Abstract:
Despite its popularity in urban studies, the smart city (SC) concept has not focused sufficient
attention on citizens’ quality of life (QoL) until relatively recently. The aim of this study is, therefore,
to examine the concept of QoL in SCs using a systematic review of 38 recent articles from 2020–2022.
This includes definitions and concepts, indicators and domains that are used to measure QoL, and the
typical research methods that are used to collect data. The review analyses some of the main themes
that emerge from the field of SCQoL which include smart urban governance, sustainability, smart
living, participation, and social inclusion. The findings from this SC and QoL research can help city
planners to prioritize which domains are the most important or meaningful for citizens and which
services to invest in. It has been suggested that smart living is the most important domain of a SC.
However, various studies have found that citizens experience SC initiatives holistically and that QoL
is quite dependent on context in terms of priorities. Therefore, citizen participation strategies should
be tailored and adapted to each respective context. SC governance also needs to be more long-term
and strategic with real evidence that citizens are involved in decision making and problem solving
and are not just passive recipients.
