September - 20188GOVERNMENT CIO OUTLOOKTrends in Smart Cities for Government CIOsovernments all over the world are investing in Smart City technology. All this activity is adding up, too-- Persistence Market Research predicts the global smart cities market will reach $3.5 trillion by 2026. Yet for all this momentum, no standard "smart city" definition exists and government technology leaders - and the tech firms hoping to partner with them - can find it difficult to identify projects to build a business case around. However, some clear trends are emerging that CIOs can embrace to drive strategic results within their organizations.Take Ownership of the Smart City OpportunityGovernment organizations can vary greatly and, for this reason, a one-size-fits-all approach to defining smart cities doesn't work. However, this lack of a unified standard can actually be an opportunity for CIOs to claim the "Smart Cities" mantle by aligning Smart City out comes with their organization's mission, values, goals, and core competencies. CIOs can then translate this vision into technology projects that deliver lasting value. In other words, CIOs can control their own destiny by defining Smart Cities on their own terms. Otherwise, the market will dictate the term for them and CIOs will be driven by outside factors, rather than controlling it themselves.Embed Cybersecurity & Privacy into EverythingSmart cities are underpinned by the "Internet of Things" (IoT), which will be deployed on our roads, street lights, vehicles, traffic signals, and more to provide near real-time data on almost everything imaginable.However, for many IoT installations, cybersecurity stubbornly remains an afterthought, posing huge risks to information privacy and security. For example, the Department of Defense is now studying the implications of wearable fitness tracking devices after a device maker was shown to be publicly displaying data that could expose secret military bases and operations. CIOs need to think about how to embed cyber protection into their Smart City technology deployments.Tony Batalla, Head of IT, City of San LeandroByGIN MYOPINION
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