Managing urban infrastructure assets in the digital era: challenges of municipal digital transformation

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to frame digital transformation (DT) within municipalities to improve the life cycles of urban infrastructure. Design/methodology/approach: The study provides the results from a systematic review of the literature on concepts of DT and its implications for municipalities, barriers and challenges to DT, as well existing DT frameworks for municipalities and their built assets. This literature review leads to the development of a DT framework to help cities conduct a planned and federated DT beforehand. Then, workshops are conducted with two major Canadian municipalities. Findings: The results of these studies point to the need for a dedicated DT framework for municipalities because of their particular context and their role and proximity to citizens. The theoretical framework develops 22 elements, which are divided among 6 categories. Through its application, the framework helps to identify and target the predominant issues hindering the DT of municipalities, specifically “legacy practices” and “data management.” Research limitations/implications: Limitations include limited experimental conditions and small sample size. Further work is needed to validate the framework. Other approaches are advocated to complement the data collection and analysis to generate more convincing results. Practical implications: The theoretical framework was validated through two case studies on two large Canadian municipalities. Social implications: Municipalities maximize the value they provide to citizens and to be at the forefront of resilience and sustainability concerns. The use of technology, digital processes and initiatives helps cities to improve planning, optimize works and provide better services to citizens. Originality/value: The framework is original in that it specifically aligns assets management with DT in a municipal context.