The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has published a report, titled ‘Connecting smart city platforms and data spaces: The strategic role of data offices’.
The report discusses the strategic function of data offices in linking smart‑city platforms with data spaces and outlines coordination mechanisms that governments should consider for smart‑city and data‑space initiatives, facilitating the transition from a conventional smart city to a data-driven city.
It also defines a ‘city platform’ as the technical and operational foundation for integrating, managing and using urban data.
A ‘data space’ is described as a federated environment that enables sovereign, trusted data exchange while keeping data at its source.
The report further explains that a data office provides the organisational capacity to develop data strategy, governance, quality, ethics and coordination with external partners.