Poznan.pl, oficjalna strona Miasta Poznania

Evaluation of the implementation of the Smart City concept in the Visegrad Group countries was commissioned by the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy. The research project was carried out under the Polish Presidency of the Visegrad Group (https://www.visegradgroup.eu/).
Apart from the report, the website also contains a catalog of good practices, proposals of recommendations and support tools as well as the presentation of results.
Out of 165 good practice proposals initially identified by national experts, 56 projects were selected. Among those awarded was the Smart City Poznań App and the Totupoint initiative.
The App, implemented in 2020, was shown as a valuable support in the city management process. Its practicality lies in the integration of many useful solutions in a single platform. Smart City Poznań App is, first and foremost, an extensive communication tool which not only takes place between the inhabitants and the city but also enables the support of local activities.
The functions of the App include e.g. the possibility to report problems and suggestions noticed in the closest surroundings, but also to receive alerts on e.g. air pollution or road obstructions. The user can also track the status of their reports on an ongoing basis.
The functionality of the App is not limited to sending reports and receiving alerts. Its users can also use links leading to the most important websites related to the city. Smart City Poznań is also convenient and intuitive to use thanks to the extensive selection of settings.
The App has opened new possibilities of communication between the inhabitants and the city authorities. The ever-growing statistics of active users of the application can therefore be seen as proof of success achieved in the implementation of functional, modern solutions in urban space.
Totupoint is another measure that has been recognised as part of the evaluation of solutions implemented in the cities of the countries belonging to the Visegrad Group. The project was launched as an initiative to primarily support people with visual impairments, but during the course of the project solutions were also created for people with hearing problems.
Totupoint is a system of markers that are detected by smartphones or tablets. Their primary function is to transmit the information stored in them, but some markers are equipped with additional functions, such as thermometer or systems transmitting alarm signals. The solution was developed by PIRS Creative Lab as a non-profit project, but after analyzing the possibilities offered by them, the City of Poznań decided to finance its implementation in its buildings and some cultural facilities. The contribution of the Polish Association of the Blind and the Regional Foundation for Aid to the Blind, which provided substantive support in the process of implementing the project, cannot be omitted either.
The implementation of Totupoint in Poznań resulted mainly from two factors: the need and innovation. The implementation of the project in the city was preceded by signals from the local community who were looking for an optimal solution for the functioning of persons with visual dysfunctions in urban space. The second factor, innovativeness, was decisive in the choice of the solution created by PIRS Creative Lab - as Totupoint, through the use of modern technologies, allows for safe movement and use of Poznań's infrastructure.
In conclusion, the publication "Evaluation of the implementation of the Smart City concept in the Visegrad Group countries" clearly discusses the advantages of the solutions implemented in cities located in the aforementioned group of countries. It is therefore gratifying that against the background of so many useful initiatives and projects, also those operating in Poznan gained recognition.
OD