A technology idea that I pitched for *Innovate Chandigarh* contest organized by ISB and CAN, in October 2018. I proposed a *Digitally Prepared City - Chandigarh* that is digitally equipped for early steps in its smart city growth goals. A digitally prepared city makes it connected (people, devices, transport, assets, infrastructure, and technology) and sustainable for a data-driven governance. My idea pitch won the first round, and I will be pitching live in January.
2. Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn
Sunil. A Restaurateur in Chandigarh
Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
3. Shopkeeper. Banker. Artist. OR Jobless.
Chandigarh Citizens.
Physically Challenged. Divorcee.
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
4. An Example
Files RTI
• Applies to renew RC of his car
• OR, wants to get marriage certificate
• Transfer his property
• Responding to a petition by court or police station
• Seeking approval for solar panel or rainwater harvesting
Ram Prasad – A Teacher
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
5. If I am Charan Kaur…
• Where are the dots that I want to connect?
Example 2: Finding Her Case
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
6. Finds http://chandigarh.gov.in/knowchd_gen_mus.htm and sees
this broken website of museum: http://chdmuseum.nic.in/
Jeanie – From Germany
Example 3: A Tourist
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
7. No Ownership?
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
8. No Ownership?
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
9. And We Talk about TRUST?
Citizen–Government–Citizen?
50+ Examples. Phone Friendly?
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
10. But. Tomorrow?
Our Today is Tolerable.
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
11. Citizens on Skateboard
• Frustration – Hours Lost – Productivity.
• Impact – Their Mood. Family. Health. Economy.
• Consumer – Information lacks context
Our Today is Just Tolerable
For Sunil. Ram Prasad. Jeanie.
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
12. Administration too on Skateboard
• Duplicate Effort: Different departments ask, add, process,
share, find, process, store same information of same person.
• Cost. Inconsistency. Silo-ed (Walled) Culture.
• Broken Governance – No Brand. No Trust
Our Today is Just Tolerable
Face 1
Face 2
Face 3
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
13. Tomorrow?
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
14. Chandigarh
Digitally Prepared for Future
Connected. Sustainable. City as a Service
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
15. Is Chandigarh’s Current Digital Scalable?
• For a New Stadium, or New Airport?
• For Self-Driving Cars?
• For a New Policy on Energy Ownership?
No.
Vinish Garg, of vhite | @vingar Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
16. The Challenge is Not Only This!
For Tomorrow
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
17. Inclusivity. Preparedness for All.
Millennials. Retired. Transgender. Live-In. Single Parents.
Corporate. Challenged. Egoists. Beyond Classes and Lens.
The Challenge is This Too!
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
18. • Flying Cars
• Drones as a Service
• Mobile Homes
• Or, Paying Bills in Bitcoins
• Mobility
• Connected Utilities
• Safety (Data Driven Policing)
• Effective Administration
Our Needs.
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
Digitally Prepared for Future
19. Source
A City: For a Citizen Journey
For Sunil. Ram Prasad. Jeanie.
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
21. Right People.
For Right Buy-in.
Invest in a Vision
First Steps…
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
22. Investment In
A Structured Inventory of…
People
Assets – Buildings, Entities, Vehicles
Tech – Devices and Sensors, Hardware
Data – People, Devices, Infra, Assets, Tech
A Defined Governance Model
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
23. Connected Inventory Dots
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
Source: McKinsey: Global Index Report
24. Strategy
Digital is not Technology Driven. It is Business Rules
Driven
Roadblocks. Constraints. Limitations. Handled
Outside the Technology.
Project is For the Outcome – Not for Solution
Vinish Garg, of vhite | @vingar Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
25. Vinish Garg, of vhite | @vingar Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
26. Plan For
• Commute
• Goods and Services
• Safety, Health (air quality)
• Unknown Transit (Future)
Source
Node 1: Mobility
Saves – Time and Energy
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
Prepared to Scale
27. Connected. Data-Driven.
• Shared Rides
• EV Transport
• Driverless Cars
• Seamless Transit
• Public Transport
Source
Node 1: Mobility
+ Pedestrian Culture
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
28. Node 1:
Mobility
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
29. Sensors Beyond Security, Escalators, and Taps
Node 2: Connected, Smart Buildings
Buildings Digitally Connected: Data Driven Context
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
30. Node 2: Connected and Aware Buildings
Adaptive: Weather, User Context
For Sunil.
Intelligent: Way-finding, Health Variables.
For Ram Prasad.
Connected: Transport. Government Departments. Police.
For Jeanie.
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
31. Node 3: Technology
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
32. • Basic
• Acquired
• Geo-
• Bio-
• Electro-
• Legal
• History
• Private
Scalable. Loosely Coupled.
Node 4: Citizens Data
Privacy Ensured. Comprehensive.
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
33. The UX Friction
Our Current Digital is Fractured
Vinish Garg, of vhite | LinkedIn Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
34. Targeted Outcome
Immediate
City has Data.
City is Aware. It informs Policies, Regulations.
City is Responsive. Accurate. Service-Oriented.
Sunil, Jeanie, Ram Prasad are Secure. Happier.
Vinish Garg, of vhite | @vingar Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
35. Targeted Outcome
Gradually
Recycle Strategy. Save Energy and Resources
Quality of Life. Boost in Tourism.
New Business. Jobs. Efficient Administration.
Win-Win for All.
Vinish Garg, of vhite | @vingar Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
36. Numbers?
Population. Per Capita Income. Vehicles Ratio.
Literacy Rate. GDP.
Needless Arguments.
Chandigarh’s Digital NEED is beyond Numbers.
Vinish Garg, of vhite | @vingar Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
37. Citizens Behind The Scenes
Vinish Garg
Product Consultant. Digital Experience Strategist, Product
Owner, Working with global clients for ten years
Role in Project
• Project Owner – Digital Strategy, and Roadmap
• Identify Data Points, Master Inventory, Project Plan
• Plan Citizen Journey
• Position Chandigarh as–”City as a Service”
Vinish Garg, of vhite | @vingar Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
LinkedIn. Twitter. Website. Speaking. Medium.
38. Citizens Behind The Scenes
Vinish Garg
Buy-In From Sarah Richards, Yellow Pencil, and More
Vinish Garg, of vhite | @vingar Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
39. Citizens Behind The Scenes
Archit Garg
Total of eighteen years of experience in Corporate Real
Estate, Retail, Telecom, Adjacent Banking, in India & MNCs
Role in Project
• Infrastructure research and inventory ownership
• Mobility research and inventory ownership
• Project management for approvals, proposals, compliance
with government and adjacent agencies and departments
Vinish Garg, of vhite | @vingar Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
40. Citizens Behind The Scenes
Deepak Jindal
Director, Owner of Maya Garden Group
Role in Project
- Big picture infrastructure strategy – smart buildings
- Project Facility, Operations, Sources
- Owner Operations and Delivery
Vinish Garg, of vhite | @vingar Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
41. • Gov.UK (The project owner, Sarah Richards is my friend,
Her Interview on Gov.UK Website Redesign)
• Design for Shared Living
• Mobility and Safety in India
And Reference Studies.
Vinish Garg, of vhite | @vingar Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
Similar Success Stories, Elsewhere
We Are Already Late.
42. Our Experience and References
Vinish Garg, of vhite | @vingar Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
43. Contact Us
Vinish Garg, of vhite | @vingar Innovation Challenge, by TOI, with ISB and CAN, Chandigarh. Nov. 2018
Vinish Garg
vinishjg@gmail.com. 9855063463
Archit Garg
Architgarg.ka@gmail.com, 9814210011
LinkedIn. Twitter. Website. Speaking. Medium.
Chandigarh is its citizens’ story!
Credits: Photos from Unsplash, and from Space10. Technical and Numbers from McKinsey
For a Chandigarh that is Digitally Prepared for Future – For Connected Buildings and Devices – for a Data Driven Governance – To Restore the Trust for a Citizen-Oriented Chandigarh administration that is efficient, trust-inspiring, and branded.
Sunil, owns a restaurant in Chandigarh!
Citizens of Chandigarh – a mix of different skills, professions, classes, primarily from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal. They all need to interact with government agencies and departments, for different reasons, using technology, or sometimes without an access to technology.
Consider an example of a teacher in Chandigarh – Ram Prasad. In a time interval of 12 to 18 months, he had multiple interactions with city governance for different scenarios and reasons. Whenever he wanted some information, or status update – most often he would write the *search terms* in Google search, or he opens directly the department website – MC Chandigarh, Electricity Department, Animal Husbandry Website, and so on. Finding the correct website itself is a pain. Then he fills same details (Name, Age, Aadhar, etc.), and there is absolutely no context of how the information is stored, processed, used, searched, and pushed back to Ram Prasad.
Example 2: If Charan Kaur wants to find a case and she finds it in the Case Management website, there is no relevance to, or story of Charan Kaur’s interaction with city governance – neither in a court, in police department, in any departmental inquiry, in some challan for some violation. Absolutely no use of this static-looking record.
Example 3: A tourist – Jeanie lands in city for Germany and she tries to find information about Chandigarh’s museum. The entire experience is broken and frustrating, and see what she finds. The website URL is not working and it points to an IP address?
But who owns this broken experience?
The German inside her makes her write a support email to website owners, and she tweeted too. No reply either to email or tweet? For EIGHT months? Look at the ownership.
There is no use of highlighting all such points.
And let us not talk about phone-friendly digital experience – Chandigarh governance IT perspective is miles behind. Why will someone trust a governance website while finding some departmental information? And how is that information trustworthy enough?
But are we all, as citizens of Chandigarh bothered about it? Not really.
Or, we do not complaint enough. So, in context, our Today is tolerable. Since we are not complaining (really), we are enjoying. But. Tomorrow?
We find it tolerable. Even if we lose hours in transit, in queue, across windows and departments – to share our same or similar type of information. Even if it impacts our work, and so our productivity and our mood, our family and relationships, and our health. More important and what we do not even fully realize – we do not even know that our information that resides on hundreds of Windows XP and Windows 7 computers, lacks context or any relationship. As if versions of same orphan.
Is it not surprising that so many people in governance ask us for our same type of information, they process it, store it, share it, mark it (sometimes print it), ask again, process again, mark again in a file (name, Aadhar, PAN, address…). And they are doing it so often at the same time – RLA Office, MC office, Police, Transport, Hospitals, RTI, BSNL, and many more. So much of technical debt is being piled on, without any governance, and for very little utility. It is like 4 plumbers are working on 4 different drain pipes in a kitchen whereas only one strategically planned pipe could serve the purpose for all those 4 plumbers and for the owner as well.
Will the current digital investment scale for tomorrow?
Yes, we see a promise of a Chandigarh that is Digitally Prepared for Future – For Connected Buildings and Devices – for a Data Driven Governance – To Restore the Trust for a Citizen-Oriented Chandigarh administration that is efficient, trust-inspiring, and branded.
But Chandigarh is already digital, if even broken somewhere.
Ok, is that scalable? No.
Tomorrow is not only for this generation – and the technology is not the only challenge.
The challenge is across classes, minds, opinions, age barriers, work commitments, relationship status. The future is about *Inclusivity* - the city has to adapt for ALL. People will have a choice to living – co-living, work-living, or even living in self-driving cars.
Preparing for future is NOT about preparing for flying cars, or drones for service, or mobile homes. We are talking about amenities that can make Chandigarh as a live-able city – a city that acts as a service to its citizens – for safety, mobility, utilities, energy aware, connected, and smart enough.
This is taken from a McKinsey report. For digital products (PayTm, Amazon, Uber, ICICI), we talk about *customer journey*. In hospitals, we talk about *patient journey*. Likewise, a digitally prepared city responds to its *Citizens Journey*. And citizens journey is essentially connected with their touch points with the governance model.
By 2030, People may raise a voice that they need mobile homes, or they wanted co-living buildings, or they use self-driving cards to spend nights. At the same time, Chandigarh’s periphery may grow inorganically. We need to anticipate everything. We may not plan a solution for every use case, but we can be digitally prepared for all such use cases.
The first step is to identify the right people who should be interested to listen to you. Then, *Pitch The Outcome* – and NOT the solution.
The first steps in realizing any vision is planning the inventory – a structured inventory that scales itself across technology, subject matter domain, functions, language, and even across time. A forever living inventory that can be easily ported to any other format or language or technology, anytime.
A layered architecture that connects all data-driven dots for:
Mobility
Infra (including adjacent physical assets)
Citizen
Via apps or future technology
The project is less of technology-driven, and more of outcome-driven. So, if we notice (anticipated) roadblocks such as by administration policies, or a new regulation, the pivot is handled in *Business Rules* that define the technology architecture. The product as well as the roadmap – are scalable and fluid for change.
We may not invest in a smart and connect city unless we are digitally prepared – we, the people, our assets, utilities, our devices, and infrastructure.
Lets see important nodes in the model.
Node 1 is Mobility: Planning for citizens’ community, transport of goods and services, ensuring safety, air pollution. And being prepared for unknown modes of transit (for technology, ownership, or working model). The expected outcome is to driven by goal to save time and energy.
Node 1 is Mobility: Chandigarh should be digitally prepared (with data) for
Shared rides (does it impact car ownership stats?)
EV transport (by 2023?)
Driverless cars (car ownership related governance – registrations, transfer, thefts, insurance)
Seamless (connecting) transit
Connected public transport?
And – Pedestrian Culture! Isn’t that beautiful if we can bring the pedestrian culture back to city beautiful?
-- How about Pedestrian Culture beyond that sector 17 square?
-- Traffic Lights that are intelligent for volume of cars, or water-logged streets, or for emergency cases
Node 1 is Mobility: Some facts from a McKinsey Report – “Mobility in Future Cities”
Node 2 is ‘Connected and Smart Buildings’: We already see sensors for entry, for elevators, and taps. However, there are many use cases that call for a data-driven buildings-design strategy.
When Sunil enters a building – he gets alerts for temperature or humidity inside the building. Alternatively, the building to responds to sudden (or expected) change in weather conditions (rain-induced humidity or for sun).
When Ram Prasad had already submitted an online query to a department, the building guides him for directions (exact desk and contact person) when Ram enters the same building. It guides Ram for proper dress or medicines based on Ram’s recent health condition (connected but de-coupled data as I said).
When Jeannie enters a building, the facility identifies that Jeannie is a tourist. So, the building gives her first-hand information alerts for transport options, for priority utilities available around, and access to police for security concerns.
Apps. Technology in hand, and in pockets. Such an important layer that connects citizens with government, with transport, facilities, and with assets.
Citizens data, captured with permission and complying with their privacy concerns. Show them use cases for how it is a win-win for all. The data is structured into layers – for use across departments, use cases, languages, time zones, and for context.
We need to come out of this nightmare – we are not in 2002 and we are 16 years late.
The targeted outcome of the project are:
An aware city (using data)
A responsive city
City serves its people
People see the difference – they are ready to contribute back.
Gradually, the city will be positioned for:
- A working recycle strategy for waste, water, and other forms of energy
The immediate rewards will gradually improve the quality of life, and it books tourism as well.
The city will be more prepared for new business opportunities, employment opportunities, and for trade.
It certainly points to a more efficient administration also – a Win-Win for all.
We often see such pitches for Numbers. Chandigarh deserves a digital transformation beyond numbers.
Numbers are meant for *proposal stage* to guide strategy and roadmap.
Citizens behind the vision – Vinish Garg
Citizens behind the vision – have right experience and right network to get right people on board for successful execution!
Citizens behind the vision – Archit Garg
Citizens behind the vision – Deepak Jindal
What the world is doing for similar goals!
Gov.UK is an industry-best reference and its owner – Sarah Richards is a good friend of me whom we can get on board for consultancy, if required.
Our experience lives across continents and industries.