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This document is the outcome of the UNDP working group on “Visualizing in cities”, which convened from January to April 2025.
The group brought together cities and international experts to explore how local and regional governments are innovating data visualization to communicate results with their citizens and create trust in the role of the public sector.
It is highly topical to talk about innovation, but those who work in public administration know how difficult it is not only to innovate but also to integrate innovative processes or products into existing public structures. Societies change rapidly, and the public sector is not as quick to adapt to change as other industries.
This guideline outlines some questions, DOs and DON’Ts to be considered when local governments want to communicate the results of their public action by using dashboards, maps, infographics, simulations, or digital storytelling tools.
Visualizing and communicating innovation in cities has become both a challenge and a strategic necessity. In an era characterized by data-driven governance, artificial intelligence, geospatial technologies and participatory digital platforms, local governments are increasingly expected to make innovation not only operational, but visible and understandable.
This document recognizes that digital innovation is no longer exclusive of megacities. Intermediary cities, small rural towns and lesser-known municipalities are experimenting with technological solutions that respond to local challenges—often more flexibly or inclusively than their more resourceful counterparts.
Much of the available information focuses on the implementation of smart city technologies or digital governance platforms. In comparison, little attention is paid to how local innovation is communicated to residents and stakeholders. Specifically, how local governments are using dashboards, maps, infographics, simulations, or digital storytelling.
This document is conceived as a resource for local governments, public officials, and urban practitioners who seek how local innovation is visualized and communicated. We offer here examples of how local governments are communicating innovation, acknowledging that visualization is essential for the public sector to adapt to these rapidly changing times.
Current challenges and opportunities
The integration of advanced technologies, such as BIM/GIS, Digital Twin, Big Data, Quantum Computing, Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain, Cloud Computing, and Artificial Intelligence (AI), has already transformed decision-making and operational processes in the private sector. Many cities around the world recognize these technologies as powerful tools to optimize the allocation of public resources, improve sustainable urban planning, and enhance the overall quality of life for their residents.
Digital innovation has the potential to create more interactive and responsive city governments, able to address their socio-economic and environmental changes and to improve the delivery of public services through co-creation processes that are more effective and better received by their citizens.
One of the main challenges is to effectively communicate the impact of digital innovation to residents. But such communication is essential, especially when the changes produced by technology directly affect public services and people´s lives. Many times, communication is too formal, ineffective and of little impact. For this reason, the choice of communication tools is also key.
Accessible and interactive digital communication tools play a crucial role in promoting democratic participation and enabling collaboration.
Key considerations for digital inclusion
Many cities are developing data platforms to improve public services and increase citizen´s participation in urban planning and service design . Digital platforms enable citizens not only to actively participate in the decision-making process, but also to actively co-design, co-produce and co-govern public spaces. These new digital tools can contribute to economic growth, social cohesion and the strengthening of local communities. New ways of involving citizens in city management strengthen the bond of citizens with the territory, creating a sense of belonging that also increases the respect residents have for the common good, contributing to create trust in public institutions.
Some of the obstacles that cities must overcome regarding the digitalization process are the following:
- Poor digital literacy and skills among residents limit their ability to interact effectively with digital platforms.
- Unequal access to digital resources creates gaps in participation from certain groups and exacerbates social inequalities.
- Lack of trust in institutions requires greater transparency and open access to data to build credibility with the public.
To fully leverage digital innovation in city management, local governments must prioritize inclusive and transparent governance models. Ensuring open access to data, improving digital literacy, and implementing accessible technological solutions are key to strengthening citizen engagement and trust in institutions. By integrating ethical digital innovation into governance structures, cities can move towards a more participatory democracy, ensuring that technological advances translate into real social benefits for all.
FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED IN DIGITAL INNOVATION:
1. EQUITY AND INCLUSION: LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND
2. SCALABILITY: TEST BEFORE INVEST
3. MEASURING IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF PEOPLE
TEST BEFORE INVEST
Before investing in high-cost digital technologies, cities should test what works for their own community. Start with simple, low-cost platforms (dashboards, participatory maps, co-design workshops) and then scale up.
1. Understand how your city is already using data
Identify which tools have already been adopted by the local government to understand the real capabilities to visualize innovation. Quantitative and qualitative data, case studies or best practices from other cities can be used to demonstrate benefits within the municipality departments and with the citizens.
2. Use digital innovation to rebuild trust
Consider how open-source platforms, data transparency, and co-governance initiatives can promote public trust. Do not forget to improve digital literacy and increase citizens’ understanding of how public decisions are made.
3. Test to avoid digital divide
Consider potential risks, digital illiteracy, and socioeconomic disparities that could limit participation. Consider how digital services may impact the equity of access. Always design inclusive technologies that include all citizens.
4. Identify available “low investment/low technology” solutions
Some affordable digital solutions (e.g., open data dashboards, interactive GIS tools, participatory mapping, and community engagement apps) require minimal investment. A digital tool analysis, which cities should do prior to implementation, should consider essential skills and capabilities needed by city staff to effectively leverage these tools.
COMMUNICATING INNOVATION
Communicating is not just about deploying advanced digital tools, but also ensuring that citizens understand, interact, and contribute. Visualization plays a crucial role in making complex urban transformations more accessible and understandable, bridging the gap between decision makers and the people they serve.
Digital storytelling has emerged as an effective method for translating technological advances into narratives that citizens can connect with. By leveraging interactive maps, data dashboards, augmented reality, virtual simulations, and multimedia storytelling, cities can illustrate the impact of public policies and projects on everyday life. These approaches make abstract concepts, such as smart infrastructure, climate resilience, and AI-driven urban planning, more tangible and understandable to the public.
When citizens see themselves represented in urban plans, when they can contribute ideas, their trust in institutions is strengthened. This trust is crucial to ensuring long-term public support.
Cities must ensure that digital communication is accessible to all, regardless of their level of technological literacy, economic situation, or disabilities. By adopting a human-centered approach to digital engagement, cities can transform the way they interact with residents, improve transparency, and create dynamic and participatory governance models.
Guidelines for visualizing innovation
1. Clarify the Purpose of Communication
Every visualization must serve a goal—to inform, engage, inspire, or activate. Without clarity of purpose, communication of innovation risks becoming decorative or confusing. Cities must align content with policy goals and define the change they seek to prompt.
do
- Define the objective of your communication: inform, engage, inspire, or activate.
- Align visualization content with policy goals.
don`t
Avoid generic or unclear objectives that dilute the message.
Don’t proceed with visualization without a defined communication goal.
2. Identify the relevant audience
A message for citizens should not look like a report for policymakers. Cities must segment audiences (e.g., youth, officials, investors) and tailor formats accordingly. This improves comprehension and ownership. In the age of digital storytelling, one message does not fit all.
do
- Clearly segment the target audience (e.g., citizens, policymakers, investors).
- Tailor messages and formats to each group.
don`t
Avoid one-size-fits-all messages.
Don’t ignore the digital capabilities or interests of your audience.
3. Context matters: people, channel, medium
Digital tools should match the cultural, digital, and social realities of the city. A low-bandwidth neighborhood needs different tools than a digital technology district. By grounding storytelling and data in cultural, linguistic, and infrastructural context, cities can transform visualization into a tool not just of explanation, but of equity and engagement.
do
Choose channels that your audience uses and trusts.
- Consider local languages, culture, and digital access.
don`t
Don’t default to high-tech channels in low-con- nectivity regions.
Don’t ignore local nuances and informal commu- nication ecosystems.
4. Create a stakeholder map
Digital tools should match the cultural, digital, and social realities of the city. A low-bandwidth neighborhood needs different tools than a digital technology district. By grounding storytelling and data in cultural, linguistic, and infrastructural context, cities can transform visualization into a tool not just of explanation, but of equity and engagement.
do
Map institutions, community groups, private partners and citizens..
- Define their roles in communication and innovation.
don`t
Don’t exclude marginalized or quiet stakeholders.
Avoid working in isolation from key contributors.
5. Use diverse storytelling strategies
Innovation in cities must be told differently depending on the target audience, but also on the basis of the digital tools used. It is necessary to diversify the story, the language, and the tools depending on the audience.
do
Adapt storytelling styles based on audience type and scope (local and global).
Use visuals to connect emotionally and cogni- tively.
don`t
Don’t use the same narrative across all plat- forms.
Avoid overly technical language when addressing non-experts.
6. Co-design and participatory visualization
Involving citizens in the visualization of innovation has the advantage of telling not only what is changing, but also who is contributing to the change, developing in people a sense of trust and ownership in local public policies. It also ensures that the images developed with communities reflect real priorities and promote long-term support.
do
Adapt storytelling styles based on audience type and scope (local and global).
Use visuals to connect emotionally and cogni- tively.
don`t
Don’t use the same narrative across all plat- forms.
Avoid overly technical language when addressing non-experts.
7. Define the problem clearly
Let’s start the visualization of urban innovation by describing the reason for the intervention, because citizens must understand the problem addressed before seeing its solution. A clearly defined problem makes innovation relevant and necessary.
do
Start your narrative by explaining the challenge or issue addressed.
Use visual cues to outline the problem’s impact.
don`t
Don’t jump into solutions without explaining why they were needed.
Avoid covering too many problems in one visualization.
8. Focus the story: 3–4 topics maximum
Overloaded visuals confuse the audience. Focusing on a few key themes creates coherence and improves retention. Keeping the narrative simple and thematic enhances impact and empowers the story.
do
Select and prioritize the most relevant topics to your audience.
Keep the narrative simple and thematic.
don`t
Don’t overwhelm audience with information.
Avoid tangential or loosely related data.
9. Use retrospective visuals to show change
People understand progress and the success of innovation through comparison with the past. Show the ‘before’ and ‘after’ though timelines, line charts, photo stories or narrative infographics, to demonstrate how lives, spaces, or systems have improved.
do
Compare “before” and “after” to make transformation visible.
Use measurable data to demonstrate progress.
don`t
- Avoid present static snapshots or storytelling without progression.
- Don’t omit measurable results.
10. Incorporate spatial mapping and georeferencing
People relate to place and innovations are grounded in the lived experiences of communities. Use maps to show where innovation occurs and who it affects. Localizing visuals strengthens transparency and trust in equity-focused interventions.
do
Use maps or local landmarks to localize innovation impact in the city.
Show how local action has global impact.
don`t
Don’t use abstract data visualizations disconnected from place.
Avoid ignoring geographic context.
11. Balance quantitative and qualitative data
Balancing quantitative data with qualitative insights is a key strategy for communicating innovation and change in urban environments and engaging citizens more effectively. By striking the right balance, cities can: 1. Build empathy and inclusion 2. Make dashboards emotionally engaging. 3. Bridge the gap between policy and people. 4. Turn statistics into civic narratives.
do
Combine hard data with personal stories, testi- monials, or quotes.
Use both quantitative and qualitative data to humanizing urban innovation.
don`t
Don’t over-rely on numbers.
Avoid overloading with anecdotes without supporting data.
12. RELEVANT data
Clean, well-chosen data is the bedrock of transparent governance and an inclusive digital future for cities. As a mayor: focus on relevant data tied to goals; eliminate noise and inconsistencies; vet datasets before publishing; build visual stories that are clear, credible, and civic-minded.
do
Choose data aligned with your communication goals.
Remove irrelevant or inconsistent data.
don`t
Don’t include data that contradicts or distracts from the main message.
Avoid using raw, unvetted datasets.
13. Ensure accessibility
As city leaders, mayors hold the responsibility to ensure that innovation remains inclusive, representative, and equitable. Simplify visuals, use plain language, and optimize for all devices: accessibility also means recognizing the digital divide and adjusting delivery methods accordingly.
do
Prioritize inclusive design: use clear visuals, legible text, and simple interfaces.
Consider users with low digital literacy or limit- ed connectivity.
don`t
Assume universal digital proficiency.
Avoid complex dashboards that require training.
14. Foster data partnerships and platforms
Collaborate with NGOs, academia, private sector, and citizens creates a plural data ecosystem that enhances the credibility, relevance, and effectiveness of urban innovation. Academic institutions contribute methodological rigor and independent evaluation; the private sector brings scalable technological tools and real-time analytics; NGOs offer granular, community-level insights; and citizens supply hyper-local, lived experiences that can’t be captured by traditional data sources.
do
Collaborate with LOCAL academia, private sector, NGOs and citizens.
Develop creative partnerships and platforms to fill data gaps.
don`t
Don’t rely solely on internal data.
Avoid siloed data collection efforts.
15. Select tools strategically
For mayors, the message is clear: match the tool to the city—not the city to the tool. Innovation is not about adopting the most sophisticated technology — it’s about choosing the right tools that align with a city’s size, context, and community. Strategic tool selection ensures that digital innovation strengthens—not fractures—the social contract between governments and citizens.
do
Match tools to city size, identity, geography and audience.
Use scalable and replicable solutions.
don`t
Don’t adopt tools without assessing compatibility with local needs.
Avoid tools that don’t support multilingual or inclusive design.
16. Build a culture of trust
A key strategy to foster external trust to cities is transparent digital visualization, based on open data and knowledgeable communication from public staff, promoting single points of truths (SPOTs). Open access to urban data, combined with clear visual storytelling, demystifies decision- making and enables both citizens and city technicians to understand the motivations behind public actions.
do
Promote transparency through open data and single points of truths (SPOTs).
Train internal staff to manage and communicate data confidently.
don`t
Don’t limit access to relevant public data.
Avoid using data opaquely or selectively.
17. Leverage the innovation ecosystem
Innovation in cities must be seen to be believed — and trusted. Effective visualization is not merely about presenting data but telling a story that connects problems to actions and actions to outcomes. With inclusive processes, context-aware strategies, and ethical data practices, cities can foster a culture of transparency, participation, and meaningful innovation.
do
- Engage researchers, tech startups, and regional/national partners
.
- Develop a common taxonomy and language for innovation.
don`t
Isolate innovation efforts within city silos.
- Avoid duplication of efforts across cities or departments.
CONCLUSION
Cities are not just spaces—they are stories. The way those stories are told, especially through visualization, shapes how innovation is perceived, shared, and scaled.
At stake is not simply the ability to build better dashboards, maps, or narrative platforms, but the ability to make urban futures understandable, shared, and just. Visualization, if practiced inclusively, can transform abstract policies into lived experiences and passive users into active co-creators. However, without ethical intent and inclusive design, it risks turning into a form of spectacle or exclusion, reinforcing, rather than correcting, existing inequalities.
This guide calls on local governments to treat visualization of innovation as more than communication: as a governance tool. When cities make innovation visible—clearly, inclusively, and purposefully—they invite citizens not only to witness change, but to shape it.
WORKING GROUP CONTRIBUTORS
- Jon Aguirre Such, Founder of Paisaje Transversal, Spain;
- Adramet Barry, CEO of Bundu SAS, Guinea;
- Steffen Braun, Deputy Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO, Germany;
- Monica Cerutti, Computer Science Researcher, University of Turin, Italy;
- Jamie Cudden, Director, Smart Dublin, Ireland;
- Fernando De Pablos, Director of the Digital Office, Madrid City Council, Spain;
- Mani Dhinga, Director of the Digital programme for engagement, Dublin City, Ireland;
- Marcela Di Pietrantonio, Secretary of the Cabinet for Economic development and international relations, Tandil Municipality, Argentina;
- Sander Dolder, USA;
- Bernard Ewah, Acting Director, e- Government Development and Regulation, National Information Technology Development Agency, Nigeria;
- Antonio Jose Garcia De la Paz, Secretary General for data strategies, Madrid City Council, Spain;
- Nicola Grahan, Director of Smart City operations, Dublin City, Ireland;
- Nicola Holden, Digital Chief Office Head of Digital Experience, UNDP, USA;
- Mitchel Joachim, Director, Terreform One, USA;
- Dmytro Pokhylko, Director for strategic initiatives, Columbia University, USA;
- Carla Rey, President, Venice City Solutions Foundation, Italy;
- Rikesh Shah, Director, Cities Today Institute, UK;
- Petr Suska, Chief Innovation Officer, Smart City, Prague City Hall, Czech Rep;
- Bewin Tom, Project Supervisor, Rourkela Global Mayors Challenge, India.
CASE STUDIES
Paris’ 15-Minute City Campaign, France
Example of spatial visualization of Surface Urban Heat Islands
Uptake Alliance coalition strategy, USA
