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Human risk in a smart city

As the excitement around smart cities builds, for some it is almost sci-fi to see these images emerging. Nairobi and Cape Town have been called the most advanced cities on the African continent, but the murder rate in Cape Town remains enormously high. What is the challenge: the human risk.

Smart cities are going to change the way services are delivered by focusing on technology, but regardless of the technology there will still be systems and processes that people are involved with. The basic human risk element remains and policies around managing it need to be updated.

Cybersecurity is one of the biggest issues, but we know that if the human element of cybersecurity is not addressed, we can speak for days about solutions and ideas without success.

Currently, integrity tests are specific personality tests that indicate whether a person is honest, trustworthy and dependable. It can also measure intention as opposed to what the individual has previously done. They can be expanded upon to include the cognitive ability of the individual and his behavioural traits. This is all part of conscientiousness which is very strongly related to integrity and a strong predictor of job performance.

The suitability of people to work in the smart city environment will be a major issue and companies will need to be looking at proactive and ongoing measures to understand the needs and drivers of the people in the business. Implementing an effective risk management plan at the outset of any project will reduce risks and allow organisations to move forward effectively.

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