Decoding the Smart City: workshop summary

Smart city systems and applications are shaping how we experience urban life. While some of these changes are obvious, many remain unseen. These technologies are intended to make our lives more convenient, and can be measured in quantitative terms like efficiency and cost-savings, but how do we gain a fuller picture of their impacts? This workshop explores the need to assess the social impacts of smart cities and the potential for different methods of data collection to be used to this end. Morning presentations and guided discussion will examine case studies, compare research methods and frame issues to be explored together. Afternoon group work involves imagining new ways to evaluate smart city projects, applying a mix of research methods to real scenarios and data sets. The call for participation invites researchers and practitioners to submit short position papers that will inform the workshop and lead to an expanded publication.