Data-Smart City Solutions
Data-Smart City Solutions
Our Mission
We aim to catalyze the adoption of data projects on the local government level by serving as the central resource for cities interested in the application of data, innovation, and technology. We highlight best practices, top innovators, and promising case studies for an audience of industry, academic, and government officials. Through our communities of practice, we connect local government leaders to innovators in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
Our research focus is the intersection of government and data, ranging from open data and predictive analytics to civic engagement technology. We seek to promote the combination of integrated, cross-agency data with community data to better discover and preemptively address civic problems. This website and our broader work are housed at the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University.
Our History
Founded by Stephen Goldsmith in 2012, with funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Data-Smart City Solutions program was designed to catalyze the use of data in managing, leading, and innovating in cities. Originally housed at the Ash Center for Democracy and Innovation at the Harvard Kennedy School, our program moved to the Bloomberg Center for Cities when it opened in 2021.
Connect and Engage
Send us an email at datasmart@hks.harvard.edu and view open positions on our jobs page. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to stay up-to-date, and subscribe to our podcast to hear every episode.
Our work assists public servants, from mayors to field workers, in utilizing technology and data to produce better policies and operations that lead to more livable communities.
Our Methods
Lead
Lead the field in the application of data and technology in governance. Our content translates complex research in technology and innovation to catalyze adoption of new ideas and assist cities with the application of data-driven insights.
Facilitate
Facilitate peer-to-peer education through issue-specific conferences catering to large audiences, and our more intimate regular convenings of our communities of practice, we connect local government leaders to share successes, discuss challenges, and promote novel projects from their cities.
Connect
Connect cities with subject matter experts. By featuring scholars, fellows, and relevant specialists, we encourage cities leaders to learn from, and work with, experts in the field to produce better outcomes for residents.
Connect and Follow
Send us an email at datasmart@hks.harvard.edu.
