Solution Architecture Template (SAT) for SmartMadrid in the context of a Data Space based on the eGovERA© Business Agnostic Reference Architecture
In February 2024, DG DIGIT initiated the intervention in support of the Council of Madrid named “Solution Architecture Template for SmartMadrid in the context of a Data Space”. The City Council of Madrid is currently implementing Smart Urban Spaces across the city aiming to attain a smart management of resources according to citizens’ needs. One of these Smart Urban Spaces is MercaMadrid, where IoT sensors are installed to collect data on service areas (i.e., environment, waste management, lighting) that is exchanged with the Council of Madrid through a Data Space. In this context, the intervention of DG DIGIT supported the Council of Madrid in the challenge of making the interoperability of the data space behind MercaMadrid a success.
The Digital Office of the Madrid City Council and the municipal IT Office (IAM - Informática Ayuntamiento de Madrid) led the efforts for the development of the intervention. The questionnaire aims at collecting their feedback, views and opinions on the project.
The analysis model and the solution (partial) design model of the SmartMadrid Data Space resulting from the intervention are available in the attachments in ArchiMate® (an Enterprise Architecture modelling language) format.
Q1. How did you learn about the eGovERA© portfolio of solutions?
The RECI (Red de Ciudades Inteligentes) of the FEMP (Federación Española de Municipios y Provincias) put us in contact with DG DIGIT, who introduced us to the eGovERA© interoperability solutions.
Q2. What were the reasons behind the Council of Madrid’s decision to use eGovERA© as a tool to support in the analysis and solution design of the MercaMadrid Data Space?
The Council of Madrid has recently launched its latest digitalisation strategy, Madrid, Capital Digital. The strategy incorporates and leverages the work that the City Council has been doing in terms of digitalisation. As part of this strategy, the City Council of Madrid is implementing Smart Urban Spaces in selected geographical areas. These designated spaces will benefit from a smart management of resources based on generated real-time data on environment, waste management, sports, and other service areas. Within Madrid's Digital Strategy, the Smart Urban Spaces initiative showed significant potential for the application of EIRA© and eGovERA©. Interoperability emerged as a crucial requirement for the initiative, as the main enabler to exchange data through the implemented Data Space.
Q3. What value does the partial solution model produced with eGovERA© for Data Spaces offer to your organisation? How has this partial solution model helped in improving the interoperability of your digital public service?
The partial solution model developed using the eGovERA© Business Agnostic Reference Architecture provides a valuable template for documenting smart urban spaces. This model enables the Council to assess the long-term benefits and challenges of implementing IoT technologies and their potential impact on a large city like Madrid. Digital transformation of this caliber in the Public Sector results in new forms of digital interaction between government and citizens, an increase in provisions of digital public services as well as in the volume of data generated and exchanged, all of which help advance interoperability.
Q4. How are you planning to use the final outputs produced during the intervention (i.e., analysis model and solution design model)?
We intend to use the final outputs from this project as requirements for future bidding processes. In the next bidding process for implementing Smart Urban Spaces, we expect the winning bidder to specify and document the service areas by replicating the results achieved.
Q5: Based on your experience, what were the key success factors of this intervention?
One of the key success factors of this intervention is the dissemination of knowledge to incumbents within the Council of Madrid. Sharing insights on the implications of designing and deploying new technologies for city infrastructures —focusing on interoperability, replicability, scalability, and cybersecurity— is invaluable. The creation of a scalable model that is adaptable to future needs and developments, especially to other Smart Urban Spaces is a major success factor of this intervention.
Q6: Based on your experience, what would you highlight about the collaboration with the European Commission during the intervention?
None of us knew where this intervention would lead. However, as it yielded positive results, we involved more municipal and service areas. This highlights the innovative and pioneering efforts in Smart City Data Space design. Success encouraged others to join, and the European Commission facilitated this smooth transition and collaboration.
Q7: Smart Cities and Data Spaces are both strategic areas within the EU Digital Decade Policy Programme. In this context, how do you envision the work produced under this intervention to contribute to these matters?
This intervention has made data-driven management a reality for digital-twin technology, planning and operational tools, and open data. Establishing and enhancing Data Spaces ensures accountability for information producers and facilitates connections between municipal public services, promoting interoperability and digitalisation of public services.
Q8. Would you recommend the eGovERA© solutions portfolio to other Public Administrations? If so, why?
Yes, we would, and have already done so through active participation in events (i.e., Red Española de Ciudades Inteligentes (RECI) Annual Congress and Smart City Expo World Congress). These events provided valuable platforms to showcase the project's achievements, positioning EIRA© and eGovERA© as impactful tools for analysing and designing digital public services related to Smart Cities and Data Spaces. This initiative was highlighted as to demonstrate the utility of eGovERA© in creating a scalable model that is adaptable to other Smart Urban Spaces and service areas.
In the future we will have more opportunities to recommend it through the RECI.
Q9: Is there anything else you would like to add that you believe might be useful for other public organisations thinking of using eGovERA©?
Initially, understanding the concept of eGovERA© is challenging, and the learning curve is steep. A main takeaway for us was that with EIRA© & eGovERA©, an interoperable data exchange between Madrid City Council and the different service providers (Data Space agents) was facilitated and ensured.
Despite the initial challenge, we are optimistic that our efforts will pay off. In a few years, we expect to see the positive effects!