s visualize how our
city first let’s visualize how our
city first let’s visualize how our cities look like today
cities look like today
cities look like today pretend that I’m your helicopter pilot
pretend that I’m your helicopter pilot
pretend that I’m your helicopter pilot and come take a seat next to me close
and come take a seat next to me close
and come take a seat next to me close your eyes as we hover over this building
your eyes as we hover over this building
your eyes as we hover over this building and what do you see
and what do you see
and what do you see probably this building and some
probably this building and some
probably this building and some neighboring buildings
neighboring buildings
neighboring buildings let’s go a little higher kids playing in
let’s go a little higher kids playing in
let’s go a little higher kids playing in a playground people riding their bike on
a playground people riding their bike on
a playground people riding their bike on a bike path
a bike path
a bike path let’s go higher still city skyscrapers
let’s go higher still city skyscrapers
let’s go higher still city skyscrapers sports centers railway lines as we come
sports centers railway lines as we come
sports centers railway lines as we come back safely to the ground open your eyes
back safely to the ground open your eyes
back safely to the ground open your eyes and ask yourself who is this bike path
and ask yourself who is this bike path
and ask yourself who is this bike path railway lines for it’s for the community
railway lines for it’s for the community
railway lines for it’s for the community for the citizens for you and me all of
for the citizens for you and me all of
for the citizens for you and me all of these services all of this
these services all of this
these services all of this infrastructure they are managed by
infrastructure they are managed by
infrastructure they are managed by different tiers different departments
different tiers different departments
different tiers different departments different agencies to me a smart city is
different agencies to me a smart city is
different agencies to me a smart city is where all of these components are
where all of these components are
where all of these components are working effectively and efficiently to
working effectively and efficiently to
working effectively and efficiently to provide the best quality of life for
provide the best quality of life for
provide the best quality of life for those who live work and play in these
those who live work and play in these
those who live work and play in these cities underpinning this quality of life
cities underpinning this quality of life
cities underpinning this quality of life is the need to make sure that these
is the need to make sure that these
is the need to make sure that these cities are economically strong
cities are economically strong
cities are economically strong environmentally sustainable and
environmentally sustainable and
environmentally sustainable and culturally rich can these cities be
culturally rich can these cities be
culturally rich can these cities be delivered by this me culture by the silo
delivered by this me culture by the silo
delivered by this me culture by the silo approach I would argue no I’ll share two
approach I would argue no I’ll share two
approach I would argue no I’ll share two learnings from my smart city experience
learnings from my smart city experience
learnings from my smart city experience firstly I learned that government has
firstly I learned that government has
firstly I learned that government has started to move from connect to
started to move from connect to
started to move from connect to interconnect they have started to
interconnect they have started to
interconnect they have started to collaborate to provide better more
collaborate to provide better more
collaborate to provide better more integrated services for the citizens
integrated services for the citizens
integrated services for the citizens when the smart city wave started in
when the smart city wave started in
when the smart city wave started in Australia local government were some of
Australia local government were some of
Australia local government were some of the leading players federal government
the leading players federal government
the leading players federal government increasingly saw the need to support
increasingly saw the need to support
increasingly saw the need to support local government but a low level of
local government but a low level of
local government but a low level of interaction between state and local lack
interaction between state and local lack
interaction between state and local lack of this interconnectedness limited the
of this interconnectedness limited the
of this interconnectedness limited the opportunities presented by smart city
opportunities presented by smart city
opportunities presented by smart city initiative fortunately that has started
initiative fortunately that has started
initiative fortunately that has started to change state government increasing
to change state government increasing
to change state government increasing its participation this
its participation this
its participation this interconnectedness is getting better
interconnectedness is getting better
interconnectedness is getting better however it is in very early stages I
however it is in very early stages I
however it is in very early stages I call this interconnectedness
call this interconnectedness
call this interconnectedness as a transition from a weak culture from
as a transition from a weak culture from
as a transition from a weak culture from a me culture to a weak culture but why
a me culture to a weak culture but why
a me culture to a weak culture but why do we need to transition to a weak
do we need to transition to a weak
do we need to transition to a weak culture let’s consider a scenario from a
culture let’s consider a scenario from a
culture let’s consider a scenario from a city of the future which by the way will
city of the future which by the way will
city of the future which by the way will be upon us very very soon autonomous
be upon us very very soon autonomous
be upon us very very soon autonomous vehicles can you believe it soon we will
vehicles can you believe it soon we will
vehicles can you believe it soon we will have robots driving us in cars and buses
have robots driving us in cars and buses
have robots driving us in cars and buses on our roads it’s not far and in the
on our roads it’s not far and in the
on our roads it’s not far and in the process state government might look
process state government might look
process state government might look after integrating those autonomous
after integrating those autonomous
after integrating those autonomous vehicles with our mobility experience in
vehicles with our mobility experience in
vehicles with our mobility experience in and around the cities local government
and around the cities local government
and around the cities local government might play a role in looking after
might play a role in looking after
might play a role in looking after pedestrian crossings and parking federal
pedestrian crossings and parking federal
pedestrian crossings and parking federal government at the same time might
government at the same time might
government at the same time might facilitate international investment or
facilitate international investment or
facilitate international investment or look after safety standard of these
look after safety standard of these
look after safety standard of these vehicles challenges like these cannot be
vehicles challenges like these cannot be
vehicles challenges like these cannot be addressed unless all tiers are
addressed unless all tiers are
addressed unless all tiers are interconnected and working together but
interconnected and working together but
interconnected and working together but is that enough this is where my second
is that enough this is where my second
is that enough this is where my second learning became evident and I realized
learning became evident and I realized
learning became evident and I realized the need to move beyond from me to we
the need to move beyond from me to we
the need to move beyond from me to we towards what I see as a transformation
towards what I see as a transformation
towards what I see as a transformation towards an us culture and by us I mean
towards an us culture and by us I mean
towards an us culture and by us I mean all tiers of government working together
all tiers of government working together
all tiers of government working together all departments or agencies working with
all departments or agencies working with
all departments or agencies working with their citizens at city of Melbourne all
their citizens at city of Melbourne all
their citizens at city of Melbourne all the time we ask this question what is
the time we ask this question what is
the time we ask this question what is the most important element of this urban
the most important element of this urban
the most important element of this urban design process isn’t it the needs of the
design process isn’t it the needs of the
design process isn’t it the needs of the citizens isn’t it your needs and my
citizens isn’t it your needs and my
citizens isn’t it your needs and my needs coming back to what Richard
needs coming back to what Richard
needs coming back to what Richard Florida said keywords being interaction
Florida said keywords being interaction
Florida said keywords being interaction of people and exchange of ideas
of people and exchange of ideas
of people and exchange of ideas government need to work more closely
government need to work more closely
government need to work more closely with their citizens to understand how to
with their citizens to understand how to
with their citizens to understand how to best facilitate these exchanges and
best facilitate these exchanges and
best facilitate these exchanges and these interactions in my team we use
these interactions in my team we use
these interactions in my team we use human centered approach to come up with
human centered approach to come up with
human centered approach to come up with a process to make sure that every
a process to make sure that every
a process to make sure that every project that we work on engages with the
project that we work on engages with the
project that we work on engages with the citizen from beginning till the end
citizen from beginning till the end
citizen from beginning till the end involve them in the beginning to
involve them in the beginning to
involve them in the beginning to understand what their needs are define
understand what their needs are define
understand what their needs are define the right problem
the right problem
the right problem work with them throughout so that we are
work with them throughout so that we are
work with them throughout so that we are delivering the solution that actually
delivering the solution that actually
delivering the solution that actually solves their problem for a smart city to
solves their problem for a smart city to
solves their problem for a smart city to be truly smart governments first need to
be truly smart governments first need to
be truly smart governments first need to start with understanding the needs of
start with understanding the needs of
start with understanding the needs of their citizens and only then look for
their citizens and only then look for
their citizens and only then look for the technological or infrastructure
the technological or infrastructure
the technological or infrastructure solutions to meet those needs but
solutions to meet those needs but
solutions to meet those needs but there’s a bigger question there
there’s a bigger question there
there’s a bigger question there how do governments collaborate and work
how do governments collaborate and work
how do governments collaborate and work as we how do governments work
as we how do governments work
as we how do governments work hand-in-hand with citizens as us it can
hand-in-hand with citizens as us it can
hand-in-hand with citizens as us it can only happen by harnessing the power of
only happen by harnessing the power of
only happen by harnessing the power of people in these organizations and every
people in these organizations and every
people in these organizations and every tier we need team members to have the
tier we need team members to have the
tier we need team members to have the right skill set the appropriate mindset
right skill set the appropriate mindset
right skill set the appropriate mindset and we need governments to provide with
and we need governments to provide with
and we need governments to provide with them with an enabling environment we
them with an enabling environment we
them with an enabling environment we need skills that encompass human skills
need skills that encompass human skills
need skills that encompass human skills and tech skills human skills are the key
and tech skills human skills are the key
and tech skills human skills are the key teams that value human centered design
teams that value human centered design
teams that value human centered design will include citizens as co-creators of
will include citizens as co-creators of
will include citizens as co-creators of their own smart cities they will listen
their own smart cities they will listen
their own smart cities they will listen and learn have meaningful conversations
and learn have meaningful conversations
and learn have meaningful conversations to understand the needs of the citizens
to understand the needs of the citizens
to understand the needs of the citizens they will include all the communities
they will include all the communities
they will include all the communities they will involve business community
they will involve business community
they will involve business community education community even communities on
education community even communities on
education community even communities on the edges everyone will have a say and
the edges everyone will have a say and
the edges everyone will have a say and they will participate in designing their
they will participate in designing their
they will participate in designing their own smart cities their own smart cities
own smart cities their own smart cities
own smart cities their own smart cities that are economically strong
that are economically strong
that are economically strong environmentally sustainable and
environmentally sustainable and
environmentally sustainable and culturally rich along with these skills
culturally rich along with these skills
culturally rich along with these skills we need mindset we need a certain
we need mindset we need a certain
we need mindset we need a certain mindset which is a combination of
mindset which is a combination of
mindset which is a combination of various attitudes to affect this
various attitudes to affect this
various attitudes to affect this transformation towards an us culture we
transformation towards an us culture we
transformation towards an us culture we need an ecosystem mindset that connects
need an ecosystem mindset that connects
need an ecosystem mindset that connects the conversations across various tiers
the conversations across various tiers
the conversations across various tiers we need a mindset that inspires and
we need a mindset that inspires and
we need a mindset that inspires and motivates the rest of the organization
motivates the rest of the organization
motivates the rest of the organization and takes the organization with them we
and takes the organization with them we
and takes the organization with them we need a mindset that is continuously
need a mindset that is continuously
need a mindset that is continuously challenging the status quo and
challenging the status quo and
challenging the status quo and experimenting with parts towards a new
experimenting with parts towards a new
experimenting with parts towards a new way of living working and playing in our
way of living working and playing in our
way of living working and playing in our cities
cities
cities skill set and mindset are the C’s now we
skill set and mindset are the C’s now we
skill set and mindset are the C’s now we need an activating environment we need
need an activating environment we need
need an activating environment we need an open leadership that allows the team
an open leadership that allows the team
an open leadership that allows the team members to be change agents empowered by
members to be change agents empowered by
members to be change agents empowered by skillset and mindset supported by these
skillset and mindset supported by these
skillset and mindset supported by these leadership these team members will
leadership these team members will
leadership these team members will collaborate expand conversations and
collaborate expand conversations and
collaborate expand conversations and make a real difference in our lives
make a real difference in our lives
make a real difference in our lives this enabling environment is a
this enabling environment is a
this enabling environment is a playground it’s an open space where
playground it’s an open space where
playground it’s an open space where these tiers interconnect they interact
these tiers interconnect they interact
these tiers interconnect they interact and this is where they invite citizens
and this is where they invite citizens
and this is where they invite citizens to join them as well this is where new
to join them as well this is where new
to join them as well this is where new relationships are formed a new mindset
relationships are formed a new mindset
relationships are formed a new mindset is strengthened and this is what I mean
is strengthened and this is what I mean
is strengthened and this is what I mean by a truly transformative US culture all
by a truly transformative US culture all
by a truly transformative US culture all tiers of government and citizens working
tiers of government and citizens working
tiers of government and citizens working hand in hand I would wrap up by
hand in hand I would wrap up by
hand in hand I would wrap up by reiterating that government is going
reiterating that government is going
reiterating that government is going through this revolution of
through this revolution of
through this revolution of transformation transformation essential
transformation transformation essential
transformation transformation essential to deliver the services of the future
to deliver the services of the future
to deliver the services of the future transformation necessary to continue to
transformation necessary to continue to
transformation necessary to continue to deliver our cities of the future and to
deliver our cities of the future and to
deliver our cities of the future and to successfully transform from me to we to
successfully transform from me to we to
successfully transform from me to we to US government need people people are
US government need people people are
US government need people people are central to this transformation to
central to this transformation to
central to this transformation to nurture this US philosophy I’ll leave
nurture this US philosophy I’ll leave
nurture this US philosophy I’ll leave you with one final thought government is
you with one final thought government is
you with one final thought government is facilitating that change on our behalf
facilitating that change on our behalf
facilitating that change on our behalf it is our government and we are a part
it is our government and we are a part
it is our government and we are a part of it ask yourself as citizens what is
of it ask yourself as citizens what is
of it ask yourself as citizens what is our role in this transformation what can
our role in this transformation what can
our role in this transformation what can we do to contribute I see our role as at
we do to contribute I see our role as at
we do to contribute I see our role as at least an engaged citizen to support this
least an engaged citizen to support this
least an engaged citizen to support this transformation and it has never been
transformation and it has never been
transformation and it has never been easier in this digital age reach out to
easier in this digital age reach out to
easier in this digital age reach out to your local government reach out to your
your local government reach out to your
your local government reach out to your state government reach out to federal
state government reach out to federal
state government reach out to federal tell them what is it that you need
tell them what is it that you need
tell them what is it that you need engage with them it’s up to us to play
engage with them it’s up to us to play
engage with them it’s up to us to play our part and get involved let’s make
our part and get involved let’s make
our part and get involved let’s make sure we do our bit thank you
sure we do our bit thank you
”
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