Partner Perspectives: The future of “smart” cities starts with people, not technology

This article was originally published on Microsoft's blog .

I love cities. I’ve been fortunate to live, learn, and work in some of the best in the world. Cities are hubs of cutting-edge technology and human productivity. But they also have rich histories, beautiful architecture, and complex cultures. Cities are places where the old constantly meets the new. For me, the creative energy that comes from cities is inspiring and exciting.

Still, over the past decade, we have seen some ambitious “smart cities” projects fail. Sometimes technology is treated like a science project, rather than being tied to a specific problem. And sometimes cities aren’t set up to support these projects because they do not have the right people or processes in place. In my experience, data must be at the center of the conversation. Too often it is a secondary consideration.

Read the full article at Microsoft's blog and download the insights from the conversation between Bogota and London.