Measuring Citizens-Centric Smart City: Development and Validation of Ex-Post Evaluation Framework

This research aims to present a standardized evaluation system to review and further enhance users’ levels of satisfaction with technologies, facilities, and services of a modern smart city at a time when the smart city paradigm has shifted from the focus of its infrastructural features to citizens. The study also seeks to verify the standardized system, so as to explore the possibility of its future application. For the goals, this research established the Structural Equation Model (SEM) based upon the basic structure of the Customer Satisfaction Index, which is a widely used ex-post assessment model, and upon implications of related studies. To verify the SEM, this study chose two cities, which are located far away from one another and employ different business methods, and conducted a survey of 212 and 197 residents, respectively, with the results being applied to the model for analysis to ascertain if the SEM is reliable and adequate. The analysis results showed that the model secures explanatory power in statistical terms, partially proving that it can be developed into a post-evaluation system for a citizens-centric smart city down the road. However, as meaningful differences were spotted in accordance with characteristics of each urban project, this study tried to come up with the background information of and reasons for such variations, to present implications for urban planning.