ICMA collected a year's worth of its greatest ideas and practical strategies on the topic of smart communities to share with you before the 2018 ICMA Annual Conference arrives in September. This year, a portion of the educational sessions will focus on smart communities.

There’s lots of talk in the field about smart communities and the need to be smart when it comes to technology. But what exactly does it mean to be a smart community? The ICMA "must reads" listed below address various ways to answer that question and give you tools you need to put your community on the path to becoming a smart community. 

Smart City Solutions

With innovations and new technology developing at a phenomenal rate, from working with mainframe computers to working in the cloud in less than three decades, local government managers find themselves looking to what “next practices” are on the horizon.

Making Space for Smart Innovation

Today’s world is experiencing exponential growth in innovation and a dramatic reduction in time between idea creation, adoption, and deployment. This pace of innovation benefits consumers, as well as businesses, on a daily basis at home, at work, and at play.

Smart City Infrastructure

Every local government is unique, and while some of the most advanced smart cities and counties share common qualities, the approach will be different for each one. Unless a city is being built from scratch with an unlimited budget, most smart city initiatives will be incremental.

Innovation in Local Government: An Interview with ICMA Chief Technology and Innovation Officer Xavier Hughes

Amy Ahner, director of administrative services, Glenview, Illinois, and chair of the Smart Communities Advisory Board at ICMA, sat down with ICMA's CTIO to find out more about his philosophy concerning innovation.

Tech Talent

Since the smart city is a destination at which an agency never really arrives, innovative organizations are “learning cities.” They are always searching for ways to use technology and data in their efforts to become better and better at solving problems and delivering services.

Technology and Towns

As we rocket toward a "jetsonesque" future, local governments are faced with the disruptive changes to the status quo.

Smart Solutions: Technology Serving Communities E-Book

Your go-to reference tool for implementing a "smart communities" approach.

Smart Communities: Rethinking Infrastructure Report

This report, developed by ICMA and Siemens, looks at smart cities technologies that communities are deploying across the energy and water sectors.

Smart Communities and Data Analytics Report

This report from ICMA and SAS helps local governments identify trends and opportunities for action that make our cities and counties more efficient, effective, and sustainable.

Smart Cities, Shrewd Thinking

A 2017 ICMA study tour visited China to exchange ideas on key elements of evolving smart cities.

For more insight on smart communities, attend the 2018 ICMA Annual Conference in Baltimore, September 23-26, 2018.

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