Intelligent City Efficiency Monitoring Platform in Kielce

Use case area

Environment
Government and public sector
Transport

Geographic scope

Poland

Domain

Environment

Challenge:

The idea for monitoring the city's development stemmed from several years of experience working with geographic information systems and conducting cyclical indicator audits. Despite Kielce having a vast amount of spatial data and good tools for sharing this data, its utilisation by both officials and residents was relatively low, not matching the potential of the available data. The reasons for this included the non-intuitive nature of using raw data for standard users, which required specialised geoinformation knowledge and skills, making quick analysis difficult. Additionally, many necessary external data sources were collected in various places and in inconsistent ways, complicating their integration with local data. Conducting indicator reports in sporadic cycles was insufficient for ongoing city condition assessments. The Geoportal had a broad but specific range of spatial data, while residents often needed statistical city data. This diagnosis led to questions about improving data utilisation, making data usage easy, quick, interesting, and attractive, and publishing spatial information and analyses in an aesthetically pleasing yet reliable and up-to-date form. The project aimed to address these challenges by creating a system for monitoring the efficiency of a smart city within the framework of a municipal audit.

Approach:

The Office for Intelligent Sustainable Development Management - SMART CITY of the Kielce City Hall has launched the "Zoom on Kielce" service on the Idea Kielce website. The goal is to present city information in a user-friendly manner across key areas. The service uses a Business Intelligence system to collect, process, and graphically present data, allowing residents to track changes in Kielce and compare it to similar cities. "Zoom on Kielce" features management dashboards with thematic and chronological data in charts, tables, and maps. The data is interactive, allowing users to select specific ranges of interest. The portal includes information on demographics, civic activity, economy, and education, with detailed analysis available through maps of smaller urban units. The service currently covers 8 thematic categories: citizens and social welfare, education, health, sports and culture, environment and climate change, urban planning, economy, and finance, with plans for expansion.

During development, the main challenge was overcoming the siloed approach to data production and use, which required explaining the importance of sharing data resources. The team also encountered situations where identical indicators calculated from similar data, but different sources yielded different results, requiring in-depth analysis and commentary to explain these discrepancies. The team reviewed eleven data and indicator portals from selected cities in Europe and North America to guide their work and indicator selection. The monitoring system comprises about eight hundred indicators, each requiring a separate information card detailing its local calculation method and alternative data sources for use in any Polish municipality.

Outcomes:
The portal aims to enhance communication and cooperation between local authorities and the community, promoting integrated city management. Since its implementation, the "Zoom on Kielce" service has provided significant improvements in urban management for Kielce. The platform's interactive dashboards and data visualisations have enabled city officials and residents to gain a clearer understanding of various aspects of the city's functioning. This transparency has fostered greater civic engagement and informed decision-making, contributing to the city's sustainable development goals.

Data sources:
The data sources for the "Zoom on Kielce" service include city data sets used daily by officials, which were inventoried to assess their quality, currency, and collection methods. External data sources were identified and integrated, despite their varied collection methods. The service also utilises data from hundreds of indicators used in Kielce's audits, each detailed in a dedicated card with local calculation methods and alternative sources. Crowdsourced data is gathered through the "Ulepszamy Kielce" (we are improving Kielce) app, enabling residents to contribute information and report city issues. Additionally, a mobile measurement station provides environmental monitoring data in areas lacking city sensors.

Additional Information:

Point of Contact:

https://zoom.kielce.eu/idea-kielce-kontakt.html