3D city model wins the Mayor’s Innovation Competition

The winners of the 2018 Mayor’s Innovation Competition were rewarded at an awards ceremony on 30 November. This year’s winner is the 3D city model developed by the Public Works Department’s map production unit. Among other things, the model includes Espoo’s current building stock as well as its streets, parks and waterways. In addition, it can be made to include information relating to city planning, building control, street permits, infrastructure, environmental supervision and landed property, for instance. The model is shared via an open interface, so it is also available to other actors. From the beginning of 2019, the current test version will be expanded to cover the entire area of the city.

The 3D model saves design agencies time in editing initial data, accelerates development projects and saves the city’s appropriations. It helps residents get involved at the early planning stage, thereby reducing the need for complaints.

The innovation has been developed persistently since 2014 as a joint effort between the City of Espoo, software companies, a company involved in the test phase and the National Land Survey of Finland. The work involved developing software applications and creating a viable process. In addition, the city’s 12 map information specialists were retrained under the guidance of the innovation team for new jobs as 3D data modellers.

“The day the competition finalists present their innovations to the city management is one of the highlights of the year,” Mayor Jukka Mäkelä says happily.“The high level of the competition shows that our employees are willing to develop their jobs and the services offered to Espoo residents,” he continues.

Second place to oral health care metrics

The set of metrics for oral health carecan be used to assess services in terms of their effectiveness, work quality, process quality and service availability.

The metrics were built in cooperation with a partner and are still being further developed. The cooperation resulted in national metrics for quality and effectiveness, already implemented by 16 public actors in oral health care and one private actor. The metrics support freedom of choice and facilitate management as well as the development of personnel’s professional skills. From now on, clients will have the opportunity to compare service providers, resulting in freedom of choice.

Honourable mentions to anti-bullying activities and a planning feedback system

Anti-bullying activities (“Minä – kiusaamisen vastainen toiminta”) developed by Tapiola Upper Secondary School and Tapiola School received an honourable mention. The model is based on a student’s idea for preventing bullying. Upper secondary school students plan lessons on the topic of “Real-life and social media bullying” and give them to eighth-graders with the support of school social workers. In addition, the school has a “What’s up” wellness week with a whole day of wellness-related activities. The competition’s panel of judges paid attention to the genuine cooperation, which takes into account the opinions and wishes of pupils and students. In addition, the model allows students from various grades to get to know each other.

Another honourable mention was awarded to the City Planning Department’s planning feedback system, in which feedback or complaints on city plans are placed directly on an interactive plan map. Further processing of customer data produced by the system is easier than before, since notations made directly on the map are more accurate and save the designer’s time. In addition, the resulting standard-format file makes it easier to record the feedback at the registry office and can be utilised by the designer.

An ethical hacking course takes top prize in the Innovations with Potential category

An ethical hacking course (Hack with Espoo) engages upper secondary school students in developing the city’s information security together with partner companies. At the same time, they learn about ethical hacking. Implemented by the city’s Chief Information Security Officer and representatives of the Finnish Upper Secondary Education Unit, the idea is something completely new in the school world. The innovation puts into practice Espoo’s values, engaging city residents and supporting the recognition of vulnerabilities in the city’s information systems.

Second place in the Innovations with Potential category went to the Tapaturma-Tapani board game, developed by the Early Childhood Education Unit. The game, whose title could be translated as “Accident Adam”, is meant as part of learning safe working methods and safety skills in accordance with the curriculum. Pre-schoolers and five-year-olds play the game together with adults. By studying fictitious accidents, we learn to avoid and prevent accidents together. Versions of the game are also being planned for lower and upper comprehensive school pupils as well as work communities. According to the panel of judges, children’s learning potential has been well recognised in developing the game.

The Mayor’s Innovation Competition has been organised annually since 2012 in cooperation with Laatukeskus Excellence Finland. Intended for the city’s employees, work communities and networks, the competition sets out to find innovations that improve the city’s services and streamline its activities. The competition entries also take part in Laatukeskus Excellence Finland’s Quality Innovation Award competition, in which competitors from Espoo have previously achieved good success, both nationally and internationally.