Hey, cities: don’t just think smart — think responsive

Here are five ways to do it (and come see us at SXSW Interactive to learn more!)

Editor’s Note: Intersection is headed to Austin for SXSW Interactive 2017! Check out our own Max Oglesbee and Jay Cross, President of Related Hudson Yards, as they explore why adapting to a 21st-century world takes more than IoT, big data, or arrays of sensors — and how we’re working together to create a responsive community with a soul. View session details here and follow along at home at #HYatSXSW.

A few years ago, we could not have predicted that people today would have personal computers embedded in their eyeglasses or the ability to pay bills from their watches.

Our digital world is advancing far more quickly than our physical world. Every day we inhabit or traverse through buildings, transit systems, roadways, and public spaces erected decades — if not centuries — ago. But much of the applications we use each day, from mobile devices and in-home sensors to a myriad of AI-powered assistants and chatbots, didn’t exist even 10 years ago — and we have no idea if any of it will still exist five or 10 years into the future.

So, what will the world look like in 2025? What about 2050? Will WeChat or Facebook replace all of our interactions with businesses, or will both cease to exist?

The innovation that we have yet to imagine will have a far-reaching impact on our physical world. That’s why, whether we’re building new communities from the ground up or retrofitting existing ones, it’s critical that urbanists, technologists, planners, and governments think about designing spaces with the future in mind. We might not know what the future looks like, but here are five principles we should keep in mind as we design physical environments for digitally connected people.

1. Think personalized.

There’s no reason why all experiences in the physical world can’t be as personalized as Amazon Prime, where recommendations are tailored to our specific preferences and purchase history and delivered in the most convenient way.

Personalized services in a digitally-enhanced community could range from contextual information — like travel routes optimized for real-time conditions like sporting events— to the environment within a home, in a building, or in a public space — like personal temperature and lighting preferences.

People in cities today are inundated with information — from signage, devices, and alerts — we are constantly barraged with visual and sensory cues. By anticipating the information that people need, such as how to find an event at a local park or the fastest route to the office, technology can help enable a truly connected community that isn’t just smart, but is responsive to individual tastes and behaviors. A personalized physical world is one that cuts through all this noise to provide us with exactly what we need at any point in time.

2. Think seamless.

There are so many distinct identifiers that we use to access various spaces and services every day — a key to open a front door, a transit pass to board a train, an ID card to enter an office building, a credit card to make a purchase.

What if that friction suddenly disappeared — if our environments and touchpoints recognized us? Gone would be the hours that we spend each year waiting in line, fumbling for keys, purchasing items in a store. In the built environment, particularly in dense urban areas that combine housing, office buildings, retail shops, and public spaces, it becomes even more critical to reduce friction points as we move from one space to the next.

In a seamless environment, an apartment could sense that you’re arriving home when you’re in the vicinity and know to turn on your air conditioner so that your home is cool by the time you arrive. Your pantry would automatically re-stock itself by alerting your grocery store when you’re low on a particular staple, which would be delivered directly to your home, reducing the time you spend running errands.

The best user interface is no interface — that is, when we have great personalized experiences without any awareness of the underlying technology. The first step to making this a reality is ultra high-speed connectivity everywhere: the ability to be connected to Wi-Fi no matter where we are. Eventually, the integration of personal tech with building systems and infrastructure will enable truly seamless experiences across the built environment.

3. Think future-proof.

In the decade that it took to plan, build, and open One World Trade Center in New York City, Facebook and Uber were launched, Apple released the iPhone, and the number of connected devices surpassed the total number of people on Earth.

How can we ensure that we are planning and building the physical environment in a considerate way to allow for innovation that we haven’t yet imagined?

New digital solutions in the built environment should be future-proof to the extent possible. Through open APIs, SDKs, and integration tools, we can create an environment that can iterate and learn from itself, and integrate with new technologies that come to market, avoiding a scenario where we’re surrounded by obsolete technology.

4. Think sustainable.

Last year was the hottest year on record. Sustainability can no longer be an afterthought, and it’s up to each of us to play a part in protecting our planet for future generations.

Wouldn’t it be great to know how much water, electricity, and heat we consume on a daily basis — to track our carbon footprint the same way we track fitness, spending, or the weather? Whether real estate developments are new or being adapted, we have a responsibility to be environmentally conscious and energy efficient. Using sensors to better understand and calibrate our environment in real-time — such as our personal electricity consumption and building energy output — will enable us to adjust our behavior to be more conscious stewards of our built environment.

5. Think community.

Don’t forget, without people, “smart cities are just slabs of concrete with sensors.” Rather than leading with technology, start with people. Meet them, get to know them, learn about their everyday challenges and determine how to meet their needs. Technology may be the enabler, but it should not be the driver or the end goal.

A human-centered design approach starts with an empathy for and understanding of the end user. The outcome is an experience that is tailored to the unique needs and challenges of the people for whom we’re designing — ultimately, enabling us to create a community that is not just smart, but is also responsive.