Urban Data Management in Riyadh Region Municipality: A System Analysis and Design Case Study

Abstract

Urban data has become central to modern city management, driving smarter planning, efficient services, and sustainable growth. In Saudi Arabia, these trends align closely with Vision 2030, which places digital transformation and smart city development at the heart of national strategy. In this context, Riyadh, the capital and fastest-growing city, has expanded from a small town in 1932 to a metropolis of more than seven million people, generating vast flows of urban data. Riyadh Region Municipality carries the responsibility of managing this transformation, and its ability to sustain growth now depends on how effectively it can harness urban data to guide decisions and improve operations. Despite progress in external digital services, the Municipality’s internal data use remains fragmented and reactive, with departments relying on manual processes, siloed systems, and inconsistent reporting. To address these challenges, this study applies a systems analysis and design approach, mapping workflows with context-level and Level 1 data flow diagrams and examining governance structures through the Weill matrix. The analysis reveals critical gaps in data lifecycle management, integrated analytics, and real- time systems, as well as cultural resistance to new practices. By benchmarking international frameworks and global case studies, the study develops an adapted governance framework, supported by data flow models and a phased roadmap for reform. The findings and recommendations contribute new knowledge to the underexplored field of internal municipal data use in Saudi Arabia and offer practical strategies for embedding data as a strategic asset in cities undergoing rapid transformation.