The Responsive City: Engaging Communities Through Data-Smart Governance

by Stephen Goldsmith, Susan Crawford, Michael Bloomberg (Contributor)

Leveraging Big Data and 21st century technology to renew cities and citizenship in America"The Responsive City: Engaging Communities Through Data-Smart Governance." The Responsive City is a guide to civic engagement and governance in the digital age that will help leaders link important breakthroughs in about technology and big data analytics with age-old lessons of small-group community input to create more agile, competitive, and economically resilient cities.

Featuring vivid case-studies highlighting the work of individuals in New York, Boston, Rio de Janeiro, Stockholm, Indiana, and Chicago, the book provides a compelling model for the future of cities and states. The authors demonstrate how digital innovations will drive a virtuous cycle of responsiveness centered on "empowerment": 1) empowering public employees with tools to both power their performance and to help them connect more personally to those they service, 2) empowering constituents to see and understand problems and opportunities faced by cities so that they can better engage in the life of their communities, and 3) empowering leaders to drive towards their missions and address the grand challenges confronting cities by harnessing the predictive power of cross-government Big Data, the book will help mayors, chief technology officers, city administrators, agency directors, civic groups and nonprofit leaders break out of current paradigms in order to collectively address civic problems.

Co-authored by Stephen Goldsmith, former Mayor of Indianapolis, and current Director of the Innovations in Government Program at the Harvard Kennedy School and Susan Crawford, co-director of Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet and Society.

"The Responsive City" highlights the ways in which leadership, empowered government employees, thoughtful citizens, and 21st century technology can combine to improve government operations and strengthen civic trust. It provides actionable advice while exploring topics like:
* Visualizing service delivery and predicting improvement
* Making the work of government employees more meaningful
* Amplification and coordination of focused citizen engagement
* Big Data in big cities - stories of surprising successes and enormous potential

Genres: Cities, Nonfiction, Technology, Politics, School, Government, Political Science

208 pages, Hardcover

First published August 11, 2014

Reviews

[R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The digital revolution is coming to municipal government, and Stephen Goldsmith's "The Responsive City: Engaging Communities Through Data-Smart Governance" is an outstanding introduction to the field. In this brisk, balanced work Goldsmith sets the bar for learning about an understanding the wide array of opportunities and challenges that face City Hall in adapting to the rapidly changing digital landscape of modern society. Perhaps more important than the technological discussion, Goldsmith also discusses the human element, both in terms of the individuals pioneering this field as well as the benefits to the ultimate end-user: the People.

Goldsmith is particularly strong in providing a contextual overview of some of the recent advancements made in various cities, gained by both victories and set backs in managing their data. The examples shared in the book offer intriguing hints at the possibilities and potential of "smart cities."

A work of this nature is not perfect, of course. At times, Goldsmith seems to veer way too far into the backgrounds and histories of the folks pushing the buttons and pulling levers. The book is not a "how to" manual for the ambitious mayor, council member or municipal CIO. Vital conversations such as practical legal restrictions, privacy concerns, data security and source of funding are still to be had. Goldsmith does briefly address these issues, no doubt each topic will have its own field of study and literature in very short order. Despite all this, Goldsmith has produced an exciting primer that should be standard fare in all municipalities.

[Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book that looks at how cities innovate through technology and use of "Big Data" to improve government and citizen participation. There were a lot of great examples on how cities are giving its residents means to help improve city services and make local government more accountable and efficient. It was really enlightening to see how cities are addressing now only the challenges of the 21st century but also the challenges of dealing with the costs and complexities of ever changing technologies. Highly recommend!

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

The problem I have with this book is I feel like it wasn’t written for cities or civil servants. It feels like it’s written to people who don’t understand the inner workings of city government. This means the authors spend a lot of time explaining situations or the culture of government that every city employee understands. There exists a culture of protection and not wanting to innovate because of risk. The other frustrating part of this book is that it’s called “The Responsive City” but it largely focuses on New York City which has one of the largest city budgets in the world. How can any city government employee in any other city in America make a $3 million mistake and live to tell the tale? What this book does well is explain how NYC was able to do something and often times it sounds cool, but it would have been more engaging content in a New York Times article rather than a book. The other “city” referenced a lot in this book is actually the state of Indiana. I think the problem I have with this book is I agree that city government needs to adapt with the times 10 years ago, but I read it anyways and it’s longer than it needs to be.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The technology use cases identified in this book were interesting and varied. The authors focused mostly on activities in which they were personally or peripherally involved and at times, the language was self-serving. Overall though, the topics were interesting and the specific implementation details could help other cities to do similar things with this book as a starting point.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

A worthwhile read that explores the use of data to modernize city-constituent services. The primary take away: Use data to engage your constituents, to empower them, and to enable your city staff to be effective in responding to needs.

[Luís Gouveia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Um texto com 180 páginas mas poderoso.

Faz o elogio dos dados como novo capital e a cidade como um ecossistema onde estes dados existem em modo natural e que resultam num ciclo virtuoso para a própria comunidade - que utiliza os dados e os gera e que da sua partilha emerge o desenvolvimento do território e da criatividade das pessoas que interagem nesse território/cidade.

Os dois autores apresentam capítulos próprios para discutir e aprofundar as questões que resultam da emergência de dados a tempo real para a gestão da cidade e para explorar do ponto de vista económico e comunitário.

Em especial, vale a pena a leitura do capítulo 6 (the data-smart city) que é diversas vezes referido na literatura das cidades digitais / smart cities. No geral, um texto de leitura obrigatória para quem tem responsabilidades de gerir uma cidade

[Stephen Rynkiewicz]

Two academics with experience in government technology give case studies in how big cities engineered new systems that put data to use improving services. Civil servants are framed as heroes turning around backwards bureaucracies, but many similar stories could also be told in corporate IT departments. The book's a breezy read despite a few rough spots (What exactly is a "comfortable midwestern twang"?). The authors have kind things to say about a client, the Smart Chicago Collaborative, and other data-savvy nonprofits working toward equal access to social services. They don't address gaming data for political objectives, and merely say "not everyone will agree" what makes for intrusive tracking. That's a topic for other authors.

[David Barrie · Rating 1 out of 5]

The reinvention of municipal leadership through technology that this book promises to share boils down to a smattering of case studies, lots of advocacy and little ambition. Foreword by Michael Bloomberg, puff for the work of Bloomberg's time as mayor, puff for Bloomberg's urban consultancy, two pages (of over 170 on privacy), nothing on inequality, nothing on the impact of Government shutdown and role of optimism in uptake and tick, zero on the implications of fast, fickle and mobile values on governance. Goldsmith is a hero. Some of his previous work has been outstanding. This reads like an extended lobbying note from the Innovation-Industrial Complex.

[Christopher Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started with an expectation that this would be describing the standard kind of smart city approaches we have seen in many cities. But Responsive City goes further - aiming for a more all-encompassing decentralization of power and revolutionary approach to solving the modern problems of governing and maintaining a city.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating profile of a few innovators / cities / efforts who have put data at the heart of improving service provision, engaging citizens and empowering employees. The authors create a lively picture of the characters and their triumphs and struggles. My one complaint is that I did find the authors' exposition a bit clunky at times.

[Genie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent, interesting book capturing important new trends in use of open data and new uses of data across departments in cities. Like other work by Goldsmith, lots of examples, small cases and simple, easy lessons. Well worth the time for this short read!

[Justin Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great intro text for people interested in the potential for data to transform government, from improving service delivery to helping communities find their civic voice to improving collaboration across agencies.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good survey of people and places pushing forward the movement. Inspiring text from the author on the potential of cities. For what the book tries to be, it succeeds and then some. A worthwhile read for those interested in Government 2.0.

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good perspective on the potential of data everywhere to serve up, insights, action and changes in behaviour

[Keith Budzynski · Rating 3 out of 5]

This really focuses on how government's can connect with its citizens.