Indicators bank for smart and resilient cities: design of excellence

Abstract

PurposeThe study aims to use DfX to develop a comprehensive database of smart and resilient indicators that assists city administrators and authorities alike. The Smart and Resilient Cities Indicators Bank (SRCIB) will identify the level of smart and resilience determinants that will simultaneously provide ways to improve the city's infrastructure to meet smart and resilient objectives.Design/methodology/approachDesign of excellence (DfX) is adopted in dissecting from four best indicators of established systems, and a database of indicators is developed and specified in diverse ways. A new indicator system is then created for smart and resilient cities.FindingsThe proposed indicator bank consists of four layers consisting of dimension, sub-dimension, key issues and the number of indicators resulting from four different indicator systems that the study have analysed.Research limitations/implicationsThe proposed indicator bank is an exploratory approach that needs to be tested in a real scenario because the urban systems are complex inter-related systems with too many variables that may influence actual outcomes. Thus, the proposed indicators bank does not attempt to quantify or solve related urban issues commonly address in smart and resilient city concepts but more to enhance the management of attaining towards smart and resilient specifications.Practical implicationsThe proposed indicator bank is an exploratory approach that needs to be tested in a real scenario because the urban systems are complex inter-related systems with too many variables that may influence actual outcomes. Thus, the proposed indicators bank does not attempt to quantify or solve related urban issues commonly address smart and resilient city concepts but more to enhance the management of attaining smart and resilient specifications.Originality/valueThe study builds a robust guide for assessing smart and resilient cities that is yet a widely accessible assessment framework. The proposed SRCIB allows local authorities and relevant stakeholders of typical cities to better manage its urban agenda towards smart and resilient city objectives when specific indicators are defined. Besides, a smart city can become resilient; likewise, a resilient city can become smart as the SRCIB is comprehensive.