The Dynamic Interplay Between Platform and pilot

Cities are trying to counter complex urban planning challenges by transforming their city into a ‘smart city’. One major policy instrument that aims contribute to this is the initiation of smart city pilots. Moreover, cities are also establishing digital platforms that facilitate interaction within and between communities. However, these two developments are accompanied by two issues, namely a practical issue as well as a knowledge issue. First, a main practical issue is that smart city pilots are popping up in every major city, while they often fade out after the pilot phase and fail to come up with scalable solutions. Second, there is a knowledge issue regarding the relationship between smart city pilots and digital platforms. Cities that aim to become smart are more and more adopting so-called ‘open innovation platforms’ to foster smart city pilots, but there is no academic consensus about the added-value that that these platforms have in the upscaling process of pilots. An interesting case of the development of a digital platform is the Digital Twin in Rotterdam. To address the abovementioned issues, the following research question is investigated: What is the role of the Digital Twin in upscaling processes of smart city pilots in Rotterdam and how can this role enhance these upscaling processes? This research question is examined by conducting interviews with different actors that are involved in four pilots related to the Digital Twin, namely: SAFE3D, QR code visualisation through augmented reality, participation and 3D building permits. To measure the concept of upscaling processes, the theoretical framework is presenting an overarching categorization of technological, human and institutional conditions. The concept the role of the platform is divided into two main roles, namely integrating technology and fostering collaboration, with both their subdimensions. The results of this research are that the technical conditions are not present in the pilots, the human conditions are mostly present in the pilots and the institutional conditions are differing in presence between the pilots. The role that the platform plays in the upscaling process consists mainly out of four ways. First, the role of transversal and interoperable systems contributes to the technical conditions, namely data standards and an accessible IT infrastructure. Second, leverage dynamics contribute to a lower threshold to join a collaboration because of the creation of a shared reality and therefore increases the institutional conditions. Third, attractor effects stimulate the institutional conditions because it increases the engagement of third parties. Fourth, synergy is stimulating the governance of data-sharing by fostering the resource sharing amongst actors. Because of their complex and face-to-face nature, the human conditions are only limitedly facilitated by the platform and should be organized in a non-platform environment. Thus, for each pilot that is launched, the initiators should take in consideration how the platform can be used in their advance and which upscaling conditions need to be organized in a non-platform environment.