New York City Digital Roadmap

THE CITY OF NEW YORK
NEW YORK CITYS

2013 ROADMAP
DIGITAL
LEADERSHIP
New York Citys
Digital Leadership

2013 roadmap
city of new york
NewYork City's Digital Leadership V
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
Deputy Mayor Robert K. Steel
mayors office of media and entertainment
Commissioner Katherine L. Oliver
First Deputy Commissioner Todd Asher
Allie Kleva, Associate Commissioner, Marketing and Strategic Partnerships
nyc digital
Rachel S. Haot, Chief Digital Ofcer
Ivy Li, Digital Communications Director
Grace Cheung, Media Center Liaison
Seema Shah, Strategic Partnerships Manager
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION BY MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG 1
PROGRESS REPORT 3
THE ROADMAP: ACHIEVEMENTS IN REVIEW
ACCESS 4
EDUCATION 10
OPEN GOVERNMENT 20
ENGAGEMENT 28
INDUSTRY 44
DIGITAL CITIES SYMPOSIUM 52
THE ROADMAP: LOOKING AHEAD 54
NEXT STEPS FOR ACCESS 57
NEXT STEPS FOR EDUCATION 58
NEXT STEPS FOR OPEN GOVERNMENT 59
NEXT STEPS FOR ENGAGEMENT 60
NEXT STEPS FOR INDUSTRY 62
CONCLUSION BY THE CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICER 64
Download the 2011, 2012 and 2013 Roadmaps at nyc.gov
Special Tanks To
Brooklyn Public Library
Department of Education
Department of Information Technology & Telecommunications
Department of Parks and Recreation
Department of Small Business Services
Te Mayors Fund to Advance New York City
Mayors Ofce
New York City Economic Development Corporation
New York Public Library
NYC 311
Ofce of Emergency Management
Queens Library
Samantha Grassle
New York Citys Digital Leadership: 2013 Roadmap
Copyright 2013 Te City of New York
Design by Te Leter Ofce
NewYork City's Digital Leadership 1
`
In 2011, our Administration introduced the City of NewYorks frst
Digital Roadmap with a simple goal: making NewYork the nations
number one digital city, in both the private and public sectors. In just
two years, we have made tremendous progress towards that goal.
New York Citys Digital Leadership: 2013 Roadmap serves as a prog-
ress report, outlining the results to date of 40 initiatives. Across New
York in our schools, libraries, and community centers our digital
programs are increasing afordable broadband access and helping
people improve their technological literacy and computer skills. Te
Roadmap also details our frst Digital Cities Symposium, which we convened to share these kinds of proven ideas
with other innovative cities around the world.
Te future of the global economy, in every industry, is tied to technology and the future for cities that recognize
this fact is very bright. Here in NewYork, our Administration has established a network of business incubators,
including tech incubators. We also launched an entrepreneurial fund for tech companies, which has provided seed
money to the frst winner of our Big Apps competition.
In the private sector, tech startups and established companies nowemploy more than 120,000 New Yorkers, an
increase of 30 percent since 2005. Once Cornell and the Technion Institute of Technology open their world-class
applied sciences campus on Roosevelt Island, we will atract even more talented engineers and computer scientists.
And, afer they graduate, we look forward to themstarting their own businesses right here in the fve boroughs.
Tanks to these eforts and more, NewYork City is strengthening our position as a leader of the 21st century
economy. As we strive to keep our city a capital of tech innovation and entrepreneurship,
I invite you to learn more about our work in the 2013 Roadmap.
Michael R. Bloomberg
Mayor
INTRODUCTION BY MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG
New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
"The future of the global economy,
in every industry, is tied to technology
and the future for cities that
recognize this fact is very bright."
2 Te City of NewYork NewYork City's Digital Leadership 3
Progress Report: 100% Achieved
1. ACCESS
Connect high-needs individuals through federally funded nyc Connected initiatives 5
Launch outreach and education eforts to increase broadband Internet adoption 5
Support more broadband choices citywide 9
Introduce Wi-Fi in more public spaces, including parks 7
2. EDUCATION
Introduce Applied Sciences NYC, the initiative to bring more STEM institutions to NewYork City
12
Introduce Cornell-Technion Innovation Institute on Roosevelt Island
13
Introduce Center for Urban Science and Progress, led by NYUand NYU-Poly
13
Introduce Academy for Sofware Engineering, a high school that teaches development and design
11
Increase number of participants in Innovation Zone from80 schools to over 250
11
Develop Digital Ready, digital literacy curriculumfor middle and high school students
11
3. OPEN GOVERNMENT
Develop NYCOpenData, an Open Government framework featuring APIs for City data 21
Launch a central hub for engaging and cultivating feedback fromthe developer community 23
Introduce visualization tools that make data more accessible to the public 22
Launch app wishlists to support a needs-based ecosystemof innovation 23
Launch an ofcial NewYork City apps hub 23
Host NewYork Citys frst hackathon: Reinvent NYC.gov 23
Host NewYork City's frst sustainability hackathon: Reinvent Green 23
Launch Code Corps initiative linking volunteer technologists with livesaving civic digital projects 25
Host Reinvent Payphones Design Challenge on future of public payphones 24
Introduce DART, a teamof the City's data experts 27
4. ENGAGEMENT
Expand 311 Online through smartphone apps, Twiter and live chat 41
Implement a custombit.ly url redirection service on NYC.gov to encourage sharing 40
Launch ofcial Facebook presence to engage NewYorkers and customize experience 38
Launch @NYCgov, a central Twiter account and one-stop shop of crucial news and services 38
Launch a NewYork City Tumblr vertical, featuring content and commentary on City stories 38
Launch a Foursquare badge that encourages use of NewYork Citys free public places 38
Integrate crowdsourcing tools for emergency situations 42
Introduce digital Citizen Toolkits for engaging with NewYork City government online 37
Introduce SMART, a teamof the Citys social media leaders 38
Launch ongoing listening sessions across the fve boroughs to encourage input 40
Relaunch NYC.gov to make the Citys website more usable, accessible and intuitive 29
5. INDUSTRY
Expand workforce development programs to support diversity in the digital sector 45
Support technology startup infrastructure needs 47
Support small businesses through streamlined online resources and digital training 48
Continue to recruit more engineering talent and teams to NewYork City 47
Promote and celebrate NYCs digital sector through events and awards 49
Pursue a new.NYCtop-level domain
48
Develop the Made in NY Media Center, a facility in DUMBOdedicated to the future of storytelling in a digital age
50
Launch We Are Made in NY, an economic development initiative celebrating NewYork City's tech sector opportunities
49
Expand the Made in NY Mark of distinction to digital companies that base at least 75% of development in NYC
49
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Access:
Connecting All New Yorkers
Today over 99% of New Yorkers have resi-
dential access to high-speed broadband, and build-
ing on this reach is critical. Since the introduction
of the Digital Roadmap in 2011, over a dozen new
initiatives have enhanced Internet infrastructure,
increased adoption and expanded coverageand
today New Yorkers are more connected than ever
before.
From public Wi-Fi in over 50 parks to subsidized
broadband access for hundreds of thousands of low-
income residents, Access programs have provided
New Yorkers with a host of free options to connect
to the Internet, supporting public safety, academic
growth, economic development, tourism and com-
munity.
More Access for Low-
Income New Yorkers
Te plan starts by focusing on serving
historically under-connected communities, and
establishing the baseline that every New Yorker
has a range of free and low-cost means to access
the Internet to fulfll professional and personal
goals.
Underscoring Mayor Bloombergs commitment
to increasing technology inclusion and reducing
the digital divide, the City of New York has helped
nearly 300,000 low-income residents access the
Internet and adopt service since the introduction of
the Digital Roadmap.
A major driver of this accomplishment was the set of
high-impact grants provided by the federally funded
btop program (Broadband Technology Opportuni-
ties Program). Programs included Connected Learn-
ing, which provides training, discounted broadband,
technology curricula and equipment to 23,000 sixth
graders and their families for a total impact of over
50,000 residents. Te program, which surpassed its
initial goal of serving 18,000 sixth graders, hopes to
signifcantly impact the academic and professional
trajectory of the selected students by providing them
and their households with powerful digital literacy
training at a critical age.
In addition, a separate program, Connected Com-
munities, has expanded capacity and infrastructure
to serve over 40,000 individuals a week via 100 new
or upgraded public technology centers located in
NYCHA Digital Van.
Images courtesy of NYCHA.
Te foundation of a digital city is the connectivity
of its people. Access is the basis of the Digital
Roadmap because ensuring that all New Yorkers
are able to connect to the Internet is the frst step to
realizing New York Citys innovative potential.
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public libraries, recreation centers, public housing
and community centers. Tis includes innovative
initiatives such as the New York City Housing Au-
thority (nycha) Digital Vans program, a program
that outfted mobile technology centers that travel
across housing developments in all fve boroughs to
provide Internet and computer access. To promote
services to the public, nycha posts schedules
online and via Twiter; just over a year since launch,
the Digital Vans have served over 4,000 residents.
Altogether, Connected Communities computer re-
sources centers beneft approximately 200,000 New
Yorkers annually.
Finally, a third program called Connected Founda-
tions, has focused on at-risk youth in danger of
failing to complete high school, and has served 4,194
students to dateproviding access and digital lit-
eracy training to increase professional opportunities
post-secondary school.
New York Citys library systems play a vital and
ever-growing role in connecting New Yorkers to the
information that they seek on the Internet. Altogeth-
er, the Citys three library systems have increased
the number of computers available to the public by
89% since 2002. Te Brooklyn Public Library (BPL)
ofers its members free Internet access and 1,111
public use computers, including 95 laptops added
to its inventory in 2011 using BTOP funding. BPL
also ofers a 36-computer Tech Lof serving youth
up to 16 years of age and computers with free access
to costly specialty programs such as Roseta Stone,
Windows Live Movie Maker and Ancestry Library
Edition. Te New York Public Library provides
free access to the Internet, online databases, library
catalogs and Microsof Ofce applications from its
4,026 public-use computers. In 2012, NYPL visitors
logged 3,557,162 hours of computer use, and made
a total of 441,434 requests for its 1,303 laptops. Te
Queens Public Library also provides Internet access
and 1,706 computers for public use, and through
BTOP funding, provides one-on-one training and
use of Microsof Ofce applications.
Tese infrastructure achievements are complement-
ed by the expansion of professional development
programs that connect hundreds of diverse public
school students with technology internships at com-
panies across New York City, detailed in the Industry
section of this report.
Increased Free Wi-Fi in
Public Spaces
Building on full-service access to the Internet via
hardline connections and public desktop comput-
ers, the increased use of mobile devices, tablets and
personal laptop computers in New York City has led
to exponential public demand for free public Wi-Fi.
While blanketing the fve boroughs of the City with
public Wi-Fi is currently costly and complex, the
City of New York has supported the establishment
of public-private partnerships. Tese partnerships
represent tens of millions of dollars in investment
that expand connectivity to hundreds of thousands
at no cost to taxpayers.
Since the announcement of the Digital Roadmap,
the City has implemented free public Wi-Fi in over
50 parks, supporting business, tourism and com-
munity needs. Of those parks, 26 locations were
connected by AT&T and feature unlimited Wi-Fi
access for all users. Spurred by the experience
of telecommunications needs during Hurricane
Sandy, AT&T also recently piloted Street Charge,
several solar-powered mobile charging stations
that help New Yorkers maintain power, and, thus,
connectivity on the go and in emergency scenarios.
Cablevision and TimeWarner invested in infra-
structure in an additional 32 parks, and allow
up to 30 minutes of use per month free of charge
for non-customers and $0.99 per day beyond
that threshold.
Beyond the parks, the City of New York has part-
nered with Google to provide free public Wi-Fi
in Chelsea, covering an area that serves over
100,000, including over 2,000 residents of the
Fulton Houses public housing development, and
spanning from 15th Street to 19th Street and 8th
Avenue to 10th Avenue.
Free public Wi-Fi networks are also coming to 10
commercial districts in all fve boroughs: in Brook-
lyn along the Fulton Street corridor, BAM Cultural
District, Brownsville, and Downtown Brooklyn;
in Manhatan in the Flatiron District, along the
Water Street Corridor and the East River waterfront
in Lower Manhatan, the 125th Street corridor in
Harlem and on Roosevelt Island; in Queens in Long
Island City; in Staten Island in the St. George com-
mercial district; and in the Bronx on Fordham Road,
as well as other areas citywide.
Starting this fall, construction will begin on a free,
public Wi-Fi network in Harlem from 110th to
137th Streets between Frederick Douglass Bou-
levard and Madison Avenue. Te Mayor's Fund
to Advance New York City is partnering with the
Department of Small Business Services and tech-
nology vendor Sky Packets to design and plan the
network, which will be funded by the public-private
partnership for at least fve years. Harlem Children's
Zone will also help provide community outreach
and education about the network's presence. Te full
network is expected to be completed in 2014.
Te City of New York has also explored new uses
of existing infrastructure to expand Wi-Fi coverage,
including the opportunity to breathe new life into
public pay telephones by augmenting them with
Wi-Fi hotspots available to the public. Trough
a pilot between payphone franchisees Titan and
Van Wagner Communications, the Department of
Information Technology and Telecommunications
has launched Wi-Fi hotspots at 13 payphone kiosks,
free of charge to the public and accessible at up to a
distance of 200 feet.
Street Charge. Images
courtesy of Pensa.
Free Wi-Fi at payphone
kiosks. Image courtesy
of DoITT.
New York Citys public libraries continue to provide
crucial Internet access, including free public Wi-Fi
at all branches of the three library systems that serve
New York Citys fve boroughs: Brooklyn Public Li-
brary, New York Public Library and Queens Library.
Below ground, the expansion of cellular and wireless
service in New York Citys subway system is crucial
to the safety, productivity and communications
needs of New Yorkers. Since the creation of the Digi-
tal Roadmap, the MTA and vendor Transit Wireless
have begun the expansion plan to bring Wi-Fi and
cellular service to all 277 underground stations. In
2011, six stations were connected; today 36 under-
ground subway stations provide access.
Wider Internet Provider
Choice for all New Yorkers
Beyond public Internet access, increasing market
competition for private Internet service is key to
ensuring a range of choices for consumers in New
York City. And while the federal government deter-
mines the range of approved Internet providers, the
City of New York has used its negotiation leverage to
ensure that large cable providers expand service to
all residential areas.
When the frst Digital Roadmap was released in
2011, 60% of residential streets had access to Veri-
zon FiOS. As part of a contract requirement secured
by the Department of Information Technology and
Telecommunications, today the percentage of resi-
dences with street access has increased to 91%, with
Verizon on track to serve 100% of residences by the
conclusion of 2014. Tis represents a crucial step in
expanding the market and providing more options
to consumers in New York City.
Expanded Commercial
Fiber Optic Broadband
Finally, as New York Citys technology sector grows
and other major industries modernize, the need for
high-speed commercial broadband access has never
been greater. To speed the deployment of fber optic
cabling, the City of New York has explored innova-
tive new technologies and leveraged contracts with
Internet service providers.
One example is the trial of micro-trenching technol-
ogy to deploy fber connectivity in commercial
corridors. Micro-trenching is a process of installing
small conduits in narrow trenches at sidewalk edges
to house fber optic cabling. It is faster, more efcient
and less disruptive than traditional methods of in-
stalling infrastructure. In partnership with Verizon,
the City approved 14 pilot locations that will run
through November 2013.
In addition, Deputy Mayor Robert Steel announced
the launch of the ConnectNYC Fiber Challenge, a
competition that provides free fber connectivity in-
stallation to businesses, up to a value of $14 million.
Te contest is in its second round, with over 200
applicants to date, and is described in greater depth
in the Industry section.
Verizon FiOS Installation.
Image courtesy of DoITT.
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Education:
Investing in the Future
Mayor Bloombergs administration has
launched over 40 digital learning programs that have
served over one million New Yorkers to date. Tese
programs serve kindergartners and senior citizens
alike, across all fve boroughs, catering to a range of
fuency levels.
Te most recent launches include digital literacy
programs for middle school students, targeted
high schools for computer science learning and the
game-changing Cornell Tech campus planned for
Roosevelt Island, part of Mayor Bloombergs pio-
neering Applied Sciences NYC initiative. Milestone
education programs are highlighted below.
STEM Education Highlights
GROWTH OF IZONE PROGRAM, SERVING
STUDENTS K-12
In New York City, digital learning begins at the kin-
dergarten level, thanks to programs such as iZone,
a community of New York City public schools that
personalizes the learning experience through col-
laboration tools, real-time assessment and an online
curriculum. At the launch of the Digital Roadmap,
the iZone included 81 schools; today that number
has more than doubled to encompass a learning
community of nearly 280 schools serving thousands
of students in grades 6-12.
DIGITAL READY: SUPPORTING DIGITAL
LITERACY
To further increase digital literacy and technol-
ogy sector awareness among students, the City
has launched Digital Ready, a technology-driven
program that uses new media tools in the classroom
and ofers internships and other learning experi-
ences with startups. A collaboration between the
Mayor's Ofce of Media and Entertainment and the
Department of Education, Digital Ready launched in
September 2013 in 10 high schools, using a student-
centered model that integrates digital resources into
lesson plans, leverages assessment data for instruc-
tional decisions, and introduces students to careers
in technology through mentorships and career
development opportunities with local digital compa-
nies. In its second year, Digital Ready will expand to
20 additional schools, including middle schools.
COMPUTER SCIENCE CURRICULUM EXPANDS
TO MORE NYC SCHOOLS
At the secondary level, students interested in an
academic or professional career in technology have
greater options than ever before thanks to the cre-
ation of two new high schools focused on computer
science learning, and the expansion of the Sofware
Engineering Pilot to an additional 19 schools. Te
Academy for Sofware Engineering (AFSE) was the
frst school to open in fall 2012, welcoming its inau-
gural cohort of 108 students. Located in the Wash-
If Internet infrastructure is the bedrock of the digital
city, technology Education empowers residents to
fully participate in the digital ecosystem and reap
the benefts of its innovations. From basic digital
literacylike sending an email or applying for a job
onlineto advanced degree programs in computer
science, initiatives to support learning in science,
technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
ensure that all New Yorkers are part of the future of
the digital transformation of New York City.
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ington Irving Educational Complex in the Gramercy
Park area, AFSE teaches high school students pro-
gramming in multiple computer languages, as well as
the critical principles underlying each systemen-
abling them to adapt as technology changes.
New York Citys local technology community has
contributed enormously to AFSEs success. From
the start, venture capitalist Fred Wilson sparked
the concept and provided signifcant funding to
establish the school, citing the need for talent in the
Citys growing digital industry. To guide curriculum
development and support collaboration with the
technology sector, AFSE developed an advisory
board featuring prominent technologists and educa-
tors from companies including Facebook, Four-
square and Google.
Fall 2013 marks the entrance of the second class
of students to AFSE, as well as the launch of an
additional computer science-focused school - the
Bronx Academy for Sofware Engineering (BASE).
BASE leverages the successful curriculum template
pioneered by AFSE, as well as an advisory board of
technology, business and community leaders.
Beyond AFSE and BASE, the Sofware Engineering
Pilot expanded to 19 middle and high schools in
September 2013, with courses on topics including
computer programming, embedded electronics, web
design, and robotics. Selected through a competitive
application process that assessed current technology
curriculum and potential for growth, the 19 schools
include:
High School of Telecommunication Arts
and Technology
Brooklyn Technical High School
Te Bronx Compass High School
Te Renaissance Charter High School
for Innovation
Urban Assembly Gateway School for Technology
Queens Vocational & Technical High School
Cambria Heights Academy
Ralph McKee High School
New Dorp High School
Ditmas Intermediate School 62
I.S. 30 Mary White Ovington
Mark Twain I.S. 239 for the Gifed and Talented
Bronx Park Middle School
M.S. 223 Te Laboratory School of Finance
and Technology
Nathaniel Hawthorne Middle School 74
J.H.S. 185 Edward Bleeker
Pathways College Preparatory School
J.H.S. 157 Stephen A. Halsey
Eagle Academy for Young Men
NYC Generation Tech is a program that helps public
high school students learn the fundamentals of
programming and entrepreneurship skills. In 2013,
43 students completed an intensive summer training
program and worked with technology mentors from
Warby Parker, AppNexus, Spotify, Google and other
local companies to develop mobile applications. Te
students then pitched their creations to compete for
$5,000 and a meeting with Union Square Ventures.
Te programwas developed by NYCEDCin partner-
ship with the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship.
Applied Sciences NYC:
Landmark Achievements in
Higher Education
To support the exploding demand for computer sci-
ence expertise in NewYork City, and to assure New
York Citys enduring position as a hub for innova-
tion, in 2010 Mayor Bloomberg and Deputy Mayor
Robert Steel launched Applied Sciences NYC, an
unparalleled public competition with the goal to build
or expand engineering institutions across the fve
boroughs. Te schools established as part of Applied
Sciences NYCserve postgraduate students, helping to
further develop the technology ecosystemand fortify-
ing NewYork Citys economy for the future.
Te competition ofered access to City-owned land
and up to $100 million in City capital for world-class
institutions to build or growan applied sciences cam-
pus in NewYork City. Its results were staggering: the
initial Request for Expressions of Interest garnered
18 responses from27 prominent schools across the
country and around the world. Soon afer, the formal
Request for Proposals resulted in seven qualifying
responses from17 outstanding institutions. Afer ex-
tensive evaluation, the City announced in December
2011 that the proposal fromCornell University and
the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology was the
frst winner of the competition.
CORNELL TECH
An initiative that has ignited the imagination of
New York Citys digital community, Cornell Techs
mission is to modernize the applied sciences institu-
tion for the digital world, combining technology
and entrepreneurship learning in advanced degree
programs that feature academics alongside industry
practitioners. Te home of the future campus is New
York Citys Roosevelt Island, where the two-million-
square-foot Cornell Tech campus will feature
sustainable construction and blend seamlessly with
the surrounding neighborhood, including 2.5 acres
of green space open to the public.
In 2013 Cornell Techs frst cohort, a seven-member
beta class, completed the initial year of its com-
puter science Master of Engineering program. Te
group is housed in space donated by Google, and its
term concluded with Open Studio, a presentation of
real-world master projects executed with the men-
torship of active industry leaders from Betaworks,
Google and Qualcomm.
Its work already underway, Cornell Tech is a power-
ful investment in cultivating the talent needed to fuel
the future of New York Citys economy and maintain
its status as the intellectual capital of the world.
Cornell Tech. Image
courtesy of Kilograph.
NYU Center for Urban
Science and Progress.
Image courtesy of
NYU CUSP.
Mayor Bloomberg
announces 19
schools to participate
in new software
engineering pilot.
NYU CENTER FOR URBAN SCIENCE
AND PROGRESS
Te second Applied Sciences NYC winner an-
nounced was the Center for Urban Science and
Progress, a visionary public-private research center
focused on the emerging feld Urban Informat-
icssolving the challenges that cities face and
exploring creative solutions to improve metropolitan
life. NYU CUSPs advanced degree programs will
focus on developments in urbanization and digital
technology, with New York City as its living labora-
tory. Te research center will help to ensure that the
best and brightest continue to innovate in New York
City and that their breakthroughs and talent are ap-
plied across the fve boroughs.
CUSP is led by New York University and NYU-
Poly, with contributions from partners the City
University of New York, Carnegie Mellon Univer-
sity, University of Toronto, University of Warwick,
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and tech-
nology leaders IBM and Cisco.
INSTITUTE FOR DATA SCIENCES AND
ENGINEERING AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
Te third and most recent winner of the Applied
Sciences NYC competition is the Institute for Data
Science and Engineering (IDSE) at Columbia
University. IDSE will focus on another rapidly grow-
ing, emerging felddata scienceand support
the launch of entrepreneurial ventures inspired by
the program. Te Institutes six centers focus on the
topics of smart cities, new media, health analytics,
fnancial analytics, cybersecurity and foundations
of data science, with the aim to produce commer-
cially viable technology initiatives and help grow
the economy. As part of the program, Columbia
will construct a new 44,000-square-foot facility and
hire 75 additional faculty members. To support this
growth, the City of New York will invest $15 million
in critical funding in the form of energy transmission
abatements, debt forgiveness and lease fexibility.
LEFT AND FAR LEFT:
Cornell Tech campus
on Roosevelt Island.
Images courtesy of
Kilograph.

BELOW: Interior of
NYU CUSP. Image
courtesy of NYU CUSP.
GRADES K5 GRADES 6 8 GRADES 9 12 HIGHER EDUCATION CONTINUING EDUCATION SENIOR CITIZENS
BASIC DIGITAL
LITERACY
DIGITAL PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
& WORKFORCE TRAINING
SCIENCE,
TECHNOLOGY,
ENGINEERING, ARTS
& MATHEMATICS
TECH INNOVATION
& ENTREPRENEURSHIP
20.
2.
17.
35.
9.
21.
8.
13.
29.
38.
33.
14.
23.
30.
36.
25.
24.
37.
7.
26.
39.
28.
3.
4.
18.
19.
5.
22.
6.
11.
32.
New York Citys Digital Education Impact: One Million Empowered
23. LADDERS FOR
LEADERS:
1,300 participants,
28% were offered
employment beyond
the end of the program
COLLABORATION
LAB FOR MIDDLE
AND HIGH
SCHOOLS
THE BROADBAND
TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES
PROGRAM PROGRAMS
ALONE IMPACT MORE THAN
266,000
NEW YORKERS
27.
20. GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
SERVES OVER
18,000 NEW
YORKERS
This chart maps City-supported
digital education programs by
age group and subject matter.
A numbered list on the reverse
of this document provides short
descriptions of each initiative.
Full details are available on
nyc.gov.
1.
17. DEPT OF
YOUTH &
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAMS
34.
. BRONX ACADEMY
OF SOFTWARE
ENGINEERING TEACHES
PROGRAMMING,
DESIGN, APP DEVELOP-
MENT AND MORE
31.
22. iZONE:
Impacting
225,000 by the
end of 2013
32. OATS:
(Older Adults
Technology
Services) Brings
technology skills
to NewYorkers
aged 60 and over
7. CITIZEN SCHOOLS:
Partners with middle
schools to provide
academic support,
apprenticeships,
and college and
career preparedness
resources
10.
12.
16.
15.
APPLIED SCIENCES NYC
represents a signicant
long-term investment
in the future of
tech education and
entrepreneurship in
NewYork City
33. P-TECH:
Unique grade
9-14 applied
science school
2
GRADES K5 GRADES 6 8 GRADES 9 12 HIGHER EDUCATION CONTINUING EDUCATION SENIOR CITIZENS
BASIC DIGITAL
LITERACY
DIGITAL PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
& WORKFORCE TRAINING
SCIENCE,
TECHNOLOGY,
ENGINEERING, ARTS
& MATHEMATICS
TECH INNOVATION
& ENTREPRENEURSHIP
20.
2.
17.
35.
9.
21.
8.
13.
29.
38.
33.
14.
23.
30.
36.
25.
24.
37.
7.
26.
39.
28.
3.
4.
18.
19.
5.
22.
6.
11.
32.
New York Citys Digital Education Impact: One Million Empowered
23. LADDERS FOR
LEADERS:
1,300 participants,
28% were offered
employment beyond
the end of the program
COLLABORATION
LAB FOR MIDDLE
AND HIGH
SCHOOLS
THE BROADBAND
TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES
PROGRAM PROGRAMS
ALONE IMPACT MORE THAN
266,000
NEW YORKERS
27.
20. GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
SERVES OVER
18,000 NEW
YORKERS
This chart maps City-supported
digital education programs by
age group and subject matter.
A numbered list on the reverse
of this document provides short
descriptions of each initiative.
Full details are available on
nyc.gov.
1.
17. DEPT OF
YOUTH &
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAMS
34.
. BRONX ACADEMY
OF SOFTWARE
ENGINEERING TEACHES
PROGRAMMING,
DESIGN, APP DEVELOP-
MENT AND MORE
31.
22. iZONE:
Impacting
225,000 by the
end of 2013
32. OATS:
(Older Adults
Technology
Services) Brings
technology skills
to NewYorkers
aged 60 and over
7. CITIZEN SCHOOLS:
Partners with middle
schools to provide
academic support,
apprenticeships,
and college and
career preparedness
resources
10.
12.
16.
15.
APPLIED SCIENCES NYC
represents a signicant
long-term investment
in the future of
tech education and
entrepreneurship in
NewYork City
33. P-TECH:
Unique grade
9-14 applied
science school
2
New York City's Digital Education Impact:
One Million Empowered
39,010 CAREER AND
TECHNICAL EDUCATION
STUDENTS WITH DIGITAL/
TECH PROGRAM FOCUS
CITY PARTNERS INCLUDE
Center for Economic Opportunity
Department for the Aging
Department of Information Technology
and Telecommunications
Department of Youth and Community
Development
Economic Development Corporation
Fund for Public Schools
Human Resources Administration
Mayors Fund to Advance New York City
Mayors Ofce
Mayors Ofce of Immigrant Affairs
Mayors Ofce of Media and Entertainment
Mayors Ofce to Combat Domestic
Violence
New York City Council
New York City Housing Authority
Womens Commission
Young Mens Initiative
COMPUTER RESOURCE CENTER
PROGRAMS SERVE UP TO

NEW YORKERS ANNUALLY
200,000
1. ACADEMY FOR SOFTWARE ENGINEERING Specialized high school with a focus on innovative software engineering and computer science
2. BRONX ACADEMY OF SOFTWARE ENGINEERING High school teaching programming, design & app development, promoting creative thinking and community engagement
3. BLUEPRINT FOR THE MOVING IMAGE Standards-based curriculum and workshops for the study of the moving image and new media for K-12
4. BROADBAND TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES
PROGRAM (BTOP)
Computer access and digital literacy training for high needs communities with a focus on raising student achievement among
MS students and their families
5. BTOP: NYC CONNECTED COMMUNITIES Expands public computer centers in New York Citys highest poverty areas through investments in equipment, training and
outreach efforts
6. BTOP: NYC CONNECTED FOUNDATIONS Provides transfer students with the digital skills and access to technology necessary for graduation, college and career
7. CITIZEN SCHOOLS Partners with middle schools to provide academic support, apprenticeships, and college and career preparedness resources
8. COALITION FOR QUEENS: ACCESS CODE Affordable tech education for underserved populations. Puts graduates on path to careers in tech and entrepreneurship
9. CODENOW Teaches high schools students to code through free, extra-curricular training
10. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE FOR DATA
SCIENCES AND ENGINEERING*
Signicantly builds Columbia Universitys applied science focus with an emphasis on new media, smart cities, health analyt-
ics, cybersecurity and nancial analytics
11. COMPUTER RESOURCE CENTERS Provide low-cost computer access and digital literacy courses to a diverse range of New Yorkers
12. CORNELL TECH* Applied science program led by Cornell and the TechnionIsrael Institute of Technology, fusing educational excellence with
real-world commercial applications and technology entrepreneurship
13. CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION High schools fusing academic rigor, real-world relevance and workplace skills with a focus on digital media and technology
14. CTE SUMMER SCHOLARS Technology related summer internship experience matching participants with a diverse range of companies and City agencies
15. THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK CUNY system offers degree programs and work opportunities in applied sciences, digital media and entrepreneurship
16. CUSP: CENTER FOR URBAN PROGRESS* Public-private research center and applied sciences graduate program in downtown Brooklyn led by NYUand NYU-Poly
17. DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH & COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
A range of out-of-school programs for elementary, middle and high school students focusing on Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics learning experiences
18. DIGITAL READY Delivers technology and digital learning to high schools classrooms and connects students with the tech community in NYC
19. EXPANDED SUCCESS INITIATIVE SCHOOL DESIGN
FELLOWSHIP
Fellows will design breakthrough high school model that will yield new schools in 2014
20. GENERAL ASSEMBLY Transforms thinkers into creators through education and opportunities in technology, business and design
21. HIVE NYC Collaboration lab to develop innovative learning experiences to prepare 612th graders for success in the digital age
22. iZONE An innovation program that delivers tech tools, strategies and supports to classrooms across NYC
23. LADDERS FOR LEADERS Internship and professional development program for young New Yorkers emphasizing 21st century skills and education
24. LINK (LEVERAGING INNOVATIONS & OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IN
THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY): LEARN AS YOU EARN
Paid internship program to obtain relevant, in-demand skills, work experience, wage and credits alongside classes
25. LINK: DIGITALWORK NYC Participants train to complete digital tasks, build employment history, and create pathways to digital jobs while earning money
26. LINK: IMMIGRANT BRIDGE Career counseling, low-interest loans, licensing paths, job placement for foreign-trained immigrants with high demand skills
27. MADE IN NY MEDIA CENTER BY IFP Incubator, co-working space, classes, gallery & screening room where innovators learn, share ideas, and build businesses
28. MADE IN NY TALKS: TECH Career panels featuring digital media practicioners and leaders
29. MOUSE Organization that empowers underserved middle and high school students to learn, lead and create with technology
30. NYC GENERATION TECH Provides hands-on learning and mentorship for high school students interested in tech-based innovations
31. NYC STEPS Program offered at Family Justice Centers to prepare participants for careers in the technology sector
32. OATS: OLDER ADULTS TECHNOLOGY SERVICES Brings technology skills to New Yorkers aged 60 and over through community programs and online resources
33. P-TECH (PATHWAYS IN TECHNOLOGY EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL) Unique grade 9-14 applied science school that prepares students for competitive jobs in the IT industry
34. PUBLIC LIBRARY PROGRAMS Classes offered throughout Brooklyn, New York and Queens Public Library systems on digital literacy
35. RECYOUTH: REEL EDUCATION FOR YOUTH Multimedia extracurricular program for teens that teaches digital skills for creative media production
36. SCHOLARS AT WORK Brooklyn Tech Triangle-based paid internship and workforce development program for college students
37. SMALL BUSINESS DIGITAL TOOLKIT Training courses to help small businesses build a presence online, engage customers and expand using social media strategies
38. SOFTWARE ENGINEERING PILOT PROGRAM Brings computer science and software engineering classes to students in grades 6-12 in 20 schools across NYC
39. WORKADVANCE Training program that prepares unemployed and low-wage working adults for jobs and carer growth opportunities
iZONE: IN 300 SCHOOLS
WORKING WITH OVER
225,000 STUDENTS BY
THE END OF 2013
Digital Education and the City of New York
To learn more visit nyc.gov
SUPPORTS MORE THAN
39 DIGITAL LITERACY AND
EDUCATION PROGRAMS
N E W Y O R K C I T Y S
D I G I T A L
E D U C A T I O N
I M P A C T :
O N E
M I L L I O N
E M P O W E R E D
Ensuring that New Yorkers have access to digital
education resources is a critical element in Mayor
Michael R. Bloombergs Digital Roadmap for
New York City, enabling greater academic success,
civic engagement and a healthy economy. From
a basic course on using email, to sophisticated
doctorate programs in engineering, the City of
New York supports programs that serve over one
million New Yorkers, from Kindergarteners to
Senior Citizens.
The chart featured on the opposite side of this
document maps City-supported digital education
programs by age group and subject matter. To the
right, short program descriptions offer a snapshot
of content and context. For more information and
to participate, visit nyc.gov.
* PART OF APPLIED SCIENCES NYC, AN INITIATIVE TO DEVELOP TOP-TIER APPLIED SCIENCES AND ENGINEERING CAMPUSES IN NYC
MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG, MAYOR
nyc.gov
39,010 CAREER AND
TECHNICAL EDUCATION
STUDENTS WITH DIGITAL/
TECH PROGRAM FOCUS
CITY PARTNERS INCLUDE
Center for Economic Opportunity
Department for the Aging
Department of Information Technology
and Telecommunications
Department of Youth and Community
Development
Economic Development Corporation
Fund for Public Schools
Human Resources Administration
Mayors Fund to Advance New York City
Mayors Ofce
Mayors Ofce of Immigrant Affairs
Mayors Ofce of Media and Entertainment
Mayors Ofce to Combat Domestic
Violence
New York City Council
New York City Housing Authority
Womens Commission
Young Mens Initiative
COMPUTER RESOURCE CENTER
PROGRAMS SERVE UP TO

NEW YORKERS ANNUALLY
200,000
1. ACADEMY FOR SOFTWARE ENGINEERING Specialized high school with a focus on innovative software engineering and computer science
2. BRONX ACADEMY OF SOFTWARE ENGINEERING High school teaching programming, design & app development, promoting creative thinking and community engagement
3. BLUEPRINT FOR THE MOVING IMAGE Standards-based curriculum and workshops for the study of the moving image and new media for K-12
4. BROADBAND TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES
PROGRAM (BTOP)
Computer access and digital literacy training for high needs communities with a focus on raising student achievement among
MS students and their families
5. BTOP: NYC CONNECTED COMMUNITIES Expands public computer centers in New York Citys highest poverty areas through investments in equipment, training and
outreach efforts
6. BTOP: NYC CONNECTED FOUNDATIONS Provides transfer students with the digital skills and access to technology necessary for graduation, college and career
7. CITIZEN SCHOOLS Partners with middle schools to provide academic support, apprenticeships, and college and career preparedness resources
8. COALITION FOR QUEENS: ACCESS CODE Affordable tech education for underserved populations. Puts graduates on path to careers in tech and entrepreneurship
9. CODENOW Teaches high schools students to code through free, extra-curricular training
10. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE FOR DATA
SCIENCES AND ENGINEERING*
Signicantly builds Columbia Universitys applied science focus with an emphasis on new media, smart cities, health analyt-
ics, cybersecurity and nancial analytics
11. COMPUTER RESOURCE CENTERS Provide low-cost computer access and digital literacy courses to a diverse range of New Yorkers
12. CORNELL TECH* Applied science program led by Cornell and the TechnionIsrael Institute of Technology, fusing educational excellence with
real-world commercial applications and technology entrepreneurship
13. CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION High schools fusing academic rigor, real-world relevance and workplace skills with a focus on digital media and technology
14. CTE SUMMER SCHOLARS Technology related summer internship experience matching participants with a diverse range of companies and City agencies
15. THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK CUNY system offers degree programs and work opportunities in applied sciences, digital media and entrepreneurship
16. CUSP: CENTER FOR URBAN PROGRESS* Public-private research center and applied sciences graduate program in downtown Brooklyn led by NYUand NYU-Poly
17. DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH & COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
A range of out-of-school programs for elementary, middle and high school students focusing on Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics learning experiences
18. DIGITAL READY Delivers technology and digital learning to high schools classrooms and connects students with the tech community in NYC
19. EXPANDED SUCCESS INITIATIVE SCHOOL DESIGN
FELLOWSHIP
Fellows will design breakthrough high school model that will yield new schools in 2014
20. GENERAL ASSEMBLY Transforms thinkers into creators through education and opportunities in technology, business and design
21. HIVE NYC Collaboration lab to develop innovative learning experiences to prepare 612th graders for success in the digital age
22. iZONE An innovation program that delivers tech tools, strategies and supports to classrooms across NYC
23. LADDERS FOR LEADERS Internship and professional development program for young New Yorkers emphasizing 21st century skills and education
24. LINK (LEVERAGING INNOVATIONS & OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IN
THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY): LEARN AS YOU EARN
Paid internship program to obtain relevant, in-demand skills, work experience, wage and credits alongside classes
25. LINK: DIGITALWORK NYC Participants train to complete digital tasks, build employment history, and create pathways to digital jobs while earning money
26. LINK: IMMIGRANT BRIDGE Career counseling, low-interest loans, licensing paths, job placement for foreign-trained immigrants with high demand skills
27. MADE IN NY MEDIA CENTER BY IFP Incubator, co-working space, classes, gallery & screening room where innovators learn, share ideas, and build businesses
28. MADE IN NY TALKS: TECH Career panels featuring digital media practicioners and leaders
29. MOUSE Organization that empowers underserved middle and high school students to learn, lead and create with technology
30. NYC GENERATION TECH Provides hands-on learning and mentorship for high school students interested in tech-based innovations
31. NYC STEPS Program offered at Family Justice Centers to prepare participants for careers in the technology sector
32. OATS: OLDER ADULTS TECHNOLOGY SERVICES Brings technology skills to New Yorkers aged 60 and over through community programs and online resources
33. P-TECH (PATHWAYS IN TECHNOLOGY EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL) Unique grade 9-14 applied science school that prepares students for competitive jobs in the IT industry
34. PUBLIC LIBRARY PROGRAMS Classes offered throughout Brooklyn, New York and Queens Public Library systems on digital literacy
35. RECYOUTH: REEL EDUCATION FOR YOUTH Multimedia extracurricular program for teens that teaches digital skills for creative media production
36. SCHOLARS AT WORK Brooklyn Tech Triangle-based paid internship and workforce development program for college students
37. SMALL BUSINESS DIGITAL TOOLKIT Training courses to help small businesses build a presence online, engage customers and expand using social media strategies
38. SOFTWARE ENGINEERING PILOT PROGRAM Brings computer science and software engineering classes to students in grades 6-12 in 20 schools across NYC
39. WORKADVANCE Training program that prepares unemployed and low-wage working adults for jobs and carer growth opportunities
iZONE: IN 300 SCHOOLS
WORKING WITH OVER
225,000 STUDENTS BY
THE END OF 2013
Digital Education and the City of New York
To learn more visit nyc.gov
SUPPORTS MORE THAN
39 DIGITAL LITERACY AND
EDUCATION PROGRAMS
N E W Y O R K C I T Y S
D I G I T A L
E D U C A T I O N
I M P A C T :
O N E
M I L L I O N
E M P O W E R E D
Ensuring that New Yorkers have access to digital
education resources is a critical element in Mayor
Michael R. Bloombergs Digital Roadmap for
New York City, enabling greater academic success,
civic engagement and a healthy economy. From
a basic course on using email, to sophisticated
doctorate programs in engineering, the City of
New York supports programs that serve over one
million New Yorkers, from Kindergarteners to
Senior Citizens.
The chart featured on the opposite side of this
document maps City-supported digital education
programs by age group and subject matter. To the
right, short program descriptions offer a snapshot
of content and context. For more information and
to participate, visit nyc.gov.
* PART OF APPLIED SCIENCES NYC, AN INITIATIVE TO DEVELOP TOP-TIER APPLIED SCIENCES AND ENGINEERING CAMPUSES IN NYC
MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG, MAYOR
nyc.gov
New York City's Digital
Education Impact
NYC Generation Tech. Images courtesy of NYCEDC
and Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE).
O
P
E
N
G
O
V
E
R
N
M
E
N
T
Open
Government:
Enabling Innovation and Transparency
Since the Digital Roadmaps introduction
in 2011, the City of New York has led the nation in
Open Government achievements, including the re-
lease of thousands of public data sets, the convening
of the frst municipal hackathons and Mayor Bloom-
bergs passage of Local Law 11, the most progressive
open data legislation in the country.
Te impact of these initiatives are far-reaching.
Beyond the development of a compelling new
mobile app using City APIs or an eye-opening data
visualization, the most lasting outcome is the bonds
formed among technologists, government employ-
ees and civic innovators.
NYC OpenData
A technology framework that enables developers
to efectively engage with City data is crucial to an
Open Government strategy. Unlocking the vast data
resources at the Citys disposal also provides a com-
petitive advantage to entrepreneurs creating value
and jobs in New York City. With this in mind, several
months afer the release of the 2011 Digital Road-
map, the Department of Information Technology
and Telecommunications unveiled NYC OpenData,
a platform supported by technology from Socrata
that ofers access to API-enabled data sets and a vari-
ety of tools for interpreting, displaying and visualiz-
ing data. At its launch, the platform ofered 350 data
sets; in 2013, the count has grown to 2,077.
Data sets include operational resources as well as
performance metrics providing the building blocks
for active civic participation and enabling the
development of functional tools to improve daily
life. Popular data sets include restaurant inspection
results and detailed maps of the Citys public parks.
If users cannot fnd what they are looking for, they
are able to suggest a data set via a public forum on
the website.
In addition, NYCOpenData nowofers free, public
access to the valuable, high-demand MapPLUTO
(Primary Land Use Tax Lot Output) and ACRIS (Au-
tomated City Register Information System) logic and
databases. MapPLUTOprovides Citywide land use
and geographic data froma range of agencies, merged
with tax lot information. MapPLUTOinformation
types include mass appraisal, landmark and zoning
data. ACRIS ofers digital access to City Register
property records and document images related to real
estate, including deeds, mortgages and leases.
Top 10 Most Popular Data Sets
from nyc.gov/data
1. WI-FI HOTSPOT LOCATIONS
2. 311 SERVICE REqUESTS FROM 2010 TO PRESENT
3. SUBWAY ENTRANCES
4. MAP OF PARKS
5. ELECTRIC CONSUMPTION BY ZIP CODE (2010)
6. ZIP CODES MAP
7. MTA DATA
8. RESTAURANT INSPECTION RESULTS
9. BASIC DESCRIPTION OF COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
10. SAT (COLLEGE BOARD) 2010 SCHOOL LEVEL RESULTS
Afer establishing strong footing in Access and Edu-
cation, the next step for a digital city is to cultivate an
open, collaborative government culture and technol-
ogy structure. Open Government supports transpar-
ency and innovation, enabling the public to develop
efcient, creative solutions to shared civic challenges.
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NYC DEVELOPER PORTAL
An efective online platform that supports the
developer community and connects it to Open Data
resources and information is crucial to ensuring con-
structive outcomes from Open Government initia-
tives. Following the success of the NYC OpenData
Tech Standards wiki, which provided valuable public
input into the Citys data strategy, the Citys Depart-
ment of Information Technology and Telecommu-
nications and the Mayors Ofce of Data Analytics
launched the NYC Developer Portal (nyc.gov/de-
velopers), a tool that brings together resources and
feedback tools to support technologists using City
data. Te platform includes:
User account management, including the ability
to register, obtain Developer Keys for City APIs,
track usage statistics and submit an application
to the App Showcase
An App Showcase that includes both ofcial
and publicly submited mobile applications
developed using City data
A directory of all ofcial City APIs, with de-
scriptions and comment functionality
A forum for developer feedback, questions and
suggestions
Centralized links to the Citys OpenData Plat-
form, NYC BigApps and the OpenData Tumblr
presenting compelling data visualizations
A listing of upcoming technology events rel-
evant to Open Government initiatives
HACKATHONS
In the summer of 2011, months afer the introduc-
tion of the Roadmap, the City of New York con-
vened the frst municipal hackathon in the United
States, Reinvent NYC.gov. A hackathon is a collab-
orative developer event in which technologists build
tools serving a shared goal within a short, specifed
time constraint ofen culminating in public dem-
onstrations and prizes for winning innovations. By
creating an environment that encourages experimen-
tation, minimizes risk and establishes a timetable
that requires rapid prototyping, hackathons are a
valuable way to spark organizational innovation.
Te aim of the Reinvent NYC.gov hackathon,
organized by NYC Digital, was to design and build
a more modern iteration of NYC.gov, the Citys
website. Over 100 volunteer designers, developers,
technology partners and City employees participat-
ed in the 48-hour event, hosted in coworking space
donated by General Assembly. Te outcomes set a
new bar for civic collaboration, as teams delivered 12
working prototypes of new NYC.gov websites and
established design references that would pave the
way for the modern, intuitive user experience of the
recently updated NYC.gov. Winning designs were
user-centric and informed by web trafc analytics
and current interaction standards such as predictive
search and mobile design. Reinvent NYC.gov proved
a powerful way for the public to impact New York
Citys digital strategy, helping to shape the future
of civic engagement and creating lasting bonds be-
tween government employees and technologists.
Building on the success of Reinvent NYC.gov, the
City subsequently hosted Reinvent Green. Reinvent
Green, the brainchild of the Ofce of Long-term
Planning and Sustainability, was jointly hosted
with NYU-Poly, Brooklyn Beta and NYC Digital,
and drew over 100 participants who produced 13
functional web and app prototypes that aimed to
make the lives of New Yorkers greener and greater.
Application Programming
Interfaces (APIs)
In addition to more than 2,000 data sets, the City
of New York today ofers access to six Applica-
tion Programming Interfaces (APIs) to the public,
enabling developers to build real-time applications
that enhance urban life. APIs require Developer
Key registration via the NYC Developer Portal, and
include:
CHECKBOOK NYC 2.0Te Checkbook NYC 2.0 API
ofers access to the annual budget of the City of New
York, including documentation links for contracts,
spending and payroll domains.
CITY HALL DATA FEEDTis RSS Feed provides the
latest news, announcements and emergency alerts
issued by the Mayors press ofce.
DOT DATA FEEDTis API provides access to a range
of data resources from the Department of Trans-
portation (DOT), including trafc advisories, street
construction worksites, the bicycle parking and
cycling map, Staten Island Ferry status, alternate side
parking and parking regulation status, low bridge
locations, truck routes, and closed streets. Te API
also ofers feeds from trafc cameras and trafc
speed detectors.
HPD DATA FEEDMaintained by the Department of
Housing Preservation and Development, this feed
ofers access to data related to buildings, charges,
complaints, litigation, registrations and violations.
GEOSUPPORT APIGeosupport allows developers to
use Department of City Plannings location-naming
conventions, correlating addresses to a Building
Identifcation Number (BIN) and using BIN as a
key to link all that the City knows about a location.
OPEN311 INQUIRY APIOpen311 provides access to
City services, facilities and frequently asked ques-
tions based on the information of the City 311
customer service department.
Developer Engagement:
Hackathons, Portals and
Competitions
Providing the raw materials needed to collaborate
is critical, but the greater challenge is catalyzing
the participation of the developer and data science
community to engage with that data in meaningful,
productive ways. Trough a combination of events,
competitions and digital tools, the City of New York
has launched several initiatives to support successful
outcomes from Open Government initiatives.
NYC OpenData
2011 Reinvent
NYC.gov Hackathon
To provide inspiration and strategic guidance,
participants were equipped with extensive app
wishlists that refected public demands and infor-
mation requests. Concepts ranged from FreshFix, a
location-based mobile tool that allows the public to
fnd green markets nearby, to GreenCan, an app that
enables the public to enter any kind of trash item
and identify the closest appropriate waste receptacle.
Te Reinvent Green hackathon led to the release of
20 new, high-value data sets, and the apps developed
will serve as models for future tools.
Te third and most recent event in the Reinvent
series was the Reinvent Payphones Design Chal-
lenge, an unprecedented competition to engage the
brightest minds in design, technology and urban
planning to imagine the future of public, urban
communications systems. With the Citys network
of nearly 8,000 public pay telephones as its sandbox,
contest hosts Department of Information Technol-
ogy and Telecommunications asked participants to
create prototypes that served the evolving com-
munications needs of a diverse public and provided
critical support in emergency situations. Participants
had three months to complete and digitally submit
their concepts and benefted from background
resources and public information sessions with City
ofcials such as the Mayors Ofce for People with
Disabilities, the Department of City Planning and
the Department of Transportation. At the conclu-
sion of the challenge, the City received more than
125 outstanding submissions, and with the help of
the competitions judging panel, named six winners.
Several participants developed impressive physical
prototypes, with features including Wi-Fi mesh net-
works, mobile device and electric vehicle charging
stations, community art installations, urban environ-
ment sensors and displays with gesture recognition
to increase hygiene.
Te winning concepts of Reinvent Payphones will
be incorporated into the formal Request for Propos-
als to be issued by the City of New York when the
Citys current franchise expires in 2014. Tanks to
the creativity and vision of hundreds of designers,
architects, technologists and researchers, New York
City has an opportunity to chart the future of public
communications in urban areas aided by this col-
laborative public planning process.
Since the introduction of the Digital Roadmap,
the City has independently hosted six hackathons,
including events organized by NYC BigApps and
the Department of Consumer Afairs. In addition,
the City has participated in more than 20 external
hackathons, ranging from HackNY to Techcrunch
Disruptfostering deeper collaboration with the
technology community.
NYC BigApps: A
Competition to Spark
Innovations
Now in its fourth year, NYC BigApps was one of the
frst public application competitions to launch in the
United States, providing incentives for the creation
of digital tools fueled by public data. NYC Big-
Apps capitalizes on the Citys landmark open data
initiatives, ofering prizes and exposure that help to
encourage new businesses, critical tools and broader
awareness of the valuable data ofered by the City.
For the fourth NYC BigApps, DoIT and the New
York City Economic Development Corporation
(NYCEDC) partnered with CollabFinder, a locally-
based platform for matching independent projects
and talented team members. 2013 participants were
asked to address the theme of BigIssues, focusing
on developing apps that improve Jobs and Economic
Mobility, Lifelong Learning, Healthy Living, and
Sustainable Living for City residents. With 517
participants, 120 projects, $150,000 in prize money,
42 data providers and 13 events throughout the year,
this years BigApps competition was the most suc-
cessful event to-date.
Introducing Code Corps:
Linking Volunteer
Technologists with
Lifesaving Digital Projects
Open government initiatives take on a diferent
dimension during emergency situations, as public
and private sectors work together to deliver critical
information and build powerful tools. During Hur-
ricanes Irene and Sandy, the availability of accurate,
actionable open data such as hurricane evacuation
zones enabled vital City updates to reach millions
more people than through City channels alone.
Perhaps the most crucial examples are the various
third-party interactive hurricane evacuation zone
maps that allowed the public to input an address and
determine evacuation status instantly.
In addition to the Citys own powerful map, built
using the Google Maps API, several other external
entities expanded the visibility of this information,
including Google, Te New York Times and WNYC.
org. Altogether, these tools reached millions more
New Yorkers, leveraging existing audiences and de-
livering factual information from City sources. Tis
decentralized, collaborative approach is at the heart
TOP: Smart Sidewalks,
winner of Best
Functionality. Image
courtesy of Chorpash/
Snyder/Napawan/
Namara/Busse/
Ganes/Foster.

BELOW: NYC I/O: The
Responsive City,
winner of Best in
Community Impact.
Image courtesy of
Control Group/Titan.
NYC BigApps 2013
Grand Prize Winner
HealthyOut. Image
courtesy of NYCEDC.
SELECT BIGAPPS NYC 2013 WINNERS / CHILDCARE DESK HEALTHYOUT* HELPING HANDS
HIRED IN NY HOPSCOTCH PONCHO SOLARLIST *Overall Winner
of Open Government, and engages non-government
entities as active partners in innovative service
delivery.
CODE CORPS
Building on these successes, and accelerating the
ability of New York City government to partner
on technology initiatives beyond those enabled by
the NYC OpenData platform, in February 2013,
Mayor Bloomberg announced the launch of Code
Corps. Inspired by Hurricane Sandy, when hundreds
of volunteers ofered their technical expertise to
support City disaster response and recovery eforts,
Code Corps is a group of technology companies,
nonprofts and academic institutions with advance
legal clearance and strategic veting that enables
them to work with the City in emergency situations.
Currently, interested partners include:
Code for America, NYC Brigade
Codecademy
Columbia, Institute for Data Sciences
and Engineering
Cornell Tech
Etsy
Facebook
General Assembly
Homepolish NYC
Kaggle
MongoDB
New York Tech Meetup
New York University, Center for Urban
Science and Progress
New York University, Department of
Computer Science
NYU-Poly, Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Association
Octopart
Rent the Runway
Sparkrelief
Twiter NY
To support Code Corps, and to collaborate with the
external partners on team-building projects during
non-emergency situations, the Mayors Ofce of
Data Analytics and NYC Digital partnered to launch
the Data Advisory & Research Taskforce (DART),
a group of the Citys foremost data experts. DART
meets monthly to discuss data policy, strategy, part-
nerships and new ideas to advance the Citys Open
Government eforts.
DART Members
EMILY ASHTON, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
MENTAL HYGIENE
JEFF CHEN, FIRE DEPARTMENT
CHRISTOPHER CORCORAN, MAYORS OFFICE OF
DATA ANALYTICS
JOSHUA FLORSHEIM, DEPARTMENT OF
BUILDINGS
MICHAEL FLOWERS, MAYORS OFFICE OF DATA
ANALYTICS
LAUREN GIVNER, NYC SERVICE
RACHEL HAOT, NYC DIGITAL
IVY LI, NYC DIGITAL
JACqUELINE LU, DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND
RECREATION
JIM MCCONNELL, OFFICE OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT
MICHAEL PORTER, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
AND MENTAL HYGIENE
COLIN REILLY. DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
LYNN SEIRUP, OFFICE OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT
DANIEL STAROBIN, DEPARTMENT OF
SANITATION
KATHERINE WINNINGHAM, LAW DEPARTMENT
E
N
G
A
G
E
M
E
N
T
Engagement:
New Ways to Connect with NYC Government
In order to constantly measure success
and refne best practices across more than 340 social
media channels, City government agencies begin
their digital engagement plans by seting the perfor-
mance goal they plan to meet and then research and
identify the right technology and tool to reach their
constituency and achieve their aims.
Overview of the Citys
Digital Reach
Te Citys digital engagement strategy is based on le-
veraging the social media platforms and digital tools
with the highest adoption rates by New Yorkers.
Today, those channels include the ofcial govern-
ment website NYC.gov, mobile texting programs,
newsleters, smartphone applications and social
media platforms such as Facebook, Foursquare,
Instagram, Tumblr, Twiter and YouTube.
Te total size of the Citys digital reach is 7.5 mil-
lion, with an approximately even split between the
Citys average monthly web trafc to its destination
website nyc.gov (3.7 million) and those who follow
or subscribe to its third-party digital media channels
(3.7 million). Tis refects a signifcant increase in
the number of New Yorkers using social media to
connect with New York City government. Since the
release of the Digital Roadmap in May 2011, the
Citys social media audience has more than tripled,
growing from 1.2 million to a current peak of 3.7
million social media followers across 340 channels.
Overall, the Citys digital reach has nearly doubled
since the introduction of the Roadmap, increasing
from 4 million in 2011 to 7.48 million in 2013, an
increase of 85%.
Te New NYC.gov
With over 35 million unique annual visitors, one
million pages and thousands of services, NYC.gov is
the digital manifestation of New York City govern-
ment. It is a powerful tool with nearly limitless
potential to impact the future of government by
streamlining complex processes, surfacing critical
information and enhancing the lives of New Yorkers
by connecting them to events, programs, services
and civic engagement.
With this in mind, the City began a process in 2011
to redesign NYC.gov with an emphasis on usability,
consistency, accessibility and scalability. Te goal
was not merely to meet standards for existing munic-
ipal web destinations, but to provide a superior expe-
rience that rivals the best-designed, most intuitive
platforms across both public and private sectors
Te way that New Yorkers communicate and connect
with one another is changing rapidly, and for govern-
ment to continue to be efective, it must evolve in
parallel. Digital Engagement is the fourth element in
the Digital Roadmap, steered by a data-driven, goals-
oriented approach. With a monthly digital audience
of 7.5 million, the City of New York is commited
to serving and informing New Yorkers on their own
terms, on the digital devices, platforms and media
most familiar to them.
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and to set a new bar for government websites.
THE REINVENT NYC.GOV HACKATHON
Te frst step was to convene Reinvent NYC.gov,
a hackathon described in the Open Government
section that drew over 100 volunteer participants
and produced 12 working prototypes imagining the
future of NYC.gov. Technologists were encouraged
to approach the challenge with a blank slate, and
their work dramatically reimagined the Citys user
experience. At the conclusion of the hackathon, a
panel of judges from the City and technology com-
munity awarded fve groups prizes, ranging from
Best User Interface to Most Social.
THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Te winning ideas were included as design referenc-
es in the Citys ofcial Request for Proposals (RFP)
to redesign the Citys website, directly impacting the
future design of the site and kicking of the initiative
with a collaborative approach inclusive of the Citys
leading designers, developers and civic technolo-
gists. Seventeen interactive frms responded to the
Citys RFP for NYC.gov, and afer extensive evalu-
ation, the City selected HUGE Inc, a digital agency
based in DUMBO, Brooklyn, as the highest-rated
respondent.
Guided by input from the public, informed by visitor
metrics and infuenced by the successful customer
service approach of 311, NYC.gov has been rede-
signed to put the user frst.
THE NEW NYC.GOV
In September 2013, Mayor Bloomberg unveiled the
new NYC.gov. In line with the priorities frst articu-
lated in the Mayors 2011 Digital Roadmap, the new
website is driven by fve core objectives:
1. Anticipate user needs based on trafc and search
data
2. Respond to requests with improved search results
via optimization of Google Search Appliance
3. Serve users with improved digital customer ser-
vice functionality
4. Inform New Yorkers of important news and pro-
grams with dynamic content and accessible language
5. Engage visitors on any device and digital screen,
with a range of social features that enhance their
lives and extend to where they live online.
Trough a collaborative process with HUGE, the
City identifed service priorities, researched website
analytics and used informative methods such as
card sorting and live usability testing to identify user
needs.
Today, the new website refects that public input and
research, featuring enhancements to the following
elements:
Search Enhancements
Te ability to locate relevant information is critical
to successfully navigating the vast resources of NYC.
gov. To that end, the overhaul of NYC.gov included
signifcant optimization of the websites search
engine. Leveraging Google Search Appliance, the
search tool indexes hundreds of thousands of pages,
and following optimization, it now provides more
accurate, relevant results to queries and the ability to
flter by media format. In addition, to accommodate
those with visual impairments, users are able to flter
out PDFs, which are not easily accessed via screen
readers.
Navigation and Top Content
Te websites updated homepage and navigation are
based on high-demand content and services to help
visitors fnd what they are looking for right away. Te
new homepage and portal navigation immediately
prioritize links to top content, such as jobs with the
City of New York. In addition, the website promi-
nently displays real-time status updates on Alternate
Side Parking, waste collection and school status
which together represent the top driver of questions
to the Citys 311 customer service system.
Look & Feel
NYC.govs overall look and feel has been en-
hanced to be more engaging and usable. It features a
simplifed, streamlined design with a brighter color
palete, larger images, bigger text size and both live
and on-demand video embedded directly on the
homepage, enabling the user to easily search, browse
information or locate programs. In order to make
City information and updates more accessible to
Te New NYC.gov
the public, images are larger and easier to view, and
key facts are highlighted as part of every announce-
ment, accompanied by a direct link to the service,
program or agency. Troughout the new design,
users are able to more seamlessly share content to
social media networks such as Facebook, Twiter
and Google+, encouraging more New Yorkers to
discover relevant resources.
Accessibility
To engage and support all users, the new NYC.
gov website is accessible in over 100 languages and
surpasses Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
requirements. To support translation needs, search
engine optimization and the use of screen readers
for the visually impaired, all text is machine-readable
and all images must provide alternate captions.
Tis means, for example, that the title of a page will
not be presented within an image fle, which is not
recognizable to most electronic screen readers. In
addition, the websites greater contrast and larger
fonts makes it more accessible to the elderly and oth-
ers with visual impairments.
Customer Service:
Te 311 Booker and the 311 Website
NYC.gov now more deeply integrates 311 customer
service content and functionality into its homep-
age, refecting the high volume of web trafc related
to 311. Users can now launch a service request or
fnd 311 information directly from the homepage of
NYC.gov, whether by browsing NYC Resources or
using the 311 Booker. Te 311 Booker is a promi-
nently featured NYC.gov tool that expands like
an accordion as the user specifes the nature of a
complaint, payment transaction or the information
request. From the 311 Booker, users can also enter
an address to fnd local resources for that location.
For example, through My Neighborhood, entering
an address provides:
School district
Police precinct
Garbage and recycling collection schedule
Community board
Borough block & lot number (BBL)used as
an identifer in important City records systems
Te 311 Booker is also present on the newly re-
vamped homepage of 311, which also leads with the
15 top 311 requests, dynamically updated via API to
refect and resolve timely concerns as they emerge.
Further down the page, 311 ofers a useful status
bara clear and concise dashboard that provides in-
formation about status and service interruptions for
Alternate Side Parking, garbage collection, schools,
MTA subway system and emergency alerts from
Notify NYC. At the base of the page, 311 highlights
City social media feeds as well as links to download
ofcial apps and view the 311 Service Request Map,
which presents a constantly updated map of recent
311 requests.
NYC.gov in Emergencies:
Keeping NewYorkers Safe (page 35)
In order to safely and efectively engage the public
during emergency scenarios, the new NYC.gov
includes a range of features to facilitate communica-
tion and the exchange of information.
In the event of severe and imminent emergencies
impacting the majority of New Yorkers, the City
will temporarily replace its typical homepage with a
pared down, simple design limited to content related
to the emergency situation, such as travel interrup-
tions, safety announcements and links to resources.
To enable the website to load on devices that may
have limited connectivity, the emergency layout
is devoid of images, and videos are linked but not
directly embedded throughout the duration of the
emergency.
My Neighborhood
feature of 311 Booker.
311 Page Emergency Homepage
In order to fully leverage the reach of NYC.gov,
during an emergency situation, the headers of all
NYC.gov pages will display an alert banner that links
to the temporary emergency homepage.
Design for Mobile and Tablet Users
One of the most compelling elements in the new
NYC.gov design is its fully responsive framework.
Tis means that whether the website is accessed
on a desktop computer, a smartphone or a tablet,
on a browser of any size, its look and feel will be
seamlessly optimized and easy to navigate. NYC.
gov accomplishes this via a single code base, making
maintenance more manageable as elements of the
website evolve.
Providing a website that is easily viewed on mobile
devices is crucial to the success of NYC.gov because
a signifcant and growing percentage of visitors
access the Citys destination property via mobile
devices. Today 25% of trafc to NYC.gov occurs on
mobile browsers, and that number is projected to
increase as smartphone adoption expands further.
Improving Content Navigability
For more intuitive browsing, the City refreshed the
NYC.gov information architecture to reduce redun-
dancy, refect public requests for content and more
prominently feature 311-provided information on a
wide range of City services. Te new architecture is
visible on the homepage and in the NYC Resources
section, where the Categories section features easy-
to-understand information on the services and pro-
grams critical to civic life in New York City. Informa-
tion is organized by content category, not agency, so
that users do not need to know the actionable owner
of function to resolve their concerns.
In addition, City content has been modifed to make
it easier to fnd and browse a range of resources at a
glance. Tese include the introduction of new, highly
visual, easy-to-navigate directories for agencies, pro-
grams, social media channels, mobile applications
and newsleters. Users can flter by ten consistent
content categories, and new social media channels
and mobile applications are regularly highlighted.
In addition, responding to strong interest in City
employment, the Mayors Ofce of Operations led
the redesign of the Citys Jobs section, which brings
together all employment-related resources for job
seekers in one convenient location. Finally, as part
of an ongoing development project, the Citys
Department of Finance has made it easier to send
payments digitally.
Users can also more easily browse and discover
public events and activities by borough and inter-
est, taking advantage of the all the City has to ofer.
Events are mapped using the Google Maps API for
accessibility and sharable via social media.
To support civic engagement, the City has also
introduced a Civic Toolkit, a resource in checklist
form that consolidates a wide range of information
and tools that help New Yorkers engage in civic life,
from voting and polling locations, to schools and
public services.
Te Citys agencies also have access to a newly
designed Agency Template that provides a more
modern, engaging look and feel, and a more intui-
tive navigation. Te Agency Template is modular in
nature, so that agencies can pick and choose from
among a range of design and functionality elements
to customize the template to their own needs and
goals. Transitioning agencies sites to the new tem-
plate is currently in progress, and slated for the next
phase of NYC.gov, beginning in late 2013.
A Strategic Approach
to Digital Engagement:
Leadership and
Coordination
Greater strategic guidance and organizational leader-
ship, coupled with an organic increase in New York-
ers adoption of social media, has fueled the growth
of the Citys digital scope. With the introduction of
best practices guidelines, the Engage NYC summit, a
policy advisory commitee, workshops, style guides
and customized consultation, the Citys digital
content producers have increased their mastery of
new platforms and the Citys audience has grown
exponentially.
CUSTOMIZED CONSULTING
For agencies seeking advice, NYCDigital functions as
an in-house consultancy, providing one-on-one guid-
ance on overall digital engagement strategy aligned
with agency goals, including elements such as social
media platformevaluation, measurement tools, online
advertising, crowdsourcing and public competitions.
A STARTER KIT OF DIGITAL MEDIA RESOURCES
To equip agencies for success, when a new social
media channel launches, its owner receives a range
of helpful resources, including best practices, how-
tos and style guides. To support the growth of the
new channel, NYC Digital announces the channel
and encourages all City agencies to promote it via an
internal newsleter and welcomes new channels on
the @nycgov channel.
CITYWIDE SOCIAL MEDIA DASHBOARD
As introduced in the 2011 Digital Roadmap, the
need for a Citywide social media management
platform is crucial to supporting an approach to
social media that is coordinated, data-driven and
constantly measured. In 2011, as agencies indepen-
dently used several systems, there was no unifed
way of measuring social media growth across all
Mobile and tablet
versions of NYC.gov
of the Citys properties, and making it difcult to
evaluate best practices and improve. To improve
coordination, the City issued an RFP to select a
social media dashboard, and vendor Hootsuite
emerged as the highest scoring option. Tanks to
the implementation of social media management
tool Hootsuite, agency social media managers have
enhanced tools that allow them to schedule content
publication, manage constituent engagement and
analyze growth.
In addition, the Hootsuite Citywide social media
dashboard has proved invaluable in emergency situ-
ations, as administrators and City hall ofcials are
able to more efectively feld questions and respond
to requests from across City functions and agencies.
Trough publication tools, it also helps to serve the
Citys objectives for informing the public in urgent
scenarios, by enabling the simultaneous publication
of a single message across many diferent platforms
to amplify a crucial update.
ENGAGE NYC SUMMIT
Te annual Engage NYC event has emerged as a
valuable forum for professional development and
the celebration of digital success stories in the
City. Now in its third year, Engage NYC convenes
approximately 200 digital professionals in City gov-
ernment for a program that features presentations
on winning engagement strategies by Facebook,
Foursquare, Google +, Instagram, Tumblr, Twiter
and YouTube, as well as awards and spotlight videos
on standout agency use of social media. Te summit
is free of charge for all to atend, thanks to generous
donations by venue partners.
SMART, THE SOCIAL MEDIA ADVISORY &
RESEARCH TASKFORCE
Te Citys Social Media Advisory & Research Task-
force (SMART) was frst established by NYC Digital
in 2011, and features 17 of the Citys leading digital
media experts. Te group meets monthly to discuss
social media policy, the approval of new platforms
for use, notable recent digital media initiatives and
overall City strategy. With a range of agency back-
grounds including the Parks Department, NYPD,
311 and the Department of Transportation, SMART
members bring great depth and variety of experience
to the table. Since the groups launch, SMART has
approved six new social platforms for use, fnalized
Citywide social media protocol for emergency situ-
ations, advised on the Digital Roadmap and assisted
in the planning of Engage NYC.
User-Centric Social Media
and Digital Tools
NYCGOV ON FACEBOOK, FOURSQUARE,
TUMBLR AND TWITTER
In line with the Citys simple, intuitive approach
to social media, in early 2012 Mayor Bloomberg
announced the launch of NYCgov, a new, one-
stop suite of social media channels on Facebook,
Foursquare, Tumblr and Twiter. NYCgov curates
from across the Citys 340 social media channels,
sharing crucial information, emergency alerts,
major announcements, program deadlines and free
events that span dozens of agencies and programs.
NYCgov provides an accessible window into City
news, supporting greater civic engagement without
overwhelming the user. While the Citys 340 social
media channels provide in-depth expertise on a
range of topics from public schools to emergency
preparedness, subscribing to all 340 feeds may
not be a manageable option for the average user.
With that challenge in mind, the NYCgov channel
provides a vital link to the Citys critical information,
LEFT: Hootsuite social
media management.
Image courtesy of
Hootsuite.

RIGHT: Engage NYC
Summit.
NYCgov on social media.

TOP: Image courtesy of Facebook.
MIDDLE: Image courtesy of Twitter.
ABOVE: Image courtesy of Bitly.
SMART Members:
BARBARA CHEN, NYPD
JEFFREY ESCOFFIER, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
AND MENTAL HYGIENE
MICHAEL FLOWERS,
OFFICE OF POLICY AND STRATEGIC PLANNING
FRANCES GONZALEZ, 311
IAN LEFKOWITZ, DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND
RECREATION
ALLISON CERRA, OFFICE OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT
ROBIN LESTER KENTON, DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION
AMANDA KONSTAM, MAYOR'S OFFICE
ADAM KUBAN, NYC & COMPANY
JOHN LADUCA, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
CHRISTOPHER LONG, DEPARTMENT
OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
STEPHEN LOUIS, LAW DEPARTMENT
EMILY RAHIMI, FDNY
MARGOT SCHLOSS, MAYOR'S OFFICE
TRISTA SORDILLO, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
CORPORATION
KATHERINE WINNINGHAM, LAW DEPARTMENT
JULIE WOOD, MAYOR'S OFFICE
edited from among all outgoing information, at a
pace and quantity that is easy to consume.
NYCgov channels are located at facebook.com/nycgov,
foursquare.com/nycgov, nycgov.tumblr.com and @
nycgov on Twiter. As part of the launch, both Four-
square and Tumblr donated signifcant resources to
the City: Foursquare provided the Citys Big Apple
Badge pro-bono, and Tumblr developed a custom
NYCgov themeincluding a pixelated skyline
graphic that changes color based on real-time video
feeds of New York Cityat no cost. Both Four-
square and Tumblr are locally-based social media
platforms with strong followings.
Since their launch last year, the feeds on Facebook
and Twiter have grown to over 100,000 followers
each. Foursquare has more than 56,000 friends who
are able to view tips and lists on how to enjoy New
York Citys public spaces, and the Citys Tumblr blog
has more than 34,000 followers.
Bitly
In addition to investing in the Citys own social me-
dia channels, making it simple and seamless to share
content from NYC.gov is crucial to New York Citys
online engagement strategy. Tanks to a pro-bono
donation from local startup Bitly, the Citys website
NYC.gov now has its own custom link shortener
via Bitly: on.nyc.gov. Link shortening is important
because most specifc website URL addresses are too
long to share on platforms such as Twiter, which
imposes a character limit on content.
With the Citys custom link shortener, instead of a
generic brand, ofcial content is clearly identifed as
afliated with the City of New York from the outset.
In addition, Bitly provides a valuable analytics tools
that help digital media producers for the City of
New York identify high-demand content and learn
which social media platforms are most conducive
to social sharing - enabling City communicators to
custom-tailor eforts for efciency and efectiveness.
To date, City employees and site visitors have cre-
ated over 160,000 Bitly links, and since launch users
have clicked more than 1.5 million times on nyc.gov
Bitly links.
Mobile Apps
Months afer the introduction of the Digital
Roadmap in 2011, the City launched its frst App
Hub, now featuring 14 ofcial City apps available in
iOS and Android. Te most popular apps include
ABCEats, which enables New Yorkers to instantly
look up the health inspection grades and records of
restaurants nearby, and NYC 311, which accepts the
most common 311 service types and allows users to
look up the status of previous requests.
Citywide Listening Sessions
for Digital Policy
In addition to the opportunities aforded by digital
channels for ongoing civic dialogue, the City has
launched its own meetup, a group that convenes
in-person to discuss shared interests. Te @nycgov
meetup group, available at meetup.com/nycgov, has
over 700 members and focuses on digital strategy
and policy input.
To date, the in-person @nycgov meetups have
drawn hundreds of participants across the City,
engaging New Yorkers with diverse backgrounds
and levels of technology fuency on the topics of the
Digital Roadmap: access, education, open govern-
ment, engagement and technology industry support.
From Staten Island to the Bronx, Queens to Brook-
lyn, participants have suggested powerful ideas and
thoughtful feedback on the Citys initiatives, and
their work will help to shape New York Citys overall
digital strategy.
Expanding 311, the Citys
Customer Service Platform,
for the Digital Age
Originally established in 2003 as a toll-free tele-
phone hotline for locals to report non-emergency
concerns and ask questions about civic services,
today 311 processes over 19 million requests per
year. 311 is both a powerful tool for navigating City
government, and one of the earliest examples of
crowdsourcing; providing valuable insights into the
needs of New Yorkers by analyzing request data.
Since the launch of the Digital Roadmap in 2011,
311 has added support to new channels that em-
brace the changing way New Yorkers communicate.
To connect to 311, New Yorkers can:
Make a request or look up a ticket status
on nyc.gov
Send a text message (SMS) to 311-692
Call 311 or (212) NEW-YORK (212-639-9675)
from outside New York City
Skype NYC311
Contact using a TY or Text Telephone at (212)
504-4115.
Engage with @nyc311 on Twiter
Download the 311 app for iPhone or Android
Specifcally, 311 now responds to all Twiter mes-
sages directed at @NYC311, shifing to Direct Mes-
sage (DM) when personal information is required.
In addition, digital services have been enhanced as
new request types, such as noise complaints, have
been added to online channels. 311 also released an
Android smartphone application and upgraded its
311 iPhone application to accept more service types,
look up the status of previous service requests and
receive Alternate Side Parking alerts if desired.
Online, 311 has begun to pilot live chat functional-
ity for select service types, leveraging best practices
from the worlds largest digital customer service plat-
forms. And via the new 311 webpage, New Yorkers
access an even clearer, simpler interface for resolving
their needs, as described earlier.
In addition to coming to where New Yorkers live
online and creating more choices for engaging with
the City that refect the preferences of constituents,
these digital improvements improve customer ser-
vice and efciency across the board by reducing wait
times for phone service.
Altogether, today 15% of 311 requests are processed
digitally, a signifcant increase over 2011, when 4%
of requests were processed digitally.
SMS as a Tool for Engagement
In addition to 311, a number of City agencies includ-
ing the Department of Education, Department
of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Human
Resources Administration (HR) have begun to use
SMS short codes to engage their constituents. Based
on informal surveys to its clients, HR found that
NYC 311 iPhone app.
Mayor Bloomberg
updates New Yorkers
on City's response to
Hurricane Sandy.
in one view. In addition, users can track specifc
keywords or hashtags to identify concerns such
as power outages or fooding and publish reports
refecting trends in mentions over time.
As the Citys digital staf encounters recurring ques-
tions, the City may issue public announcements
from ofcial social media feeds, or the Mayor may
include them in press updates. For specifc, personal
questions, the Citys digital teams may respond
directly via Facebook or Twiter; during Hurricane
Sandy the City answered over 300 questions on
Twiter alone.
To ensure complete messaging consistency across its
340 social media channels, the City of New York also
activates an emergency scenario social media pro-
tocol in disaster situations. Tis protocol centralizes
all approvals of outgoing content, involving senior
legal, operations and communications staf to ensure
accuracy amid rapidly changing conditions.
Even with the increased oversight, City agencies
were able to quickly and efectively publish content
throughout Hurricane Sandy, sending over 2,000
tweets. Te public response to the Citys digital
engagement was resoundingly positive. Messages in-
cluded one from @ninanyc on Twiter that, Twiter
= #1 thing that kept us informed during the black-
out. Super useful to get @NYCMayorsOfce tweets
as texts. Another user, @visitordesign expressed,
credit to @nycgov for being so responsive to people
looking for info. hard to imagine a personal resource
like that 10 yrs ago.
Quantitative data also shows the positive reception
by New Yorkers. Over the two weeks surrounding
Hurricane Sandy, the City saw record growth in its
digital communities, gaining nearly 200,000 new
subscribers on social media and reaching a peak
Facebook reach of over 320,000 as audience mem-
bers shared content with their networks.
In addition, the City streamed live video of every
Mayoral press conference and update, later provid-
ing access to video on-demand via YouTube. Te
public viewed those videos almost one million times
throughout the course of the storm.
Digital Partnerships
Te pro-bono support of technology companies
and nonprofts during Hurricane Sandy and other
emergencies has been crucial to serving and inform-
ing New Yorkers. During both Hurricane Irene and
Sandy, Twiter donated promoted tweets to @NYC-
MayorsOfce, enabling vital messages to reach hun-
dreds of thousands more people in New York City.
During both storms, the City also worked with the
Google Crisis Response group, sharing geographic
data related to hurricane evacuation zones, shelters
and other resources that the Google team integrated
into its public Google Crisis Map. Trough the
municipal data-fueled interactive maps developed
and promoted by Google, the City reached at least
one million more individuals, more than doubling
its reach.
nearly all New Yorkers have access to either a smart-
phone or feature phone, making SMS an extremely
accessible means of communication.
One example of SMS in action is the TXT-2-
Work program. For New Yorkers who receive cash
assistance, food stamps or temporary housing,
TXT-2-Work provides real-time alerts on local job
openings that match their feld of expertise. Previ-
ously, it could take up to 12 days for a job listing to
reach a potential applicant; now New Yorkers receive
notifcations within hours. Today over 11,000 HR
clients are subscribed to TXT-2-Work, and in addi-
tion to job alerts, subscribers beneft from personal-
ized responses to their questions.
Digital Crowdsourcing and
Engagement in Emergency
Situations
When Hurricane Sandy descended on New York
City, rapid communication was critical to disaster
response eforts, keeping the public informed and
providing an invaluable window into the needs
of New Yorkers. Troughout Hurricane Sandy,
digital engagement played an unprecedented role in
response and recovery, refecting both record levels
of public adoption of social media and the coordi-
nated eforts of City employees. Hurricane Sandy
also built on the lessons learned during Hurricane
Irene, and since the launch of the Digital Roadmap
in 2011, the City has instituted policy and strategy
changes to support engagement and crowdsourcing
in emergencies.
Social Media
Tanks to the Citywide social media dashboard, in
emergency scenarios senior City government staf
are able to more efectively feld and assess concerns
from the public across hundreds of social media
channels at a glance. All City channels from Twiter
and Facebook are loaded to the platform, enabling
administrative users to view all incoming comments
and input from across the Citys digital community
Ofcial Apps from the
City of New York:
ABCEATS
CALCUTTER
MADE IN NY DISCOUNT VENDORS
NYC 311
NYC BUILDINGS
NYC CITY HALL
NYC CONDOM
NYC MEDIA
NYCRECYCLES
NYC STUFF EXCHANGE
NYPD
TEENS IN NYC PROTECTION+
WATERONTHEGO.NYC
YOU THE MAN
Industry:
Technology-Fueled Economic Growth
I
N
D
U
S
T
R
Y
With New York Citys base of achievement in
Infrastructure, Education, Open Government and
Engagement, New York Citys technology Industry
is in prime position to fourish as the ffh element
of the Digital Roadmap. Over the past three years,
New York Citys technology companies have
experienced powerful growth, with over $8.3 billion
of acquisitions in 2012 alone. New York City has
surpassed Boston to become the nations second
most venture capital funded area afer Silicon Valley,
and added over 8,700 technology jobs in 2012.
Reports also reinforce the City as a magnet for
entrepreneurs, stating that there are more startups
in New York City than any other U.S. city. Finally,
the We Are Made in NY initiative recently certifed
its 1,000th technology company as Made in NY
meaning it is locally headquartered and bases at least
75% of its development in New York City.
Together these indicators tell a powerful story of
economic development in New York City. Sustain-
ing and growing this momentum is critical to New
York Citys future, as technology roles and ventures
represent one of the fastest growing sectors of the
economy, providing future jobs to New Yorkers and
developing innovations that help improve daily life.
To highlight the technology sector and increase its
visibility, Mayor Bloomberg has visited more than
20 technology companies and organizations since
the release of the Digital Roadmap, including Boxee,
Buzzfeed, Efciency 2.0, Etsy, Facebook, Four-
square, General Assembly, Google, Internet Week
NY, MongoDB, NY Tech Meetup, On Deck, Seam-
less, Spotify, TechStars, Tumblr, Twiter, Yelp, Urban
Compass and Warby Parker. Each visit is an oppor-
tunity for Mayor Bloomberg to express his support
of industry leaders, drawing on his own experience
as a successful technology entrepreneur.
Diversity and Workforce
Development in the Tech
Sector
Input from entrepreneurs has demonstrated that a
major need of New York City technology frms is
the demand for more talent to fuel the economy.
A diverse, expanding workforce is critical to both
the growth of New York Citys technology sec-
tor, and the future of New York City residents. To
support more diversity, the City of New York has
unveiled a number of professional development
programs that aim to introduce young New Yorkers
from a variety of backgrounds to job opportunities
in the tech sector.
INTERNSHIPS
In 2012, NYC Digital convened a group of civic-
minded technology companies in City Hall with
the goal of introducing them to the wide range
of programs that provide professional develop-
ment opportunities to students. Te response was
overwhelming, with nearly every atendee commit-
ting to either host an intern or group site visit. Since
that meeting, the City of New York has connected
over 300 high school and college students from
40%
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diverse backgrounds with internships at technol-
ogy companies in New York City. Program partners
include Ladders for Leaders, Summer Scholars and
the Brooklyn Tech Triangle Internship Program,
initiatives that blend hands-on workplace experience
with professional skills development curriculum.
Participants also visited a range of prominent New
York City startups, including AppNexus, Facebook
and Kickstarter, to gain wider exposure to the sector.
Te City continues to encourage technology com-
panies to participate as internship hosts. Interested
parties can visit the Volunteer tab on wearemade-
inny.com to learn more.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
For more experienced professionals, the Mayors
Ofce of Media and Entertainment, along with the
Department of Small Business Services, has unveiled
programs that help small business owners expand
their expertise and provide training to employees.
One program, the Made in NY Strategic Steps
for Growth for Media Executives, is a nine-month
executive education program that culminates
with participants developing a three-year growth
roadmap for their companies, under the guidance of
industry leaders. More than 300 entrepreneurs have
completed the program, and graduates see an aver-
age increase in company revenues of 40% afer tak-
ing the curriculum. Te Mayors Ofce of Media and
Entertainment also ofers a Made in NY Media
Employee Training grant program designed to equip
employees with new skills in emerging technology.
To date, the program has awarded over $170,000
in grants to 11 businesses, including Bureau Blank,
which used its funding to train staf in producing
e-books, apps and interactive websites.
In addition to the above programs, the Department
of Small Business Services continues to ofer cer-
tifcation to support minority- and women-owned
small businesses, a program that is also highlighted
on the We Are Made in NY website.
RECRUITING MORE ENGINEERS
TO NEW YORK CITY
Another mechanism of expanding the talent pool in
New York City is supporting the recruiting needs of
local companies. As most early-stage startups lack
the resources to successfully participate in campus
career fairs around the country, the City launched
a program in 2012 designed to help technology
companies atract talent. Te program, NYC Tech
Talent Draf, organizes information and networking
sessions onsite at leading engineering campuses, and
to date has hosted 14 information sessions at seven
universitiesconnecting 800 Engineering and
Computer Science students with opportunities at 44
startups.
Another means of atracting talent to New York City
is the Made in NY Digital Jobs Map, part of the We
Are Made in NY initiative. Te map is an efective
introduction to New York Citys technology ecosys-
tem, featuring technology companies, venture frms
and co-working spaces mapped alongside subway
lines, cafes and hotelsdemystifying the sector
and sending a clear message that the City is open
for business.
SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS OF
STARTUPS
Beyond talent, technology companies need physical
infrastructure to grow. Trough the Citys network
of 16 launched and forthcoming business incuba-
tors across sectors and geographies, startups and
small businesses have access to afordable and
fexible space - more than 170,000 square feet to
OPPOSITE PAGE, LEFT TO RIGHT: Mayor Bloomberg at Buzzfeed;
at Boxee; at Etsy; at Efciency 2.0; at OnDeck; at Foursquare; at Tumblr.

LEFT: Mayor Bloomberg at Seamless; RIGHT: at Urban Compass
pioneering development that will support local busi-
nesses, residents and organizations as it highlights
their New York City origin online. As announced in
the 2011 Digital Roadmap, the City of New York is
among the frst municipalities in the world to apply
for its own top-level domain (TLD), the last part of
a domain name, such as .com or .org.
Te Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and
Numbers (ICANN) manages the delegation of top-
level domains and is leading the process. In 2013,
the application of the City of New York for .nyc
passed its initial approval phase, paving the way for
eventual roll out following fnalization of a contract
with ICANN. To administer the .nyc TLD, the City
is working with vendor Neustar, which manages
other TLDs such as .co and us. Current ICANN
timeline projects delegation for .nyc in 2014. More
information is available on mydotnyc.com.
We Are Made in NY:
Supporting Technology in
NYC
Refecting a wide range of input from technolo-
gists, entrepreneurs and investors, in February 2012
Mayor Bloomberg introduced We Are Made in NY,
an economic development initiative that celebrates
the local technology sector, highlights job opportu-
nities, atracts new companies to New York City and
presents a host of education programs that support
learning at every literacy level. We Are Made in
NY brings together all of the Industry initiatives of
the Digital Roadmap in a single, easily accessible
resource.
Te Made in NY
Mark of Distinction
Originally introduced by Commissioner Katherine
Oliver and the Mayors Ofce of Media and Enter-
tainment in 2005, and designed by @radical.media,
the Made in NY Mark of distinction was created to
celebrate and incentivize locally-based flm and tele-
vision production in New York City. In 2012, Mayor
Bloomberg and Commissioner Oliver announced
the expansion of the mark to apply to digital compa-
nies that base 75% of more of their development in
the New York City. To date, over 1,000 technology
frms have been certifed to meet this criteria, high-
lighting a rich engineering culture in New York City.
Made in NY companies are listed prominently on
the Made in NY website and are approved to display
the Made in NY mark of distinction on their own
digital properties.
THE WEBSITE
Te We Are Made in NY website (wearemadeinny.
com) is the focal point of the initiative, aggregating
resources in the areas of technology education and
entrepreneurship that span many organizations and
government agencies. Under the Learn tab, visitors
can discover programs such as free digital literacy
courses at public library branches, aferschool coding
courses for students, technology sector internships
and advanced degrees in Computer Science in the
newCornell Tech campus. Te Launch tab is for
entrepreneurs who want to take their startups to the
next level in NewYork City, presenting resources such
as Media Employee training grants, the ConnectNYC
fber optic infrastructure competition, the Tech Talent
Draf recruiting programand vendor certifcation re-
sources for women- and minority-owned businesses.
date - as well as support services such as educational
programming and networking opportunities. Tis
network of incubators includes NYU-Poly DUMBO
Incubator, Sunshine Bronx Business Incubator and
the Harlem Garage. Over 600 startup businesses
and 1,000 employees are currently located at City-
sponsored incubators, and together, current and past
incubator companies, have raised more than $130
million in venture funding.
High-speed Internet connectivity to support busi-
ness operations and commercial real estate condu-
cive to a startup environment are both critical to
helping tech startups thrive. Te City of New York,
led by the New York City Economic Development
Corporation, has introduced the following programs
to further support these demands.
INTERNET ACCESS
ConnectNYC Fiber Challenge, frst introduced in
2012, is a City-sponsored competition that allows
businesses to apply for free fber optic construction
and installation. Now in its second round, Con-
nectNYC ofers up to $14 million in fber installa-
tion cost coverage from Internet Service Providers
(ISPs) including Time Warner Cable, Optimum,
Lightower, TW Telecom and Stealth Communica-
tions. In order to be eligible, technology companies
must be located in New York City, have less than 500
employees and state how increased Internet speeds
will improve their businesss botom line. If selected
for free installation, participants are required to com-
mit to a one-year contract at market rates with one
of the participating ISPs. Companies can apply for
Connect NYC through December 12, 2013 at www.
nycfberaccess.com. Te projects that the competi-
tion will fund the installation of fber connectivity
for hundreds of businesses.
In addition, to increase transparency about broad-
band infrastructure among landlords and tenants
of commercial and industrial real estate across New
York City, NYCEDC has introduced WiredNYC.
WiredNYC is a certifcation system that provides
clear, consistent measurement scores that assess the
Internet services available in New York City build-
ings, informing tenants and helping landlords un-
derstand and market Internet oferings. WiredNYC
currently lists over 150 buildings totaling more than
100 million square feet across the fve boroughs.
COMMERCIAL OFFICE SPACE
New York Citys fve boroughs ofer a wide range of
real estate options to growing technology compa-
nies. To highlight Lower Manhatan as a commercial
real estate destination and to incentivize businesses
to expand there, NYCEDC launched Take the
H.E.L.M. (Hire and Expand in Lower Manhatan).
To date, Take the H.E.L.M. has provided over $1
million in real estate grants to companies relocating
to spaces in Lower Manhatan, including technol-
ogy organizations Booker, Grapeshot, Paperless
Post, StellaStar and Te Flatiron School. Now in its
second round, Take the H.E.L.M. will issue an ad-
ditional $1 million in funding in November 2013.
Helping Local Small
Businesses Use Technology
to Grow
It is critical that the innovations and momentum of
the technology sector reach all New York City busi-
nesses, helping them to grow, evolve and compete
in the changing economy. To help non-technical
businesses successfully leverage digital technology,
the Department of Small Business Services (SBS)
and NYC Digital partnered to produce the Small
Business Digital Toolkit. Te Small Business Digital
Toolkit includes a curriculum taught in-person at
Business Solutions Centers across the City, as well
as how-to guides and videos available online, on
topics such as website development, social media
and e-commerce. Technology partner Mashable was
instrumental in developing the curriculum, along
with others including Google, ShopKeep POS,
Squarespace and Weebly. Since its launch in 2012,
1,074 entrepreneurs and small business owners have
completed the course, with thousands more access-
ing resources via the SBS website.
Unveiling .nyc, One of
the First City Top-Level
Domains in the World
Embracing New York Citys digital landscape is
equally as vital as investing in its physical landscape,
and the launch of the .nyc top-level domain is a
LEFT: Informational
website on .NYC
initiative located
at mydotnyc.com.
Image courtesy of
Neustar.

RIGHT: Interactive
Jobs Map on
wearemadeinny.com.
THE MAP
In addition to Learn and Launch, the We Are
Made in NY website features an interactive Jobs
Map, developed using the Google Maps API, that
visually illustrates the vitality and scope of New
York Citys technology sector. Te map features
thousands of New York City technology companies
across the fve boroughs, including a running tally at
the top that states how many frms are hiringcur-
rently over 1,300. Te map also enables the user
to flter listings by hiring companies, investors,
co-working spaces and locally-based Made in NY
startups. On the employer side, companies are able
to submit their listings for inclusion on the map and
ofen use the resources as a hiring tool.
For those outside the City, the map sends a clear
message that New York City is indeed a technology
hub, with thousands of opportunities across the fve
boroughs.
Te map was initially released in partnership
with Internet Week NY as a standalone site called
Mapped in NY by Mayor Bloomberg in 2012, and
has inspired similar local resources around the
world, including maps by Milan, Rio de Janeiro,
Tel Aviv, Philadelphia and San Francisco.
THE CAMPAIGN
To increase public awareness of We Are Made in NY,
the City engaged local entrepreneurs to serve as am-
bassadors for the initiative. Te resulting marketing
campaign features six technology companiesAp-
pNexus, DoSomething.org, Etsy, Learnvest, Songza,
Kickstarterfrom across the fve boroughs whose
founders represent a diverse range of backgrounds.
Images of dynamic employee teams in their ofces
were overlaid with the statement, We are over 900
tech companies, hiring for more than 3,000 jobsa
message that conveys the scale of locally headquar-
tered technology companies and the enormous job
opportunity that they ofer. Te campaign garnered
over 150 million impressions from placements in
outdoor media, including subway stations, buses and
bus shelters, as well as digital distribution through
Taxi-TV and dozens of online outlets, including
BuzzFeed, Mashable, Guest of a Guest, Songza and
others.
In addition to local placement, the campaign placed
advertisements through social media and in the pub-
lications of leading engineering schools across the
country, to encourage recent graduates to explore a
career in New York City.
Made in NY Media
Center
Te City is commited to supporting the growth
and evolution of its creative industriesessentially,
ventures at the intersection of science, technology,
engineering, arts and mathematics, or STEAM. To
help achieve this goal, Mayor Bloomberg and Com-
missioner Katherine Oliver announced in October
2012 the development of the "Made in NY" Media
Center by IFP, a new physical space in DUMBO,
Brooklyn where storytellers from multiple disci-
plines such as flm, video, gaming and technology
collaborate across a range of training programs,
industry events and special initiatives. A partnership
between the Mayor's Ofce of Media and Entertain-
ment and Independent Filmmaker Project, with par-
ticipation from General Assembly and NYCEDC,
the 20,000-square-foot facility includes a transmedia
incubator, co-working space, caf, media arts gallery
and state-of-the-art screening room, and opened in
October 2013.
We Are Made in NY media campaign.
TOP: Made in NY
Media Center by IFP.
Image courtesy of
Mesh Architectures

BOTTOM: We Are
Made in NY subway
ad. Image courtesy
of Rachel Haot
Digital Cities
Symposium:
Collaborative
Leadership
Digital Symposium
participants at Internet
Week NY
To foster greater global collaboration
and innovation, in the spring of 2013 the City of
New York convened the Digital Cities Symposium,
a forum for exploring best practices and approaches
to common challenges in the digital sphere, featur-
ing 15 cities from around the world. Participants
discussed their cities progress in the fve areas of
the Digital Roadmap, and concluded the day with
a public presentation at Internet Week NY, where
each representative highlighted a compelling local
technology initiative.
Te Symposium was hosted by NYC Digital in
partnership with the Mayors Ofce of International
Afairs and General Assembly, a technology and
entrepreneurship campus.
Participants in the inaugural Digital Cities
Symposium:
To continue this important dialogue, the City of
New York has established the Digital Cities Council,
a group of international digital practitioners that will
meet annually and exchange advice on an ongo-
ing basis. Te frst outcome of the Digital Cities
Council will be the Digital Cities Library, an online
collection of case studies in the areas of access,
education, open government and industry, hosted by
General Assembly.
Looking Forward
Te learning curve for innovation is unending, its
work never done. As the City of New York cel-
ebrates and thanks its partners for making it possible
to realize its inaugural Digital Roadmap, it is critical
to set new goals that further raise the bar of achieve-
ment.
To that end, NYC Digital has gathered input from a
diverse range of New Yorkers to help shape the citys
technology strategy. Trough digital media, public
listening sessions, and presentations that spanned all
fve boroughs, hundreds of New Yorkers have made
their voices heard and provided valuable guidance
on how the City can build on its current digital
foundations. In each of the public listening sessions,
hosted through the Citys Meetup group, partici-
pants divided into discussion groups focused on ac-
cess, education, open government, engagement and
industryand presented their ideas and recommen-
dations at the conclusion of the event. Te following
recommendations are a refection of input from the
public, technologists and City employees.
Te 2011 Digital Roadmap recognized that every city is
unique, but all share the goals of serving their people and
ensuring a future of opportunity. Since its launch, NYC
Digital has made it a priority to connect, share and learn from
other municipalities, meeting with dozens of government
technologists from around the world.
Beijing
Belfast
Boston
Buenos Aires
Chicago
Helsinki
London
New York City
Otawa
Paris
Philadelphia
Quebec City
Rio de Janerio
Singapore
Tokyo
L
O
O
K
I
N
G
A
H
E
A
D
To guide efforts, in May 2011 Mayor Bloom-
berg and Chief Digital Ofcer Rachel Haot intro-
duced the Digital Roadmap, the comprehensive plan
to establish New York City as a leading digital city
through initiatives in infrastructure, education, open
government, engagement and industry support. As
illustrated in this report, today that plan is 100%
complete.
Tis achievement provides a powerful platform
to launch the next generation of innovation initia-
tives in New York City. As the City of New York cel-
ebrates and thanks its partners for making it possible
to realize the inaugural Digital Roadmap, it is critical
to set new goals that raise the bar even higher.
To chart future objectives, NYC Digital has gathered
input from a diverse range of New Yorkers to help
shape the Citys technology strategy. Trough social
media, public listening sessions and presentations
that spanned all fve boroughs, hundreds of New
Yorkers have made their voices heard and provided
valuable guidance on how the City can build on
its current digital foundation. In each of the public
listening sessions, hosted through the Citys Meetup
group, participants divided into discussion sections
focused on access, education, open government,
engagement and industryand presented their
ideas and recommendations at the conclusion of the
event. Te following recommendations are a refec-
tion of this diverse and insightful input.
Te Role of the
Chief Digital Ofcer
In creating the Chief Digital Ofcer (CDO) role,
Mayor Bloomberg established a position unique in
its approach to all City functions through the lens of
technology. Against the rapidly changing backdrop
of the digital sector, the CDO takes a global view,
bringing together insights that span more than 80
agencies and constructing a strategic plan for opti-
mizing and implementing resources that serve the
public and equip the City for an innovative future.
Te Chief Digital Ofcer leads NYC Digital, a team
that functions like a startup, providing strategic guid-
ance to digital professionals across City government
and implementing innovative initiatives and public-
private partnerships. Te need to invest in a digital
future is critical to municipalities, and NYC Digital
serves to ensure that the City of New York builds
critical infrastructure to enable growth, modernizes
government service delivery, engages constituents
In 2011, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and
Commissioner Katherine Oliver introduced the
worlds frst Chief Digital Ofcer in government,
and made a powerful commitment to New
York Citys innovative future. Nearly three years
later, cities across the globe have followed suit,
recognizing the need to strategically evolve as
technology transforms the world.
Looking
Ahead
ACCESS
EDUCATION ENGAGEMENT
OPEN GOVERNMENT
INDUSTRY
Internet connectivity
for all
Investing in
the future
A user-centric
experience
Innovation and
transparency
A vibrant
digital sector
NYC.gov Digital
Roadmap Listening
Session at Sunshine
Bronx Business
Incubator with Bronx
Tech Meetup.
in-person resources resulting from a collaboration
with the Department of Small Business Services
and multiple private sector technology partners that
teaches entrepreneurs how to grow their businesses
using technology.
To enable these projects and others, NYC Digital has
coordinated more than twenty public-private part-
nerships, including collaborations with Bitly, Buddy
Media, Facebook, Foursquare, General Assembly,
Google, Internet Week, Mashable and Tumblr.
EVOLVING NYC DIGITAL
As NYC Digital evolves and builds on the lessons
of the past three years, a number of opportunities
will help to expand the reach and efectiveness of
the team.
To help execute new digital initiatives more rapidly,
the City can create CodeLab, a small web and
mobile development team that is able to quickly
prototype and launch new projects, introduce
pioneering technology enhancements to the Citys
platforms and ofer support to agency technology
initiatives. CodeLab would be unique in adopting
an agile, iterative methodology for development,
and approach projects with a startup mentality that
embrace cuting edge innovations.
Finally, to continue to share best practices and learn
from leading practitioners, NYC Digital will expand
and grow the Digital Cities Council, maintaining
the online Digital Cities Library of case studies and
helping to convene annual gatherings and ongoing
dialogue with innovative cities around the world.
Beyond these updates, the programmatic recom-
mendations that follow will help to further support
New York Citys digital growth.
Access
WI-FI
Leverage City Infrastructure for Wi-Fi
When the Citys Reinvent Payphones initiative
challenged designers to imagine new telecommuni-
cations uses of pay telephones, public Wi-Fi was a
leading suggestion in submissions. With payphones
as a starting point, the City can explore other op-
portunities to leverage existing City-controlled
infrastructure to connect New Yorkers through
the installation of Wi-Fi technology. Options can
range from buildings to street furniture, and could
generate revenue for the City budget via licensing
to providers. In other scenarios, the infrastructure
can be available at no cost to providers in exchange
for free public access and other services. Providers
can ofer free access to the public as corporate social
responsibility measure, or subsidize costs through
an ad-supported model. Te initiative can begin as a
small-scale pilot, with a public database of infra-
structure available online.
Seamless Wi-Fi Usage Across Hotspots
As the number of Wi-Fi hotspots increase across
New York City, ensuring seamless connectivity
across these touchpoints will improve the overall
quality of Internet access. Public input indicates de-
mand for a single sign-on, consistent network experi-
ence across all municipally provided Wi-Fi hotspots.
For example, as a user transitions from network to
network, or provider to provider, the user would not
be required to enter another set of credentials, select
a specifc network in device setings or encounter
an unfamiliar splash page. To achieve this, the City
could issue a set of technical guidelines and require
all vendors to provide a consistent, NYC-branded
entry page for Wi-Fi access. Technical guidelines
would refect security research and steps to protect
the privacy of users.
Digital Inclusion
BROADBAND, WI-FI AND DIGITAL LEARNING IN
PUBLIC HOUSING FACILITIES
To expand the availability of free Internet access to
low-income individuals as described in the Access
section, the City can work with foundations and
corporate partners to provide free Wi-Fi, hardline
broadband and computer access in the outdoor and
indoor common spaces of public housing facilities.
A network of trained community members and
volunteers can teach free, public courses in digital lit-
eracy, job search tools and more advanced computer
via new communications methods, prepares for the
future of the economy and provides technology edu-
cation opportunities to New Yorkers of all ages.
Te role of the Chief Digital Ofcer and NYC
Digital is part strategy and part execution. Its work is
divided between internal coordination and external
outreach, enabling the efective exchange of ideas
and development of public-private partnerships.
STRATEGY
In line with Mayor Bloombergs data-driven ap-
proach to government, research and analytics are
at the core of NYC Digitals strategy development
process. In addition to the annual publication of the
Digital Roadmap, the ofce continuously monitors
web trafc metrics, social media analytics, mobile
application engagement and newsleter subscrip-
tions to track trends and identify high-demand
platforms and content. Te team also evaluates the
progress of the Citys digital programs and felds
public suggestions and input on strategy.
Internally, NYC Digital serves as a catalyst for in-
novation, supporting the work of digital pioneers
across government and helping novices become
comfortable on new terrain. As digital consultants,
the team ofen advises on new projects and helps
the technology community navigate government to
beter serve New Yorkers.
With over 200 digital media professionals in City
government, more than one hundred City programs
in the fve areas of the roadmap and a continuous
infux of partnership opportunities, coordination
is critical. Tis is achieved through tools such as
the Citywide social media monitoring platform,
organizational developments like the SMART group
and resources such as social media style guides.
NYC Digital also provides a range of professional
development opportunities in collaboration with
digital platform partners, such as the Engage NYC
Social Media Summit, workshops on how to master
specifc platforms and individualized consulting
sessions.
Every year, NYC Digital combines insights from
research, public input, technology experts and
government employees to update the Digital Road-
map to best meet the evolving needs of the City.
EXECUTION
In addition to seting strategy and supporting
coordination across agencies, NYC Digital actively
implements public-facing Digital Roadmap initia-
tives that cut across multiple stakeholder groups to
beter serve New Yorkers.
Examples include:
We Are Made in NY, the economic development ini-
tiative and campaign that brings together resources
from dozens of agencies, nonprofts and private sec-
tor organization in a user-centric format that support
technology sector growth.
Te Reinvent Hackathon Series, initiatives that en-
able open collaboration between public and multiple
government agencies on projects that touch a wide
range of groups and constituencies, such as Reinvent
NYC.gov for the Citys website, Reinvent Green for
sustainable mobile applications and Reinvent Pay-
phones for the future of public pay telephones.
Centralized NYCgov Social Media Channels, which
curate content from across more than 300 special-
ized City agency handles to provide an edited,
consolidated view of important alerts.
Te NYC.gov user experience, developed by NYC
Digital in collaboration with design frm HUGE, re-
fecting insights from website trafc analytics, input
from the public, emerging technolgies and modern
design conventions.
Te Small Business Digital Toolkit, online and
NYC.gov Digital Road-
map Listening Session
in Staten Island at
Snug Harbor Cultural
Center.
for Sofware Engineering, and the Sofware
Engineering Pilot to build upon, the City of New
York has an invaluable opportunity to expand
computer science to all public middle and high
schools. Aferschool programs can provide
additional learning experiences in newer emerging
technologies and diverse topics. In addition, the
Citys Department of Education can further inspire
and prepare younger students in the elementary
grades for academic careers in technology through
beginner coding programs, game development and
in-person talks from local technology leaders.
TRAINING TEACHERS: PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT AND ENGAGING PRACTITIONERS
In order to expand computer science curriculum,
it is critical to train the teachers who will support
technology learning. With this aim in mind, the City
of New York can explore professional development
opportunities and public-private partnerships that
enable teachers to embrace new technologies and
learn from industry practitioners who are experts
in subject mater. One model to leverage is Citizen
Schools, a program that extends the school day with
science and mathematics project-based courses
taught by industry practitioners alongside seasoned
teachers.
INCREASE DIGITAL LINKS BETWEEN
CLASSROOM AND COMMUNITY
To engage students in digital coursework and
deepen ties with the community, New York City
public schools can provide opportunities in project-
based coursework that beneft local organizations
and learn from successful businesses. For example,
students learning about web development or social
media marketing could provide plans and support to
a community nonproft or traditional small busi-
ness that lacks digital expertise, tying into the Citys
Digital Toolkit for Small Businesses. Te impact of
this work can be to increase local engagement in the
learning process, help students see the impact and
potential of their work and ensure that digital growth
permeates the community. In addition, a speaker se-
ries featuring local, diverse technology leaders with
whom students identify can encourage more youth
to imagine a personal future in the feld, inspiring
them to pursue studies in computer science.
AFFORDABLE CONTINUING EDUCATION
OPPORTUNITIES IN TECHNOLOGY
As more adults look to enter the technology indus-
try, the support of continuing education programs
is vital to providing more employment opportuni-
ties. Today, many programs exist, detailed in the
Education section of this report. Building on those
resources, and evaluating private sector continu-
ing education leaders, the City of New York can
explore options to subsidize commercial programs
and promote low-cost programs available at City
University of New York campuses, such as Introduc-
tion to Android Development and Introduction to
Programming with Java. In addition, City agencies
can provide professional development and mentor-
ship opportunities through programming such as
industry panel sessions and personalized guidance
from technology sector volunteers.
Open Government
EXPANDING THE REACH OF 311 THROUGH ITS API
As a technology platform, 311 ofers enormous
potential to more efciently gather, vet, analyze,
exchange and ultimately act on data related to the
Citys services and infrastructure. Today the Citys
science and web development skills. Technology
manufacturers can also provide donations of equip-
ment and high-speed broadband access to house-
holds with students enrolled in public school or
continuing education programs, using the template
of the Broadband Technology Opportunities Pro-
gram (BTOP). Community programs such as Red
Hook Initiative Wi-Fi ofer compelling models for
deploying infrastructure and employing local youth
in training initiatives and administration.
FIBER OPTIC COMMERCIAL BROADBAND
In order to support the growth of New York Citys
economy, the City can continue to support pro-
grams that expand fber optic commercial broad-
band, such as WiredNYC, ConnectNYC and the
Broadband Connect map, described in the Industry
section of the Roadmap. Te City can also explore
the potential to support the utility of high-speed
Internet connectivity via 311 and enable customer
reports on commercial broadband installation and
service concerns related to landlords and Internet
Service Providers (ISPs).
In addition, the City can continue to use negotiation
leverage with ISPs or external grants to provide a
funding pool for fber optic installation to small and
medium businesses located in underserved areas.
Connectivity in Emergency
Situations
MOBILE RESOURCE DEPLOYMENT
Learning from the experience of Hurricane Sandy,
the City and local telecommunications providers
can work together to rapidly deploy mobile
charging stations and cellular service towers in
emergency situations along with vital resources.
Some examples of the charging stations, such as
the solar-powered Street Charge described in the
Access section, have already been piloted across
New York City. Tis infrastructure can travel to
where it is most needed before auxiliary power
sources to stationary cellular towers are depleted,
typically 24 hours afer a power outage.
TRANSMITTERS
Accurate, location-specifc information on power
and connectivity infrastructure is critical in emer-
gency situations. To monitor and optimize the allo-
cation of resources, telecommunications infrastruc-
ture can include batery operated transmiters that
signal to a central City database when systems are
dangerously low or fully without power, providing
device-by-device accuracy for situational monitoring.
GUIDELINES FOR AUXILIARY POWER
During Hurricane Sandy, even organizations that
had planned for power outages encountered chal-
lenges with these systems. To minimize power
interruptions for critical infrastructure as well as
high-dependency commercial systems such as data
centers, the City of New York can issue building
guidelines that recommend that generators, fuel
pumps and other technology be located on the
second story or higher, reducing the potential for
food damage.
Education
DIGITAL TOOLKIT FOR SCHOOLS
To ensure that New York Citys youth are prepared
for the future economy, the City can encourage
technology literacy and lifelong learning by
developing a Digital Toolkit for Schools that
educators, administrators and parents can use to
support their childrens academic career. Using the
template of the Digital Toolkit for Small Businesses
described in the Industry section, the City can
design a Digital Toolkit that makes it accessible for
any school to integrate digital learning tools that
can enhance curriculum and teaching, leverage
online assessment platforms that help schools track
student progress, and match mainstream digital
platforms to bring subject mater and coursework
to life. Te toolkit can explain to parents the
technology their children are using, how to follow
their progress online and ways to support learning
and coursework at home.
COMPUTER SCIENCE CURRICULUM EXPANSION
Today, with the models of the Academy for
Sofware Engineering, the Bronx Academy
NYC.gov Digital
Roadmap Listening
Session in Brooklyn
at NYU-Poly DUMBO
Incubator.
the dashboard can present history and status updates
for user interactions across City agencies, such as
311 service requests, parking ticket payments or
permit applications.
In addition, with security measures in place to pro-
tect sensitive information, users can store personal
information and payment details, enabling them
to seamlessly create new 311 service requests or
complete payments. If users feel comfortable shar-
ing more personal information about family and
employment status, the City can also proactively
suggest programs and initiatives that provide cost
savings or other benefts.
Users can also select diferent modes of receiving
relevant alerts and updates, such as daily email with
Alternate Side Parking status and free local events,
or a text message notifying that the users daily com-
mute may be interrupted by a specifc subway delay.
Te personalized dashboard has the potential to
completely transform the user experience of engag-
ing with New York City government by making
that interaction as seamless, rewarding and efcient
as possible.
CONTEXTUAL PSA SEARCH RESULTS
To further enhance the efectiveness of NYC.gov
and connect residents with relevant programs, the
City can implement a Public Service Announcement
(PSA) network on NYC.gov. Te PSAnetwork can
function similarly to an online ad network, displaying
public programs based on keywords used by website
visitors. For example, if a user searches for events for
children on NYC.gov, the PSAnetwork can display
ads that are useful to parents, such as free summer
lunch programs or child vaccination resources.
DIGITAL COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS
Inspired by input from the Digital Roadmap listen-
ing sessions described in the Engagement section,
the City can explore the creation of a Digital Com-
munity Ambassador program. Digital Community
Ambassadors can act as liaisons between neighbor-
hoods and the City digital team, providing local
input into Digital Roadmap initiatives such as
education and technology industry support and
informing local constituencies of programs that
may beneft them. Digital Community Ambassa-
dors can help to ensure that outreach strategies are
crafed to efectively catalyze digital development
at the neighborhood level and strategically engage
community organizations to encourage local par-
ticipation and impact.
LANGUAGE EXPANSION
Building on the success of foreign language digital
engagement tools such as @nycgob, the Citys Twit-
ter channel for news in Spanish, there is an oppor-
tunity to further expand to New York Citys most
widely spoken non-English languages. With 25% of
New Yorkers unable to speak fuent English, foreign
language digital engagement can help to inform
more members of the public, share critical alerts in
emergency situations and respond to questions from
the immigrant community.
MOBILE-FIRST ENGAGEMENT APPROACH
As the percentage of New Yorkers using phones and
tablets to access City content continues to climb, a
mobile-frst approach will help to make government
resources more easily accessible. Te City can apply
the lessons of success stories such as TXT-2-Work,
the mobile phone texting initiative that alerts job
seekers instantly of relevant employment opportu-
nities. With the revamped NYC.gov as a guide for
mobile web experiences, City agencies can prioritize
mobile access to digital content, providing greater
convenience and accessibility to New Yorkers.
DIGITAL EMERGENCY ALERTS
Digital media platforms represent an invaluable
opportunity to alert and inform New Yorkers in
emergency scenarios. Existing federal initiatives
leverage radio, television and mobile networks to in-
form New Yorkers, but none yet utilize major digital
media platforms such as online content, advertising
networks and social media. Using the Common
Alerting Protocol, an XML-format for exchanging
emergency information between alerting technolo-
gies, there is an opportunity to work with major digi-
tal content platforms to engage New Yorkers based
on location, transmiting life-saving updates.
ANALYTICS INTEGRATION
311 Content Application Programming Interface, or
API, enables external developers to build tools that
let the public get rapid answers to service questions.
And as more than 66% of 311 requests are resolved
solely through the exchange of information, today
the Content API can already support the majority of
311 inquiries.
Te natural evolution of the 311 Content API is to
add Write functionality, meaning that developers
can create applications that send data directly to the
City channels for processing Service Requests. Cou-
pled with outreach to strategic digital platforms and
media partners, the City can dramatically expand
its reach, allowing, for example, users to request to
plant a new tree through a social media platform or
report a pothole through a blog.
EXPANDING THE NUMBER OF CITY APIS
Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) are in
high demand because they enable the development
of more timely, accurate and useful applications than
those built using static data sets. Including the 311
API, the City of New York today provides access
to six robust APIs. With more than 2,000 data sets
available on the NYC OpenData Platform, the City
of New York has an opportunity to provide access
to even more municipal data via API, equipping
developers to build powerful applications that help
to serve the public.
Examples of future APIs can include:
Payments API - Making it easier and more acces-
sible to pay parking tickets, water bills and other
transactions
Restaurant Inspection Results API - Allowing more
New Yorkers to track inspections in real-time
SENSORS
To further enhance service delivery and increase ef-
fciency, the City can explore implementing sensors
or tags that automatically transmit status changes
and enable the public to uniquely identify physical
infrastructure such as a park bench or streetlight.
Tis would allow work by feld staf to be immediate-
ly refected to customers, and allow for more exact
identifcation of conditions and problems, resulting
in a beter response.
CROWDSOURCING FOR DISASTER RESPONSE
In a City with 8.4 million residents and 52 million
annual visitors, there is an enormous opportunity to
gain valuable insights by empowering New Yorkers
to report at scale on emergencies, natural disasters
and other urgent scenarios. 311 is a crowdsourcing
success story for the City of New York, enabling
millions of New Yorkers to share their input and
improve City functions. While 311 felds incoming
inquiries, crowdsourcing functionality can allow the
City to direct outgoing context-specifc questions for
voluntary response to members of the public. With
deeper integration into City service platforms, there
is an opportunity to operationalize the resulting
situational awareness insights and help to inform
disaster response and recovery eforts. While care-
fully respecting considerations such as data integrity,
user privacy, normalization of data and compatibility
with City data formats, crowdsourcing can provide
vital and life-saving information to frst responders
and recovery teams.
Engagement
THE PERSONALIZED CITY DASHBOARD
Reinforcing the Citys user-centric engagement ap-
proach and the NYC.gov design strategy articulated
in 2011, the City can further improve customer
service by launching personalized online dashboards
that make it easier to interact with local government.
Employing a single ID to access all City services,
users can log in to NYC.gov and access customized
information, alerts and public events for the neigh-
borhoods in which they work and live. In addition,
NYC.gov Digital
Roadmap Listening
Session in Brooklyn
at NYU-Poly DUMBO
Incubator.
local technology leaders can inspire and engage
individuals from underrepresented neighborhoods
to become more involved in the technology sector.
MARKETING LOCAL BUSINESS THROUGH .NYC
TOP-LEVEL DOMAIN
As the Citys application for the .nyc top-level do-
main (TLD) moves forward, the initiative provides
an opportunity to market local businesses that adopt
the TLD as part of their web address. Te .nyc do-
main is reserved for residents, businesses and orga-
nizations that are located in New York City, enabling
resources such as a search engine for local businesses
that indexes only .nyc web addresses. For individuals
commited to investing in goods and services located
in the fve boroughs, .nyc ofers an unprecedented
level of local authenticity in the digital realm.
Te City can also integrate the .nyc top-level domain
initiative into its Digital Toolkit for Small Busi-
nesses, informing entrepreneurs on how and why to
apply for the address when it is released publicly.
FIBER OPTIC COMMERCIAL BROADBAND
EXPANSION
As outlined in the Next Steps: Access section, the
City can continue to support the infrastructure
needs of the technology sector by supporting land-
lord and ISP complaints on commercial broadband
installation and service from businesses. In addi-
tion the City can continue to leverage negotiating
power to ensure establish funding for connecting
underserved commercial districts. Finally, continu-
ing to support ConnectNYC, WiredNYC and the
Broadband Connect Map will provide new tools to
businesses and incentivize real estate leaders to make
more infrastructure investments.
FLEXIBLE SPACE OPTIONS FOR GROWING
BUSINESSES
Another major infrastructure need of the technology
sector is the expansion of fexible real estate options
for growing companies. Today the Citys incubators
and coworking spaces serve early-stage startups well,
and more advanced companies with around 50 em-
ployees or more ofen have the resources to execute
a commercial real estate lease. It is the organiza-
tions between those extremes the companies of
around 15-50 employees that have challenges as
they quickly evolve. Technology companies in the
midst of rapid growth ofen must add engineering
and business function staf to sustain momentum. As
companies grow, they may fnd that commercial real
estate oferings do not meet their needs: coworking
space is too small, and commercial space available
on the market is infexible to their needs and beyond
their budget.
Te City of New York can support this transition
in a number of ways. First, it can bring together real
estate owners and entrepreneurs through roundtable
discussions to cultivate greater mutual understand-
ing of the needs of the market, potentially encourag-
ing the development of additional real estate product
options for growing startups.
In addition, the City can facilitate connections
among technology companies to help allocate
unused space to needy growing startups through
landlord-approved sublets and other mechanisms,
helping companies to get the best value for their
investments. Trough the New York City Economic
Development Corporation the City can also explore
its own real estate inventory for options that it can
provide to growing companies looking for fexible
space as they grow.
EXPLORING THE SHARING ECONOMY
As the sharing economy grows, companies that
encourage collaborative consumption of resources
such as cars, homes, retail products or services ofen
encounter regulatory constraints as they pioneer
new business categories. Similarly, City government
and other bodies have an obligation to uphold laws
and protect the safety and health of New Yorkers.
To help make New York City a welcoming environ-
ment for innovative startups but ensure the legality
of the economy and well-being of New Yorkers, the
City of New York can convene an advisory council
of sharing economy representatives and City ofcials
to help explore and shape a constructive path for
industry growth.
To fully realize the value of digital media, the City of
New York can build on its digital engagement strat-
egy by operationalizing insights gleaned from the
public. Trough a Citywide social media analytics
platform, the City can analyze public requests, gauge
feedback and potentially identify health and security
concerns before traditional reporting structures.
Social media analysis has especially high potential
for aiding disaster response and recovery initiatives
in emergency scenarios, by combining timestamp
and location data with content submited by users
including text, video and photos.
Industry
WE ARE MADE IN NY EXPANSION TO COLLEGE
CAMPUSES
Te We Are Made in NY economic development
initiative described in the Industry section strives
to help anyone learn, launch or fnd a job in the
technology sector. With this function in mind,
expanding awareness of the sectors growth and op-
portunities to college students will help to establish
New York City as a magnet for professional talent
and emerging entrepreneurs.
A campus expansion program can feature the dis-
tribution of We Are Made in NY digital and printed
materials to college groups dedicated to topics such
as entrepreneurship, technology, maker culture and
engineering, encouraging members to learn about
the sector and ask questions about life in New York
City. Te development of a New York City starter
kit for those unfamiliar with the City can help to
convey the vibrancy of the technology sector and
the culture of the Citys diverse neighborhoods, and
help to make a transition easier and more accessible.
In addition, on-campus and virtual talks from
prominent local entrepreneurs can help inspire
young students and graduates to explore a career in
New York Citys technology sector and help startups
atract talent to help their companies grow. Presen-
tations can range from Twiter chats and Skype or
Google+ video streams to in-person presentations to
clubs and career fairs.
As described in the Industry section, in 2013 the
City frst began its expansion of the We Are Made
in NY marketing campaign to college campuses. Fur-
ther visibility, customized by school and program,
can connect students to resources such as the We
Are Made in NY jobs map as they search for employ-
ment and internships.
Schools in the We Are Made in NY campus expan-
sion program can include local New York City
campuses as well national and international higher
learning institutions.
ENCOURAGING DIVERSITY THROUGH
INTERNSHIPS AND CUSTOM CAMPAIGNS
Building on the expansion of youth employment
programs to include more technology internships
and summer jobs, the City can work with local
companies to increase the number of women and
minorities in the sector. In the summer of 2013, the
City provided 300 paid summer roles in the technol-
ogy sector. Trough wider outreach to technology
frms and funders, the City of New York can signif-
cantly expand this pool of positions to encourage
more young people to enter the feld, gain valuable
experience in the technology sector and build a
network of professional contacts and mentors.
As introduced in Next Steps: Engagement, the City
of New York can also work collaboratively with
Digital Community Ambassadors to craf aware-
ness campaigns to atract more diverse students and
professionals to the technology sector. By featuring
local entrepreneurs and technologies that beneft
neighborhood businesses, the campaign can present
New York Citys technology sector in a more person-
alized, efective context. As part of a speaker series
featured at neighborhood events, recreation centers,
Workforce1 Career Centers, libraries and schools,
NYC.gov Digital
Roadmap Listening
Session at Queens
Tech Meetup in Long
Island City. Image
courtesy of Queens
Tech Meetup.
64 Te City of NewYork
`
Dear New Yorkers,
Tank you. Te phenomenal momentum of New York Citys technology
community and the innovative achievements recorded in the Roadmap are
the result of your hard work, passion and creativity.
Supported by the leadership of Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Commissioner
Katherine Oliver, together we have fulflled the plan laid out in 2011 to realize
our Citys digital potential.
We have connected 300,000 more low-income New Yorkers to the Internet and
introduced public Wi-Fi in 50 public parks. We have provided technology educa-
tion to more than one million residents and welcomed a pioneering engineering
campus from Cornell and Technion to Roosevelt Island. We have hosted the
frst government hackathons in the country and opened over 2,000 data sets and
APIs to the public. We have tripled our social media engagement with the public
and unveiled a nyc.gov website that sets a new bar for digital service. We have connected hundreds of diverse
youth to technology sector internships and launched the We Are Made in NY initiative helping anyone to learn,
launch a startup or fnd a job in technology.
And because we knowthat our digital future is deeply intertwined with that of our peers, we have collaborated
with other leading international cities through the Digital Cities Council launched earlier this year.
Tere is much to celebrate, thanks to the incredible vision of our entrepreneurs, determination of our students
and partnership of our Citys technologists. New York City is one of the most connected, engaged and informed
metropolises in the world, and our rapidly growing technology sector ranks second in the nation.
But even as we appreciate these milestones, it has never been more critical to invest our digital future. We have
made great strides, but there are still enormous opportunities, from expanded infrastructure and STEM educa-
tion to emergency digital tools and greater diversity in the sector. As outlined in this roadmap, it is crucial that
government continue to prioritize digital growth and pursue NewYork Citys innovative potential in partnership
with our thriving local technology community.
So New York City, thank you for your incredible achievements. We invite you to build on these gains and help
to further shape the bright digital future of this great city.
Rachel Haot
Chief Digital Ofcer
CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICER RACHEL HAOT
Chief Digital Ofcer Rachel Haot
New York City's Digital Leadership
2013 Roadmap
nyc.gov | @nycgov

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