Recent decades have seen impressive growth in all types of data exchanges between entities: governments, organizations, businesses, people, and things (via the Internet of Things). Technology, and the accompanying digitalization of information, has been the main driver behind this growth. At the same time, more than just technology is required for connectivity to be “smart”. It also requires the simplifying, streamlining, and standardizing of connections along three dimensions: infrastructure, knowledge management and collaboration.
The highest levels of smart connectivity are possible when processes are optimized in consultation with all relevant stakeholders and when electronic systems allow data automation based on clear semantic standards. Meanwhile, there are factors which prevent connectivity from becoming smarter, such as pre-existing legacy systems which may be costly to update; ignorance or lack of use of available semantic and syntax standards; processes not viewed from a facilitation perspective; or legislation and regulatory frameworks that do not always encourage cross-border cooperation.