Building a Digital Economy Ecosystem

Software Infrastructure and Job Creation

"We cannot have a resilient Digital Society without Digital Jobs for normal people!"

"We kunnen een veerkrachtige Digital Society niet zonder Digital Jobs voor normale mensen!"

The future of Jobs are Individuals

• Not companies• Project-based economy• Freelancers, part-timers, contractors• Job-shops• Working with others – for themselves

Current focus is ENTIRELY on Companies• Tax incentives, free land, insider politics• Workforce training driven by employer’s needs, not employees• All efforts focused on training employees to fit into the ‘status quo’• NO education for freelancing, working as an independent worker

Updated definition of “JOB”

• Not just 40hr a week, health, taxes• Freelance, Project-based, on-your-own• Skills not taught in schools, workforce training• Peer-based, social networks of job seekers

Broadband infrastructure brings promises• Jobs• Startup communities• Digital Economy Ecosystems are possible• Cities with broadband fiber optic Internet access

Politicians make promises to Citizens• “IF we spend the money to install broadband fiber optic infrastructure”• “THEN we will get jobs, a startup community and a digital economy”• This has happened in:• Singapore• Chattanooga, TN• Lafayette, LA• Songdo, Korea• Kansas City, MO• Spreading world wide

Growth of Smart Cities market

• 10+ years of Broadband Infrastructure build-out• Smart Electric Grids, Smart Water, Smart streets• Lights, Parking meters, Buildings, Kiosks• 4G coverage, Wifi• $15+B yearly revs

What do you do WITH bandwidth?

• Once the fiber is installed?• Smart Cities market assumes…….• No follow through….• No economic development…..• No Jobs…..

Software Infrastructure• Software Municipal and Federal Infrastructure• New kinds of technical education• Open APIs, Open source• Available to all citizens• Government supported

Every city wants a…..

• Digital Economy Ecosystem• Broadband networking infrastructure• On-line jobs for normal people• NOT just programmers• Benefits of digital technology – helps make-up for automation

Define Digital City as a Smart City w/On-line Jobs• “Digital Economy Ecosystem”• Built on top of broadband and gigabit Internet access• New definition of “Jobs”• Software infrastructure• On-line Jobs for normal people

Pickup where Broadband Infrastructure….• … leaves off• Put the bandwidth – to use……

Every level of government MUST help• Federal, State, County, Municipal are ALL stakeholders• Redefine what a Job is = all growth is in Part-time, freelance jobs!• Appropriate Economic development and Workforce training• Help individuals, not just companies….

Build local alliances

• Government• Startup Community• Educational institutions• Community organizations, schools, hospitals• Training organizations, digital divide activists• Local industry and small businesses

Digital City “platform”

• Integrated “Citizen dashboard” – OpenGov info, open APIs, Open Source• Built-in training and education – video curriculum• Marketplace and Business Directory• Video Help• Local content, services,• Job boards• Integrate:

• Social media accounts• eCommerce web sites• Jobs websites• Content channels• Surveillance cams, smart streets, bike paths, public transport

Job Story #1 - Conversationalist

• Persistent conversations – as open software infrastructure• Help create on-line conversations• “Flog” the meme – get the conversation started• Keep the conversation going – “direct the thread”• Intrinsic aspect of “viral marketing”

Job Story #2 - Interviewer

• Local History collections – as open software infrastructure• Collections of Interviews of Seniors and local people• Open Database – APIs – timeline UIs• Learn these skills:• Prepare questions• Arrange for appointment• Record Video, Audio, Lighting, setup• Transcribe, log• Edit into snippets• Tag, categorized, time and date stamped• Add to database

Job Story #3 – On-line sales, marketing• Business directory - as open software infrastructure• Sales, Media Production, Marketing of Business Directory• Tie-into hyper-local campaigns• Provide authentic relationships to vendors and customers

Job Story #4 – Marketplace facilitator• On-line marketplace - as open software infrastructure• eCommerce advocate – upload into marketplace – maintain accounts• Help get crafts people, vendors – on-line• Facilitate transactions – provide help - support

Job story #5 – Video Help

• Video Help - as open software infrastructure• “Some time” for free – then pay-per-hour• Provide Help - training – support on any subject• Available 24/7/365

Job Story #6 – Event producer

• Event aggregation as software infrastructure• Design, schedule, arrange for venues, resources, talent, speakers• Market, promote, create meme• ‘Day of’ activities, production, stage manager, security, logistics• Followup to event, create persistent conversations

More “Jobs” - #7-#15

• Trainer – educator - support• Web site creator and Blogger• Media production – animation, video, special EFX, titling, music• Social media advocate – HR, marketing, PR• Virtual Project manager – remote teams managed• Virtual Personal asst – travel – events - logistics• Researcher – web search – reports – build Knowledge Base• Tech support – hand holding – configuration – setup• Sys admin – hardware – bureau config (videowalls, workstations, etc.)

“Citizen Dashboard”

• Provided for free• Open source – so that many instances are available• Federated ID/Single sign-on• All share the same software infrastructure • Content, Technology, Community

• Each instance adds its own “value added”

Digital City Mechanics

• New kind of System integrator• Hybrid:• For-profit• Non-profit

• Mothership holds I.P.• Joint-ventures in each City

Info available at:

•DigitalCityMechanics.com