Objectives of this group:

Key elements in digital transformation and scaling up digital innovation are shared knowledge, vision and action. Developing and validating local key performance indicators and data collection procedures for common and transparent monitoring, to be able to compare smart city solutions across European cities, is a crucial horizontal element in all digitalization efforts. In order to promote digital transformation and the scaling up of digital innovation in cities and communities, the European Commission, the European Committee of the Regions and ESPON would like to better understand what different actors are doing, what works, what does not and why.

The LORDI (Local and Regional Digital Indicators) framework plays an important role in this effort. It aims to support digital transformation efforts across Europe by providing the necessary evidence on what is happening on the local and regional level to help different cities and communities benchmark themselves with others in order to develop better policies and actions. It will help cities and regions to develop and steer the relevant policies, to fulfil the commitments and actions and to support access to different financing opportunities. This set of indicators maps cities and regions in 5 broad categories: 1) local digital infrastructure; 2) local digital skills and capacity building; 3) local digital economy and services; 4) governance and digital single market; and 5) socioeconomic context. The LORDI framework is being co-designed by ESPON with cities and regions, with the EU Commission, the European Committee of the Regions and with key networks and organisations, such as Living-in.eu signatories and the Open and Agile Smart Cities network.

The Monitoring and Measuring Group wants to bring relevant city initiatives, associations and platforms of cities as well as interested signatory cities together to develop a solid and unique framework for measuring and monitoring sustainable digital transformation processes.

It will use and discuss the indicators for digital transformation which have been included in LORDI, and will enrich it with experiences from cities and city networks. In December 2020 a LORDI survey is sent to all Living.in.EU signatory cities to get feedback from cities on these indicators.

In 2021, the Monitoring and Measuring Group will also focus on Urban Digital Platforms and plans to develop a self-assessment for cities which have such platforms or would like to develop one.

Interested city representatives are most welcome to join us.

Monitoring and Measuring - Work Plan priorities 2023 

• Evaluation of LORDIMAS Alpha version  

• Piloting the survey with BETA release and preparing the final release 

• Monitor the creation and implementation of the LORDIMAS communication