Smarter New York City - by André Corrêa D'Almeida (Paperback)

About the Book

This book explains how innovation from within city agencies and administrations makes urban systems smarter and shapes life in New York City. With case studies challenge the tech-centric view of innovation, Smarter New York City brings together a multidisciplinary and integrated perspective to imagine new possibilities from within city agencies.

Book Synopsis

Innovation is often presented as being in the exclusive domain of the private sector. Yet despite widespread perceptions of public-sector inefficiency, government agencies have much to teach us about how technological and social advances occur. Improving governance at the municipal level is critical to the future of the twenty-first-century city, from environmental sustainability to education, economic development, public health, and beyond. In this age of acceleration and massive migration of people into cities around the world, this book explains how innovation from within city agencies and administrations makes urban systems smarter and shapes life in New York City.

Using a series of case studies, Smarter New York City describes the drivers and constraints behind urban innovation, including leadership and organization; networks and interagency collaboration; institutional context; technology and real-time data collection; responsiveness and decision making; and results and impact. Cases include residential organic-waste collection, an NYPD program that identifies the sound of gunshots in real time, and the Vision Zero attempt to end traffic casualties, among others. Challenging the usefulness of a tech-centric view of urban innovation, Smarter New York City brings together a multidisciplinary and integrated perspective to imagine new possibilities from within city agencies, with practical lessons for city officials, urban planners, policy makers, civil society, and potential private-sector partners.

Review Quotes

This is a comprehensive and timely book that uncovers the 'secret ingredients' of New York City emerging as one of the leading smart cities worldwide... offer[s] concise key takeaways and actionable insights for city officials, urban planners, policy makers, civil society and potential private-sector partners.-- "Urban Studies"

André Corrêa d'Almeida has produced a terrific guide to New York City's seminal experience in developing and delivering a smarter city. The exploration of strategy and real-world applications, the solutions that New York City developed, and the process it went through, will be invaluable to both cities and solutions providers in North America and beyond.--Jonathan Woetzel, director and senior partner, McKinsey Global Institute

André Corrêa d'Almeida takes us on a journey into the many different lives of technological innovations. His concern is to detect what works for cities and their many diverse places, people, and needs. He succeeds, and gives us a refreshingly original book about technology in the public sector.--Saskia Sassen, Columbia University, author of Cities in a World Economy

Despite countless examples of public-sector innovation throughout history, from the Roman aqueducts to the New York street grid, we often forget just how good cities are at coming up with creative solutions to pressing problems. André Corrêa d'Almeida provides us with a critical reminder of just how important--and challenging--it is for local governments to put new technology to work for residents. The thoughtful ideas explored in this book offer key lessons for how city officials, civic groups, and private-sector partners can bring the great tradition of urban innovation into the digital age.--Daniel L. Doctoroff, CEO, Sidewalk Labs, and former NYC Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Rebuilding

Cities today are hotbeds of innovation for sustainable development, and Smarter New York City presents a compendium of fascinating and insightful case studies of how New York City is building a smarter, fairer, and greener city. This is a brilliant, timely, and remarkably useful guidebook to promote sustainable development innovations in cities around the world.--Jeffrey D. Sachs, University Professor, Columbia University, and director, UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network

This book will be invaluable to those looking to understand the complexities of life as a public servant, and to anyone striving to become the champion of innovation that urban administrations in modern societies require among their ranks. The case studies illustrate how strategies for interconnected networks among city agencies, NGOs, individuals, and technology would dramatically improve life within New York City's 'gorgeous mosaic.'--David N. Dinkins, 106th mayor of the City of New York

About the Author

André Corrêa d'Almeida is adjunct associate professor of international and public affairs at Columbia University, where he is also assistant director of the MPA in Development Practice program at the School of International and Public Affairs and the Earth Institute. He is also the founder of ARCx-Applied Research for Change and a former senior advisor to the United Nations Development Program.