The City of Casey embarked on an innovative project to optimise services and consolidate operations across three key community centres: the Cranbourne West Community Hub, the Eliston Community Centre, and the Orana Community Centre. By harnessing the power of IoT + AI, data analytics, and effective collaboration between the City of Casey teams and Minnovation, the project aimed to deliver substantial benefits to the community centres, enhancing their ability to cater to diverse user groups and elevate the overall experience for community members.

Overcoming Connectivity Challenges and IoT Infrastructure

One of the key challenges faced during the project was limited 4G/5G connectivity in newly developed estates surrounding the community centers. The City of Casey’s IT Team swiftly responded by finding an innovative solution: segmenting a portion of the fixed-line network to allocate it specifically for the IoT initiative. This allowed the implementation of a robust IoT infrastructure comprising AI-powered camera technology, AI Workplace Occupancy Sensors, and LoRaWAN gateways, which formed the backbone for secure and reliable data transmission.

Leveraging Data Analytics for Enhanced Services

The integration of IoT infrastructure with the AlphaX data analytics platform unlocked a wealth of insights and benefits for the community centers. The City of Casey teams collaborated closely with Minnovation to develop custom data analytics modules within AlphaX, tailored to the unique requirements of each community center. These modules provided real-time and historical data on foot traffic, occupancy levels, dwell times, and other metrics specific to user groups, enabling the teams to make data-driven decisions and optimise service planning and resource allocation.

Optimised Service Planning and Resource Allocation

The implementation of IoT infrastructure and data analytics had a transformative impact on service planning and resource allocation within the community centers. The AlphaX platform empowered the teams to proactively manage resources, anticipate peak hours, and optimize programming schedules to align with community needs. This resulted in streamlined operations, reduced wait times, and improved access to services, ultimately enhancing the overall user experience and engagement within the centers.

Collaborative Efforts and Positive Outcomes

The collaboration between the City of Casey teams and Minnovation played a pivotal role in the project’s success. The Citie’s Smart City team, along with the IT Team, provided visionary leadership and support, driving the implementation of the IoT infrastructure and data analytics initiatives. The expertise of Minnovation complemented the City of Casey’s efforts, ensuring seamless integration and effective utilisation of technology. The collaboration fostered innovation, knowledge exchange, and a shared commitment to delivering exceptional services.

Data-Driven Decision-Making and Continuous Improvement

The availability of comprehensive data analytics through AlphaX facilitated data-driven decision-making within the community centers. The teams could monitor occupancy trends, analyse dwell times, and gain insights into facility usage. This enabled them to continuously improve services, adapt programming schedules, and tailor resources to meet the evolving needs of the community. The culture of continuous improvement cultivated through data analytics resulted in a more responsive and user-centric approach.

Simplified Reporting Obligations

In addition to the significant improvements in service planning and resource allocation, the IoT and data analytics system implemented in the community centers brought about a welcome change in meeting reporting obligations. Previously, generating accurate reports on occupancy, usage metrics, and other relevant data required substantial manual effort and time-consuming data collection processes. However, with the AlphaX data analytics platform, the Community Hub teams were able to generate comprehensive reports seamlessly and efficiently. The platform automated the data aggregation and analysis, providing ready-to-use charts, graphs, and metrics that aligned with the reporting requirements. This streamlined reporting process relieved the teams from manual data compilation, allowing them to focus more on analyzing insights and making informed decisions.

Empowered by Insights, Innovating for the Community

The City of Casey’s investment in IoT infrastructure and data analytics, coupled with the collaboration between the City of Casey teams and Minnovation, has yielded remarkable outcomes for the community centers. The enhanced visibility, optimized resource allocation, and streamlined operations have empowered the teams to innovate and tailor their services to meet the unique needs of different user groups. By leveraging data-driven insights, the centers can proactively respond to changing community demands, introduce new programs, and continuously improve their offerings. This customer-centric approach has strengthened the role of the community centers as vibrant hubs, fostering social cohesion and enriching the lives of the residents within the City of Casey.

Conclusion

Through the successful implementation of IoT infrastructure, data analytics, and effective collaboration, the City of Casey has transformed its community centers into dynamic spaces that deliver exceptional services to its residents. Overcoming connectivity challenges, the City of Casey’s IT Team showcased their ingenuity by leveraging fixed-line network segmentation to facilitate data transmission. The collaboration with Minnovation ensured a seamless integration of technology and the development of tailored data analytics modules within the AlphaX platform. The positive outcomes achieved, including improved service planning, optimized resource allocation, simplified reporting obligations, and enhanced user experiences, highlight the City of Casey’s commitment to innovation, digital transformation, and their unwavering dedication to creating smart and thriving communities.

References

Orana Community Center
Eliston Community Center
Cranbourne West Community Hub