16. Meaningful inefficiencies : Resisting the logic of technological efficiency in the design of civic systems

The promise of smart cities is that Big Data and the Internet of Things will transform them into efficient, productive machines. But the smart city is a rather rational proposition where technological efficiency is the primary indicator of success. This chapter advocates a counterpoint to this emphasis on efficiency. Borrowing from game design, where players are provided with goals, and confronted with unnecessary obstacles that make their striving for that goal meaningful, the chapter suggest that ’meaningful inefficiencies’ are necessary for making cities smart. When there is room for play in the systems with which we interact, there is opportunity for people to form relationships, build trust, care for one another, and make shared meaning, all of which comprise the foundation for resilient communities.