LocationsGuiding principles from on-the-ground experiences by UNDP, illustrating how people-centred approaches are shaping smarter, more inclusive, and resilient cities.
Human-Centricity as the Driver of Smarter Cities and Urban Innovation
July 11, 2025
A collage of various urban initiatives and projects by UNDP in different parts of the world.
“Cities are on the front lines of shaping a world that is more prosperous, sustainable, inclusive and interconnected.”
-- António Guterres, UN Secretary-General
Cities have long been, and continue to be, epicentres of cultural, social, political and economic development – home to over half of the global population and responsible for more than 80% of global GDP. They are often hubs of trade and innovation, profoundly shaping the lives of billions of urban residents and exerting significant influence on global resource use, energy consumption, and emissions. As cities confront rising challenges – from inequality and infrastructure stress to climate vulnerability – technology is emerging as key to achieve their objectives. From improving public service delivery to AI-enabled mobility systems reducing emissions, the digital transformation of cities has the potential to improve livelihoods, resilience, and inclusivity. Yet, most of the contemporary discourse tends to focus on the potential of technology itself, rather than on its impacts on human lives, particularly for marginalized and underserved populations.
This infographic is created by the authors with data aggregated from various sources.
As the world experiences rapid technological transformation – from the current AI boom to emerging technological innovations yet to be realized – what must always remain central to all discussions is to what extent these new innovations are benefitting the lives and livelihoods of people calling cities their homes.
Moving Beyond Technology
The term “smart cities” has become a broad phrase, referring often to urban environments deploying digital technologies to improve efficiency, sustainability, and quality of life. However, the concept tends to focus first and foremost on the technologies themselves, emphasising tools over outcomes. This foregrounds a clear need to move beyond merely thinking about technology, towards more holistic and people-centric approaches.
Building upon previous work on smarter cities, it is crucial that technologies used in cities above all serve as a tool to improve the lives of residents by putting them at the centre of the discussion. By using residents’ needs and potential as the starting point, practitioners, policymakers and other stakeholders can use digital technologies more meaningfully to create cities that are equitable, resilient and more sustainable – both economically and ecologically.
A Guiding Framework
In light of this – and the immense potential of technologies as outlined in the recently published Human Development Report – the UNDP Global Centre in Singapore looked at the work the organisation has been doing in cities across the world and synthesised practical experiences from more than 150 urban-digital initiatives implemented by UNDP across 90+ countries. The goal was to identify common approaches and distil lessons into a set of principles and approaches, creating the below framework to inform decision making and implementation of technologies in urban contexts.
The framework identifies seven critical factors (in red) that help ensure technologies genuinely serve communities. These include elements such as policy and legislative reform, upskilling of public officials and citizens, co-design with communities and addressing safety and cybersecurity challenges like digital scams.
In addition, the framework outlines six implementation approaches (in blue) that support the integration of urban technologies. These include, among others, leveraging open source solutions, fostering innovation through cross-sector experimentation, and building broad-based partnerships across government, industry and academia – recognizing that no single actor can drive transformation alone.
The framework also highlights eight digital technologies (in purple) that have already demonstrated tangible impact in urban settings. However, it does not suggest these are the only ones. In light of rapid technological change, the framework is intentionally technology-agnostic. Not every city can or should deploy these technologies. Thus, the framework does not prescribe what technologies are to be used. Rather, it prescribes what technologies should be used for.
Ultimately, the framework is designed to be adaptable, flexible and responsive to diverse local realities. It recognises the unique histories, capacities, constraints, and socio-cultural dynamics that shape each city, and explicitly rejects a one-size-fits-all approach.
Recommendations for Smarter Cities
Understanding that applying the various aspects of the guiding framework can be challenging, the following recommendations provide practical guidance for urban development practitioners and policymakers. Each recommendation centres explicitly on ensuring a people-first perspective in urban technology initiatives:
Take Time to Get It Right: Cities must allocate adequate time for thorough consultation, careful planning, and iterative testing of technology initiatives. Quick fixes are tempting, but they are rarely sustainable, nor effective.
Adapt Solutions to Local Contexts: Each city is unique, each with its own histories, cultures and socio-economic realities. Solutions must be sensitive to these facts and local contexts to be effective and welcomed by communities.
Prioritise Appropriate Solutions: Not every challenge should be met with a high-tech answer. Oftentimes simple, affordable, or nature-based solutions yield powerful results, whilst also providing strong foundations for future developments.
Stay Focused on Impact, Not Novelty: The appeal of novel technologies is strong, but this novelty cannot be a guiding factor in decision-making processes. Cities must remain grounded in practical impact, and evaluate solutions based on effectiveness rather than hype.
Strategically Integrate Technologies: Combining complementary technologies strategically can generate synergies beyond what individual solutions alone can achieve. Integrated solutions enhance overall effectiveness, responsiveness, and urban resilience.
These recommendations support cities in becoming genuinely smarter; meaning more inclusive, equitable, and resilient. Moreover, they acknowledge urban development as an ongoing, iterative process that evolves alongside emerging technologies, community needs, and development priorities.
A Call to Action
Creating smarter cities goes far beyond deploying technology: it is fundamentally about enhancing the wellbeing, equity, and shared prosperity of the people who live in them. Globally, city leaders, policymakers, urban planners, civil society, and residents themselves have a unique opportunity to reimagine urban development as inclusive, sustainable, and technology-agnostic.
As cities navigate the challenges and opportunities of an uncertain yet promising future, embracing these guiding principles and recommendations will help ensure that technological innovation consistently serves people’s needs, advances equity, and strengthens urban resilience. Ultimately, the path forward requires collective action – co-creating urban environments where technology is a powerful means, but never an end, in genuinely serving the common good.