How the 'Smart City' Failed

Presentation to state government agency leaders on what we all can learn from (good and bad) municipal innovation efforts

I was asked to speak to the technology leadership for Texas state agencies, and instead of giving the typical “smart cities” pitch, I explained how that model has failed, and what Texas (and other states) can do to drive local government innovation.

Takeaways for state leaders (or all government leaders, in fact) are these three ways to refocus:

  • From Open Data to Websites that Work
  • From an App Store to a Competitive Marketplace
  • From Recruiting “Rockstars” to Capacity Building

Presentation Materials

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GovTech Ideals

Background materials: