Help the City of Philadelphia apply a Smart Cities mentality to neighborhood challenges

Local government staffers can only know what citizens need if those citizens are engaged in the design and planning of their services.

For the past four weeks, Generocity has been bringing nonprofit leaders together to hear from local experts on the latest digital engagement strategies.

That’s included digital and data storytelling, augmented and virtual reality, social media for action and Smart Cities — aka local governments using new technologies to improve city services. It’s all part of the second installment of Tech in the Commons, Generocity’s free tech bootcamp series presented by Knight Foundation and Comcast NBCUniversal.

But what good are lessons if they’re not actionable?

To help nonprofit pros make real moves with these strategies, we’re hosting two project nights based on two bootcamp topics: Smart Cities, happening this Wednesday, May 30, and digital and data storytelling, happening next Tuesday, June 5.

(Not that both will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. at the City of Philadelphia’s Innovation Lab in the Municipal Services Building, not 1776.)

The Smart Cities project night will be led by Ellen Hwang, assistant director of strategic initiatives in the Office of Innovation Management. Participants will be led through an urban planning exercise examining the application of technology to solve hyperlocal problems — think noise complaints, litter and public health, but also language access and mobility.

Consider it a crash course in what Smart Cities means to the City of Philadelphia and how citizens can participate in the process of planning city services.

"Being a Smart City isn't just about waste management or public safety but it's how all these different business needs can be helped by technology" @ellen_hwang_phl @PhiladelphiaGov #TechCommonsPHL

it's "The Art of the Possible" pic.twitter.com/Mw8Wq0byvd

— Generocity (@Generocity) May 15, 2018

The event will be discussion-based (with the help of whiteboards) — no laptops required. For instance, attendees might answer the question, “What does quality of life look like in a Smart City, and how can technology help?”

Hwang said the feedback given at this session will inform future community engagement sessions.