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Easy access to services, be inspired with ideas and make a difference
The concept of the Urban 2.0 app includes linking to other apps and services that already exist in different countries and cities and towns, as well as ideas for new services. It could be a Portal to access various services - some global, some local - and a platform that links solutions and services in an efficient way.
For example, consider apps that help people in cities and towns around the world – from food sharing to ride hailing, clothes swapping, tourist information and many more. Many of these apps are created and made available by the private sector. A smaller number are provided by local and state / national / federal government, a few by supranational organisations, and some are provided by Not for Profits. The Urban 2.0 app could link to popular ones in all countries, and it could also be a “hub” for important urban improvement initiatives to engage and inspire people with ideas, examples and information to contribute meaningfully to achieve green, thriving and resilient cities and towns.
The structure of the app mock-up
The design of the Urban 2.0 app indicative mock-up is linked to the Urban 2.0 vision: to make urban environments thriving, green and resilient places.
The app design and architecture is based on the “urban system”:
- governance principles (accountability, engagement, cooperation, monitoring & reporting).
- the ecological environment (how we work with, not against or “over” nature).
- the physical environment (what we design, build and maintain in all senses).
- the socio-economic environment (how we engage and thrive as people and economies).
- knowledge sharing and continuous improvement.
The app mock-up concept has been built with “views” for different people / groups – initially with the following:
- For citizens, an interactive solution that gets them involved and helps them contribute to change.
- For municipal authorities, a way to engage with all other stakeholders to drive purposeful change.
- For businesses, to engage with authorities and citizens.
- For academia, a way of contributing to urban improvement with their research etc.
- For Not For Profits, a way of contributing to urban improvement which also benefits them.
- For multilateral institutions, a way to engage with all other stakeholders to make best use of their resources.
An app admin section:
The mock-up includes an admin process, which could be managed at a local level, for municipal authorities to manage and support their local needs in the app (and also for monitoring and reporting purposes, including for different segmentation (e.g. geographies, by size, by type, etc.)
Supporting solutions such as a tablet app:
It is envisaged that the Urban 2.0 app could be made available as a tablet version and a website, for use particularly for city administrators and stakeholders who will be using more detailed screens.
Maintaining data privacy at all times is key
Data privacy and data protection is a fundamental part of creating any app.
People’s interaction with an Urban 2.0 app should only be tracked if it is relevant, in a minimal and de-identified way, and only if if they consent to it. Any tracking must only be for certain specific aspects that helps people benefit from storing data against their profile (such as for storing certain preferences). All data pertaining to an individual should be de-identified, and this would need regular auditing (as part of good governance) to check it is working. It may be best for certain data to be permanently deleted after it has been provided by people (e.g. survey / poll opinions).
Designing an app to help citizens and inspire them to act
The idea behind a “citizens view” of the Urban 2.0 app is to provide support, inspiration and knowledge to people across the world's cities and towns, with examples such as the following:
- Showcase some of the many great examples of citizen and community action that is making a difference in local areas around the world.
- Inspire and enable people to take part in initiatives in the cities and towns where they live and where they visit on their travels.
- Provide people with ways of being rewarded for taking part in initiatives.
For the app to be of value for citizens, there has to be a compelling reason to use it.
As well as being a Portal for learning, the indicative mock-up has been designed to incentivise and support action by citizens to improve their local areas, for example:
- Receive offers and rewards for taking positive action to improve urban areas (e.g. linked to businesses that serve the city / town).
- Incentive people for "active mobility" by linking up with existing apps that can count steps, runs etc. and earn reward points (similar to some Health insurance apps).
- Examples of using digital currencies which can recognise contributions made by citizens towards the SDGs and improving urban environments, and reward them with tokens.
The idea of this app is not to replace tourism guides, restaurant ratings apps, ride hailing apps or any other app service. The idea is for it to be a way to link existing apps that people use into an "urban wallet" for useful services, and to give people new sources of information and incentives to take action.
The Green section of the app mock-up links to the ecology part of the urban system, so that citizens can engage with matters such as:
- Getting to Zero - how we can all reduce emissions (and incentives to do so).
- Being Responsible - how to leverage the circular economy, reduce waste, and be responsible with our consumption of everything.
- How we Move - how to make a new Transport & Mobility hierarchy work, maximising active mobility.
- Better Energy - how to leverage energy tips, and see good economic outcomes from it.
- The Built World - how we can all play our part in making buildings more sustainable.
- Play the Game - take part in games to improve urban environments, and learn as a result.
The Thrive section of the app mock-up focuses on aspects of the socio-economic part of the urban system, including:
- Finding out about events and activities in the city / town.
- How to support local businesses (and how to start one).
- How to help the area be better-connected to local biodiversity.
The Be Resilient section of the app mock-up could provide the following:
- Tips and advice on Wellbeing.
- Aspects of health monitoring of the city (air pollution, noise pollution etc.)
- Advice relating to climate change.
- Advice relating to Disaster Risk for the city / town.
The last section in the app mock-up for citizens is How Our City Runs. This could include:
- Find out about municipal authority get-togethers and forums for citizens.
- How taxes are being spent.
- Have your say and influence the direction of your city / town.
To support regular citizen engagement (and as a link to good governance), app holders could be invited to take part in topical discussions (in person and online), feedback surveys and opinion polls that are organised by municipal authorities.
Perhaps app holders could be incentivised in an appropriate way for making the time to contribute towards improving their urban areas?
Making an app work for businesses
The business view of the Urban 2.0 app indicative mock-up is structured to provide businesses of all sizes with ways to contribute to urban society and help municipal authorities improve their urban environments.
If businesses are to sign up to an urban app, they need to see “what’s in it for them”.
Perhaps the app can provide benefits on multiple fronts for businesses:
- Business incentives (participate in urban initiatives, master planning etc).
- ESG/Sustainability: let citizens know what you are doing to play your part, and also be part of incentives schemes for citizens such as vouchers and credits.
- Assistance: business planning for resilience and continuity.
Perhaps parts of the app could focus in particular on services for small businesses, in terms of city / town support that can be provided.
Larger businesses may be present in many city / town locations in the app (in one or several countries). Perhaps there could be a feature (probably through a website admin site rather than through the app) for businesses to provide their sustainability data in a de-identified and secure manner so that it can be used to benefit city and town reporting (e.g. SDGs reporting)?
This could be an example of an API plug-in for those that can do it, or manual data entry for others (e.g. smaller businesses).
To use an app like this, businesses would need to see “benefits and incentives” from it. For example, carbon reductions or food re-use programmes could earn them recognition (including letting citizens know about it). They could describe what they are doing to be an integrated part of a local community.
Making an app work for municipal authorities
The municipal authorities (for cities and towns) view of the Urban 2.0 app indicative mock-up is intended to provide a summary of the urban system. It includes ideas for tools to connect and engage with citizens and businesses in a modern and simple way, and ways to manage and monitor urban change and improvements - designed to link into how authority teams work and operate, and hopefully improve their interaction with citizens, much of which today is done through city and town websites which are not always known about or are not easily accessible.
The municipal authorities view is put forward as providing a different way of working for them, similar in some ways to how businesses interact with their customers in the modern world: whether the ideas of the app are feasible given municipal structures is not known (and has not been investigated).
The Menu options for municipal authorities could be split into:
- Activities that are relevant for them.
- How they can connect with their stakeholders (citizens, businesses, NfPs etc.) using new forms of communication instead of (or in addition to) letters and websites.
- Administration & feedback from their stakeholders, and ways to respond to them.
If municipal authorities are to embrace an app like this, they will need to be organisationally ready to use it as a new way to connect with citizens and businesses in their city / town.