Software Helps Cities See the Future
Sometimes the public expects the government to see the future. Good decisions are to be expected while bad decisions — judged with the benefit of hindsight — are derided. Some help is on the way. IBM is betting that software can give cities a better look into their future.
System Dynamics for Smarter Cities
The company unveiled new software this week designed to help decision-makers forecast the consequences of actions that affect citizens. In turn, IBM said the software, called System Dynamics for Smarter Cities, can also help policymakers make decisions that generate positive results.
What could the software be used for?
Imagine if a city eliminated student subsidies for public
transportation. The software’s analysis of results might show that
a municipal transportation agency would reduce costs, thus
improving its financial picture. On the other hand, because more
students would bypass mass transit and instead drive themselves to
school, the city might suffer more traffic congestion, worse air
quality, and might be forced to deploy more first responders, said
Naveen Lamba, IBM’s leader on intelligent transportation and
smarter government efforts for GBS — IBM’s consulting section. The
project is connected to IBM's Smarter Planet initiative, Lamba
said. Cities have shown interest in deploying the new predictive
software. The municipalities haven’t been publicly announced.