Best way to go? Intriguing citizens to investigate what is behind smart city technologies

• Main Author: Tachtler, Franziska Maria
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Malmö högskola, Fakulteten för kultur och samhälle (KS) 2016
• Subjects: Smart city; Blackbox; Public visualization; Interaction design; Tangible design; Transparency; Contradictory issues; Invisible data; Locative media; Data based decision making; Crowdsourcing; Urban flow; Urban design; Urban computing; Research through Design; Engineering and Technology; Teknik och teknologier
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-22303

The topic of smart cities is growing in importance. However, a field study in the city of Malmö, Sweden shows that there is a discrepancy between the ongoing activities of urban planners and companies using analytical and digital tools to interpret humans’ behavior and preferences on the one hand, and the visibility of these developments in public spaces on the other. Citizens are affected by the invisible data and software not only when they use an application, but also when their living space is transformed. By Research through Design, this thesis examines ways of triggering discussion about smart city issues, which are hidden in software and code. In this thesis, a specific solution is developed: a public, tangible, and interactive visualization in the form of an interactive signpost. The final, partly functioning prototype is mountable in public places and points in the direction of the most beautiful walking path. The design refers to a smart city application that analyzes geo-tagged locative media and thereby predicts the beauty and security of a place.The aim is to trigger discussion about the contradictory issue of software interpreting the beauty of a place. Through its tangible, non-digital, and temporary character, the interactive representation encourages passers-by to interact with the prototype.