Smart City Readiness: Understand the Issues to Accelerate the Journey

In a recent survey of municipal executives in North America on the readiness of cities to undertake smart city initiatives, these facts emerged:

• The officials surveyed indicated that although some early adopters have smart city initiatives underway, most are still in the planning stages.
• By far, the biggest inhibitor for cities is funding, as officials are challenged to find the appropriate financial resources for both short- and long-term projects.
• Respondents indicated there were internal organizational challenges, such as the lack of cross-departmental coordination and alignment. In addition, many cities need a committed champion to lead the effort across departments.

Based on the findings, there are clear steps that cities can take, such as getting assistance in leading projects, improving planning, and achieving a better understanding of the cost and benefits of a smart city. As they undertake the steps recommended here, they can move beyond the current barriers and start to capitalize on the benefits of a smart city.