Abstract:

The qualities of smartness for smart cities offer a new perspective during the pandemic. The digital response of many countries in the face of the pandemic is believed to strengthen resilience in this context. This research will examine this technical-social impact on Saudi citizens by investigating their experiences using the official Saudi contact tracing app, Tawakkalna. Tawakkalna was initially developed to issue movement permits electronically during the curfew period. It has constantly evolved ever since to include more services, such as COVID-19 health status, until it becomes the official “health passport” for any citizen/resident to enter any organization or event, as of August 1, 2021. Nowadays, Tawakkalna has become the ideal ubiquitous technology that every single Saudi individual must have to enter any place or attend any event.

This research aims to explore users’ experiences with this tool and the role it plays to reshape and transform their day-to-day lives in a profound way. This research is a mixed-method case study, targeting Saudi citizens and residents who registered in Tawakkalna and have been using it as a movement permit for the last nine months. Investigating users’ experiences will help us gain a better understanding to explore the opportunities this tool brings to adapt and react to an unstable environment and overcome health crises in the future. This study will offer practical implications as to how these new innovative ubiquitous tools can facilitate citizens’ daily practices and can more quickly pave the way toward resilient smart cities.