The initial Framework Strategy was developed from 2011 to 2013 in a process involving municipal policy-makers and administrators as well as external experts from the scientific and business communities and civil society. Vienna City Council adopted the Framework Strategy for the first time on 25 June 2014, making it the legally binding basis for Smart City Wien. But a Smart City always moves with the times and adapts to ongoing changes. The regional legislator therefore adopted a revised and updated version of the Framework Strategy, which came into force on 26 June 2019. The revised and updated version includes the following new features:

• “Digitalisation” and “Participation” have been incorporated as new thematic fields.
• The contents are based upon the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
• Each thematic field now unites all three headline goals, i.e. radical conservation of resources, high quality of life and social inclusion, alongside the focus on innovation and digitalisation as the key instruments for viable sustainable development.
• New subject areas such as adapting to the consequences of climate change, establishing a circular economy and reducing the material footprint have been integrated.
• Indicators and the underlying calculation methods have been refined and adjusted.
• The principles, methods and tools applied in the governance (management, coordination, implementation and monitoring) of the Framework Strategy have been reviewed and adjusted where necessary.