The benefits of reimagining technology in the public realm
By: Connected Places Catapult
Tags: Street Furniture, Digital Infrastructure, Technology, Data, Public Realm

Principles of good deployment

Below is a summary of the principles, for full details including context and examples can be found here.

Principle 1: Transparency

Devices that collect data in the public realm should clearly communicate:

what data are being collected why data are being collected (the purpose) how the data are being processed who owns and controls the data what (if any) personal data are being collected, and how they are anonymised

Principle 2: Trust

Publicly collected data should be made available, where appropriate, by an independently accountable data trust. These trusts should evaluate individual requests for data, and provide justifications for when data cannot be released.

If data collected in the public realm are mostly created by citizens, they should be able to see how the collection of them can contribute to the common good, and therefore benefit society.

Where data or derived information could be used for public benefit it should be made available to the relevant authorities. In some cases, data may be made available to public authorities only: for example where privacy or safety issues make the data unsuitable to be publicly available. This assessment should be carried out by a data trust.

Explainer: What is a Data Trust?

Data trusts as defined by the Open Data Institute ‘provide independent, fiduciary stewardship of data’. They provide a legal framework allowing data to be pooled together and looked after by a third party. They provide a set of rules whereby data access can be limited to only those that also conform to rules of access and safekeeping. This gives people and organisations confidence when enabling access to data.

“Data Trusts ensure governance structures are in place and address both the terms of data sharing and the monitoring of access…by providing third-party oversight from and creating a degree of separation between developer, data collector and profiting organisation.”

In The State of City Data, we explored the role Data Trusts could have in enabling cities to encourage public confidence and consensual participation with technology in the public. Data Trusts ensure governance structures are in place and address both the terms of data sharing and the monitoring of access. This can be done in an acceptable (and ethical) manner by providing third-party oversight from and creating a degree of separation between developer, data collector and profiting organisation.

Principle 3: Public Good

Digital street furniture should only be placed in the public realm when it explicitly demonstrates public benefit.

There must be a fair value exchange between the place, its users and inhabitants and the street furniture. This can be seen either directly through services provided or indirectly through revenue share.

Principle 4: Longevity

The full life cycle of any object placed in the public realm should be considered and the objects should be subject to review or reassessment on an agreed regular basis.

Principle 5: Inclusivity

The design of street furniture should reflect the diversity of the people who use it, not excluding any groups or individuals and not imposing any barriers to its use.

There must be a fair value exchange between the place, its users and inhabitants and the street furniture.

The information around data collection that Principle 1 covers should equally be accessible to all potential users.

If Digital Street Furniture forms a part of the public streetscape, the design should be inclusive and consider the local and wider community. The design of Digital Street Furniture objects should allow everyone to access the services in a way which does not hinder some users.

Additionally, related to Principle 3, the design should not unintendedly exclude certain users from accessing its services or benefits.

Read the full set of Principles here.