The Six Key Factors That H-UTokyo Lab Proposed for Creating
People-Centric Smart Cities
H-UTokyo Lab proposed the six key factors as an approach for delivering a smart city that embodies the people-centric ethos of Society 5.0.The six factors are critical for creating a construction method and implementation roadmap that will complement the Society 5.0 Reference Architecture, making it applicable to any city or community.
Key Factor 1Social Acceptance
Social acceptance refers to a situation where the public is accepting to a smart-city project. This means that members of the public are well-informed about the project, actively participate in decision-making, and consent to the project’s policies and programs.
Key Factor 1Social Acceptance
Social acceptance refers to a situation where the public is accepting to a smart-city project. This means that members of the public are well-informed about the project, actively participate in decision-making, and consent to the project’s policies and programs.
For the social acceptance factor, we envisaged the desirable endpoint—the public are well informed about and accepting to the smart city programs. We developed a range of levels, starting from this goal, to show different stages of improvement in public understanding and acceptance of smart city programs.
Level 0
nothing done
- The smart-city operator does not yet grasp the concept of social acceptance
Level 1
research done
- The social acceptance is understood
- Research is conducted into a method that the organization should use for building social acceptance
Level 2
partially implemented, trialed
- Trials are sporadically conducted into obtaining social acceptance
Level 3
implemented, standardized
- Based on trial results, a decision has been made on how to obtain social acceptance toward the program
- Social acceptance is embedded and functioning as a basic mechanism in smart-city management, enabling continued implementation of programs
Level 4
continuous improvement
- Periodic reform and improvement of programs and mechanisms has been implemented at level 3
- A budget and framework are in place to enable continuous improvement
- The target community understands and is receptive toward smart-city programs
Key Factor 2Data Governance
Data governance refers to a situation in which smart-city data, including personal data and impersonal data (data related to city operations), is governed in accordance with a well-defined set of rules.
Key Factor 2Data Governance
Data governance refers to a situation in which smart-city data, including personal data and impersonal data (data related to city operations), is governed in accordance with a well-defined set of rules.
Data governance refers to a situation in which smart-city data, including personal data and impersonal data (data related to city operations), is governed in accordance with a well-defined set of rules. This means more than complying with personal data legislation; it also means governing the data in a way that will avert controversies in which residents feel that their privacy is threatened, imperiling the continuity of the service.
Level 0
nothing done
- There is no awareness about data governance guidelines for smart-city programs
Level 1
research done
- Research is conducted into services and benefits that would fit the community’s needs
Level 2
partially implemented, trialed
- The underlying approach in the data governance guidelines is applied in sporadic initiatives for obtaining and using data
Level 3
implemented, standardized
- Initiatives for obtaining and using data apply the thinking set out in data governance guidelines
- The above initiatives are integrated and functioning as a basic mechanism in smart-city management, such that they can operate continuously
Level 4
continuous improvement
- The mechanism integrated during level 3 is periodically revised and improved
- A budget and framework are in place to enable continuous improvement
- Risk of controversy avoided
Key Factor 3Citizen Participation
Citizen Participation is series of processes, a place, or a technique in which members of the public and other stakeholders come together to engage in co-creation projects involving pilots and trials conducted in real-world environments.
Key Factor 3Citizen Participation
Citizen Participation is series of processes, a place, or a technique in which members of the public and other stakeholders come together to engage in co-creation projects involving pilots and trials conducted in real-world environments.
A living lab is series of processes, a place, or a technique in which members of the public and other stakeholders come together to engage in co-creation projects involving pilots and trials conducted in real-world environments. It can refer to the following series of processes as a whole or to one or some of these processes: an exploratory analysis to identify the community’s needs and issues, forming a vision, developing services, and designing ideas. To create a smart city, the members of the public who engage in co-creation with other stakeholders should be those who know the community’s needs and issues the most, and their knowledge, experience, and creativity should be leveraged. A living lab is a co-creation space that satisfies this requirement.
Level 0
nothing done
- Citizens have no opportunity to participate in smart-city programs
Level 1
research done
- Hearings, briefings, and other opportunities are provided for briefing the public on, and receiving feedback about, the smart-city’s goals and programs
- Research is conducted into a co-creation approach that suits the community
Level 2
partially implemented, trialed
- Initiatives are trialed to encourage citizens to participate actively in co-creation (e.g., sporadically organized workshops)
Level 3
implemented, standardized
- Opportunities are available (e.g., living lab) for citizens to participate actively in co-creation in relation to a diverse set of smart-city themes
- The above opportunites are integrated and functioning as a basic mechanism of smart-city management
Level 4
continuous improvement
- The programs and mechanisms integrated during level 3 are periodically revised and improved
- A budget and framework are in place to enable continuous improvement
- Citizens participate actively in smart-city programs
Key Factor 4QoL-Based Assessment
QoL-Based Assessment is a new approach to assessing the outcomes of smart-city programs, one that uses human-centric measures such as well-being and quality of life.
Key Factor 4QoL-Based Assessment
QoL-Based Assessment is a new approach to assessing the outcomes of smart-city programs, one that uses human-centric measures such as well-being and quality of life.
A QoL-based assessment is a new approach to assessing the outcomes of smart-city programs, one that uses human-centric measures such as well-being and quality of life. The approach captures the satisfaction and well-being of residents of the smart city, in terms of the extent to which they are living meaningful and authentic lives and experiencing happiness.
Level 0
nothing done
- There is no (or there is no awareness about) a means for checking whether a smart-city programs is contributing to QoL
Level 1
research done
- Research is conducted into a technique for measuring residents’ subjective metrics
- Metrics suited to community have been selected
Level 2
partially implemented, trialed
- Smart-city programs are sporadically evaluated using subjective metrics (e.g., wellbeing, QoL)
Level 3
implemented, standardized
- Such evaluations are integrated and functioning as a basic mechanism of smart-city management, with a PDCA cycle conducted to identify community issues and rectify them
Level 4
continuous improvement
- The evaluation process integrated during level 3 is periodically reformed and improved
- A budget and framework are in place to enable continuous improvement
- Data are used to show how smart-city programs are contributing to QoL
Key Factor 5Human Resource Development
Human Resource Development is a conscious effort to develop human resource with the right knowledge and skills to create a sustainable smart city.
Key Factor 5Human Resource Development
Human Resource Development is a conscious effort to develop human resource with the right knowledge and skills to create a sustainable smart city.
Human Resource Development is a conscious effort to develop human resource with the right knowledge and skills to create a sustainable smart city.
Level 0
nothing done
- There is no conscious attempt to develop a human resource development strategy for the running of the smart city (e.g., staff left to fend for themselves)
Level 1
research done
- Research is conducted into how to standardize human resource development
Level 2
partially implemented, trialed
- Ad hoc human resource development programs are trialed sporadically (e.g., external training scheme, internal training system)
Level 3
implemented, standardized
- There is a clear vision setting out the smart-city human resource that the target community requires
- human resource development programs aligned with the above vision are selected and implemented
- The programs are integrated and functioning as a basic mechanism of smart-city management, enabling continuous human resource development
Level 4
continuous improvement
- The programs integrated during level 3 are periodically reformed and improved
- A budget and framework are in place to enable continuous improvement
- Human resource has been cultivated for managing the smart city
Key Factor 6Data Ecosystem
A data ecosystem is a data-mediated economic zone formed through the proliferation of cross-sectional data use.
Key Factor 6Data Ecosystem
A data ecosystem is a data-mediated economic zone formed through the proliferation of cross-sectional data use.
A data ecosystem is a data-mediated economic zone formed through the proliferation of cross-sectional data use. It comprises networks of data providers and data users who engage in transactions to provide or consume valuable services.
Level 0
nothing done
- There is no inter-organizational data sharing in smart-city programs
Level 1
research done
- Research is conducted into the needs and seed capital related to inter-organizational data
Level 2
partially implemented, trialed
- Inter-organizational data use is trialed sporadically in relation to a particular smart-city theme
Level 3
implemented, standardized
- Services involving inter-organizational data use are in operation and are delivering the expected benefits and revenue
- Effective strategies for supporting data use are derived from high-quality use cases
- The support strategies are integrated and functioning as basic mechanism in smart-city management
Level 4
continuous improvement
- The services based on data linkage are reformed and improved—e.g., feedback from residents and other stakeholders are taken into account and services are discontinued, new services are added, or services are adapted to changing needs
- Periodic reform and improvement of support programs
- A budget and framework are in place to enable continuous improvement
- Inter-organizational data use increases based on resident needs, contributing to city sustainability
Levels (and their criteria) in the implementation
H-UTokyo Lab delineates the steps or levels required for their application in urban and community settings. We introduce this framework as a new rubric intended to assist all stakeholders involved in the creation of a people-centric smart city. This rubric aims to foster a shared understanding of the project's current progress and its ultimate objectives.
- Level 0 (nothing done)
- No actions have been taken with consideration of the key factors
- Level 1 (research done)
- Research has been conducted to explore methods for applying these factors within the target community
- Level 2 (partially implemented, trialed)
- Partial implementation of the key factors or piloting of methods researched at level 1
- Level 3 (implemented, standardized)
- A body of practical experience and best practices has accumulated, resulting in the integration of the key factors as fundamental mechanisms in smart-city operations, thereby ensuring effective functionality in practice.
- Level 4 (continuous improvement)
- The ideal scenario where the key factor functions effectively within the target community and involves an ongoing cycle of enhancements aimed at maintaining its effectiveness