Smart Dubai has announced that its training programme ‘Designing Cities’ – organised for Dubai’s Happiness Champions in Denmark in November 2018 – has resulted in more than 20 individual projects implemented in each entity, in addition to3 city-wide group projects that have helped increase happiness levels in Dubai and have enhanced people’s wellbeing.
The programme brought together 30 Happiness Champions from more than 25 government and semi-governmental entities in Dubai. Participants worked on projects and services that use technologies to meet the needs of Dubai’s residents and visitors, and that were designed to cater to everyone’s requirements, and enhance Dubai’s efforts to lead the world on happiness.
Smart Dubai’s Director General Her Excellency Dr Aisha Bint Butti Bin Bishr underlined the importance of education for the successful implementation of the Happiness Agenda, which will help ensure higher levels of happiness in the emirate, in line with the wise leadership’s vision to make Dubai the happiest city on earth.
“The training programmes we organised for Dubai’s Happiness Champions – first in Florida’s Disney Institute in 2017 and then in Denmark in 2018 – yielded incredibly positive results, allowing participants to explore best practices and services that help enhance experiences in the city,” H.E. Dr Aisha said. “The training programmes offered them an opportunity to develop their abilities to use scientific research, analyse people’s needs, and design sophisticated products and services that will help spread happiness among Dubai’s residents and visitors.”
“We are looking forward to organizing more training programmes for our Happiness Champions in the future,” Dr Aisha concluded, revealing that Smart Dubai is organizing a second Designing Cities training program to be held in Japan.
The Designing Cities training programme- Denmark, resulted in projects developed by three groups from various entities to enhance people’s experience in Dubai. The first project was the ‘Happiness Tunnel’ at Dubai Airport – Terminal 3 Arrivals, a number of Happiness Champions worked as one team on this project; Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, Dubai Airports, General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, Dubai Statistics Centre, Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment, Telecommunications Regulation Authority, Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority, and the Community Development Authority.
Happiness Champions formed a joint government team to improve the experience for travellers – nationals, residents, and visitors – at Dubai International Airport. The Happiness Tunnel seeks to improve airport services offered to customers by involving them in the design and development of the experience. Furthermore, the team surveyed passengers’ feedback, analysed the results, and built on them to identify opportunities for improvement.
The second group project, ‘The Art of Offering Services for a Customer Journey’, was implemented jointly by Happiness Champions in Etisalat, Dubai Courts, Financial Audit Authority, Dubai Police, and DP World. They used design thinking, and engaged the customers to enhance customer experience. Drawing inspiration from Danish success stories in service delivery, the group sought smart solutions that enable customers to avail services easily and seamlessly, spreading happiness among citizens and residents of the Emirate of Dubai. They also focused on employing innovation and technology in designing services for happier customers.
The third group project sought to enhance the experience at recruitment fairs. It was jointly worked by Happiness Champions from the Dubai Government Human Resources Department, Dubai Municipality, The Executive Council, Dubai Media Incorporated, Dubai Police, and the Dubai Knowledge and human development authority
The project seeks to increase jobseekers’ confidence in the employment fair, and ensure all entities benefit from it to fill vacancies with the best skills available in the labour market. The team engaged with high-school and university graduates, as well as working professionals looking to change their current employment, to identify their needs and use them in the development of the project.
Upon fulfilling all of the requirements of the Designing Cities training programme – Denmark, the participating Happiness Champions were awarded certificates from the Danish Design Centre and the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design, in collaboration with Smart Dubai, as a result, each Happiness Champions awarded the title ‘Happy Citizen Practitioner’.
The ‘Designing Cities’ programme revolves around three main components: Smart, Citizen, and Design. The programme provided Happiness Champions with tried-and-tested approaches to building flexible, innovative, effective teams within organisations, as well as a range of solutions for creating innovative services, tools, and technologies that promote happiness in the community, drawing inspiration from Danish expertise in the field.