Digitaler Donnerstag

Seven spots up

But what does that actually mean for us in Jena?

73 points, ranked 47th out of 83 major German cities. Seven spots higher than last year. And fifth place among cities of our size. At first glance, that sounds like quite a high ranking.

But the more interesting question is: What does this actually mean for the people of Jena? For someone who takes the tram to work in the morning, needs to make an appointment at the city office, drops their child off at school, or wants to know what’s happening in their city right now? That’s exactly what the Smart City Index is all about.

It’s not about how many computers are in City Hall

Bitkom looks at five major areas: administration, energy and the environment, IT and communication, mobility, and society and education.

Behind these are very practical questions. Can I schedule an appointment with a government agency online? Can I pay for government services digitally? Do I get up-to-date information about buses and trains on my smartphone? Is data being used to better plan traffic or heat supply? And is there support for people who aren’t yet comfortable using smartphones, online banking, or digital applications?

When Digitalization Saves a Trip to City Hall

In Jena, various services can now be handled online and paid for digitally. ePayBL and Wero are among the payment options available. Appointments can be scheduled or requested digitally in several areas. The defect reporting system allows residents to submit and track reports of issues within the city online.

Even the so-called “digital parking ticket” simplifies an everyday task: a QR code takes you directly to the payment option.

These aren’t major flagship projects, but it’s precisely these kinds of things that make a difference in everyday life. When an extra trip to city hall is eliminated, a payment can be made right away, or an application is easier to find, digitization becomes truly practical.

Some digital solutions aren’t even visible

Other developments tend to happen behind the scenes. Jena, for example, uses a digital energy management system for municipal buildings. Digital data and models are used for heating planning. Sensors provide information on air quality, soil moisture, or environmental events. In many places, street lighting is also controlled adaptively and can adjust its output.

As a citizen, you might not even notice much of this in your everyday life. Nevertheless, that’s precisely where the benefit lies: energy can be used more efficiently, changes can be detected earlier, and long-term decisions can be better prepared.

Data Can Make a City More Understandable

The WISSENsAllmende also falls into this category. Its purpose is to bring together data from various fields and make it more usable. This data is also linked to the Jena map portal.

A good example is the measurement of pedestrian traffic in the city center. It helps us understand how heavily certain areas are used, how visitor flows change, and which locations are particularly busy.

Such data does not replace political decisions or on-the-ground experience. However, it can provide an additional foundation for better understanding developments and making planning decisions more informed.

And then there is digitalization, where people are very much at the center

Perhaps this is even the area that people experience most directly. Anyone who’s having trouble with their smartphone, feels unsure about online banking, or simply wants to try out what artificial intelligence can actually do can visit the ProbierLaden. There are no major hurdles, no prior knowledge is required, and there are people on hand to answer questions.

The ProbierMobil also brings these services to the city’s neighborhoods.

In schools, the Digital Agent helps ensure that digital technology isn’t just purchased but is also used effectively. And at JEDI, business, academia, government, students, children, and the broader community come together for workshops, hackathons, and educational programs.

This is where it becomes particularly clear what “Smart City” means for Jena: It’s not just about technology. It’s also about whether people have access to it, whether they find support, and whether new ideas can be developed collaboratively.

Digital technology has long been a part of daily life on the go, too

Anyone who takes the bus or train in Jena probably already uses many digital services as a matter of course: mobile tickets, real-time information via the “MeinJena” app from Stadtwerke Jena.

Traffic lights and traffic control are also becoming more digital. The goal is to better coordinate traffic flows and make information available more quickly.

For people, this means—in the best-case scenario—less unnecessary waiting, more reliable information, and a transportation system that can respond better to different situations.

And why do we need a ranking for this?

We don’t really need a ranking to know whether an online registration system works or whether someone at the ProbierLaden is getting good support.

Nevertheless, the Smart City Index is helpful. It gives us an outside perspective on our own development. How does Jena compare to other cities? What’s already working well? Where are others further ahead? And where are there still gaps?

For Jena, the result is therefore both a confirmation and a call to action. The city scores particularly well in the areas of society and education. Mobility and public administration are also among its stronger areas. In contrast, there is more potential in the areas of energy and the environment. That’s why it would be too simplistic to treat moving up seven spots as merely a success story.

What matters more is what aspects of digital development actually make a difference in everyday life: whether administrative processes become simpler, buses and trains are more reliable, data enables better decisions, or people receive support at the “ProbierLaden” when the digital world isn’t self-explanatory.

Ultimately, this is exactly how we measure whether a Smart City works: not by how much technology a city uses, but by whether it benefits people.

Do you have questions about this or another DigiDo post? Feel free to contact us—we look forward to your feedback.