Six questions to our creative Content-Creator
As part of the communications team, Ricarda is responsible for the content and further development of the Square smart city web portal. She produces new articles with much, much care: As one of the team’s major interfaces, she often consults with the consultants on DKSR’s various current projects. In her sharpness of vision for the relevant topics, she is quickly beaten by no one!
Ricarda Becher
What attracted you to start working as a student trainee in the field of Smart City?
During my studies, I repeatedly came into contact with the topic of big data and found it very exciting. In particular, I’m fascinated by the aspect of how technological developments can be used for the positive or negative. If smart city projects are approached with the right strategic approach, a focus on the needs of citizens and open standards for data and applications, they can create a major positive impact. Being part of that motivates me!
Can you use parts of your work for your studies – and vice versa?
Absolutely! The topic of smart cities appealed to me so much that it is now part of my master’s thesis, in which I am looking at political participation in the context of smart city measures. Conversely, I think that the critical examination of Big Data has sharpened my eye for less positive or only supposedly progressive aspects of various technologies.
You actually come from a political communications background – was Smart City completely new territory for you?
In practice, yes, but there were a few theoretical points of contact – and some interest. Political communication is a huge cross-cutting topic and connects to almost all the issues that concern a society. That’s why I find it exciting to observe what political communication looks like in relation to smart cities.
Who at DKSR would you like to swap jobs with for a day?
With one of our consultants: to experience what it’s like to accompany a project from start to finish, to plan, organize and see the results.
What do you look forward to on days when you are working? And what do you look forward to on weekends?
Especially on days when I am in the office, I look forward to the exchange with my colleagues. Otherwise, I always look forward to new tasks. On weekends, I like to sleep in and spend time outside and with friends.
What has been your greatest insight from your job at DKSR so far?
In terms of content: The digital transformation in Germany is definitely a long-term and complex project. Particularly in the interaction between business and the public sector, not all processes work according to the same logics – that can be an exciting challenge, but also a bit frustrating at times. Personal: How well I am able to understand IT infrastructures, especially when someone explains them to me well.