The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutFCS-15-146 - Digital Kitchener Strategy Update REPORT TO: Council th DATE OF MEETING: October 5, 2015 SUBMITTED BY: Dan Murray, Director of Technology Innovation and Services, 519-741-2200 x7825 PREPARED BY: Justin Watkins, Service Improvement Facilitator, 519-741-2200 x7203 WARD(S) INVOLVED: All th DATE OF REPORT: September 30, 2015 REPORT NO.: FCS-15-146 SUBJECT: Digital Kitchener Strategy Update ___________________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATION: For discussion BACKGROUND: Work to refresh the existing Corporate Technology Strategic Plan (CTSP) began in January. As part of this work, staff was also directed through the 2015 business plan to explore opportunities that would promote greater use of technology and digital resources within the community. This is a concept that has grown in popularity over the last four years, with notable examples of digital strategies developed by Chicago, New York City, Vancouver, Baltimore and Montreal. Each has been developed with varying levels of detail. In general terms, however, community-based digital strategies tend to support the “smart city” concept, focusing on opportunities that will improve quality of life and transform local economies through technology. Cisco broadly explains this concept as “the intersection of governance, policy making, collaboration, innovation and technology.” The Centre for Smart Community Innovation at the University of Windsor further explains the concept as the leveraging of information and technology to improve government services, health care and education. In sum, digital strategies and various smart city initiatives tend to focus on the following core areas: *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 1.a. - 1 Open Government EngagementAccess/Infrastructure Policies and programs that Specific, government-led Enhanced digital infrastructure, facilitate civic participation, initiatives that seek to including improved broadband promote collaboration and ease inform the decision making access, expanded public Wi-Fi access to municipal records. process or identify solutions networks, public innovation Purpose: enhanced to community challenges by labs, etc. transparency and consulting and/or accountability. collaborating with the public. Economy e-ServicesEducation Partnerships, policies and Leveraging technology and Creating opportunities to build investments to support a digital applications to provide digital literacy skills and the economy. government services development of technology- electronically. enabled learning environments. REPORT: Digital Kitchener Progress The Digital Kitchener project was introduced to staff in March and referenced in Mayor Vrbanovic’s State of Our City address on March 27. Since June, nearly 50 one-on-one interviews have taken place with members of Council, CMT and various managers from across the corporation. From these efforts, staff is beginning to have a clearer understanding of what a new strategy may look like. Interestingly, feedback received to date has consistently indicated a strong alignment to the six core areas identified above and supports work already underway as part of other corporate initiatives, such as mobile computing and expanding public Wi-Fi access. In attempt to more precisely reflect the project goals of enabling innovation through technology and creating a more digitally-evolved community, this feedback has been categorized into four themes. As the project progresses, these themes will continue to be refined during the public consultation process to ensure between balance community, corporate and Information Technology (IT) divisional needs: Access to Information Digital Leadership and Inclusion Infrastructure Service Delivery Over the next four months, the project team will begin to engage IT staff to further explore the completed consultation work and the needs of the division. These efforts will 1.a. - 2 be aided by the creation of cross-functional work teams to provide further analysis on key opportunities that have been identified, including public Wi-Fi and broadband infrastructure, IT service delivery, and business intelligence. Public Consultation and Strategy Development Throughout the summer months the project team commenced planning for public consultation, which will take place between October and January. Staff identified a need in the early stages of the project to defer public consultation until the fall in order to build project momentum and awareness. The public consultation plan includes the following activities: mayor’s roundtable Creation of a to provide project guidance and advice; advisory committees Facilitated sessions with several of Council’s (e.g., Compass Kitchener, Kitchener Youth Action Committee, Economic Development Advisory Committee, Downtown Advisory Committee, Cycling and Trails Committee, Safe and Healthy Committee, etc.); online digital town hall An will also be convened, providing an opportunity for members of the public to participate in the project and share their ideas; and community institutions Meetings with other , such as Kitchener Public Library, to identify opportunities for collaboration throughout the consultation period and beyond. Year of In addition to these efforts, staff has established a working relationship with Code Waterloo Region , which has agreed to undertake consultation work on behalf of the project. There is a high degree of alignment between the City and Year of Code both in project timeline and in interest related to digital literacy in the community. Timeline Overall, work remains on track for an expected strategy completion date of summer 2016. It is a priority of staff to ensure that staff and the public are engaged throughout this process to ensure that a new strategy creates value and is balanced. The table below contains remaining high-level milestones for Digital Kitchener. MilestoneDate Council Strategic Session October 2015 Engagement Process Complete January 2016 Progress Update to Council / CLT February 2016 Draft Strategy March 2016 Peer Review of Strategy May 2016 Final Report June 2016 Council Strategic Session Staff will provide a presentation on October 5th on Digital Kitchener progress, a progress update on the previous Corporate Technology Strategic Plan’s technology strategic directions and next steps for the Digital Kitchener project. 1.a. - 3 Staff will also seek to engage Council in a discussion surrounding the emerging digital strategy themes, the approach stakeholder engagement and priority areas of focus for Council. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: Strategic Priority: Effective & Efficient City Services Strategy: 5.2 - Improve the design and delivery of city services so that they provide what citizens want in the most reliable, convenient and cost efficient way Strategic Action: #68 - Corporate Technology Strategic Plan & Digital Strategy FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: None at this time. Any initiatives resulting from the strategy will be funded through future budgets. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: CONSULT – The public at large will have the opportunity to provide input and share ideas on the Digital Kitchener project through the digital town hall and regular social media channels. COLLABORATE – Specific stakeholder groups such as Kitchener Public Library, the mayor’s roundtable group and the City’s advisory committees will collaborate to develop innovative ideas and solutions for Digital Kitchener. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Dan Chapman – Deputy CAO Finance and Corporate Services 1.a. - 4