The implementation phase has shown that the collection and processing of data from different areas is a very sensitive issue. It is often unclear to individuals and to the community to how to deal with this issue. This resulted in a number of conclusions for the approach to data collection and compilation listed in detail in the GrowSmarter Concluding Report.
The conclusions are intended to simplify reaching a consensus for both data collectors and data owners in order to have a useable solution for all parties involved, also taking into account everyone’s rights and duties.
The most important conclusion seems to be understanding the open questions on how to deal with data. What is the data’s value? What is the best way to use it? Is it possible to create a business model with the data? Is the outcome and the result of using free data a better business model or is it best to share all data for free to optimize the quality of life in a city?
We found out that the first step should be understanding how to best use the data, what to do with it as well as finding a win-win situation for all parties involved. This means creating a so called „Use Case“:
1. Define concretely the desired result in advance; consider known possibilities, define which data in which quality is needed, and by whom.
2. Check the financial conditions: which costs are incurred, regularly or punctually and how can they be covered? Create a first Business Model.
3. Clarify the legal Framework: e.g. legal requirements related to the topic, keywords: enforceable stopping bans, data protection, trade tax exemption, certified smart meter, electricity grid regulation
4. Define and clarify technical framework conditions: which provider is used, do interfaces/prototypes already exist, is the WLAN network sufficient ? Which innovations in the near future do you have to consider?
5. The biggest factor of all is: define and clarify the „human framework conditions”: Are the inhabitants of the desired area / or your customers open to this innovation?
These are only a few points of the overall conclusions. It clearly depends on the measure and the individual situation, but overall the most important conclusion is staying flexible and open to new findings and required adaptations - use foresight / look ahead!
