By applying the Foucauldian “governmentality” framework (Foucault, 2009), and its bio-political implications (Foucault, 2008), and following an interpretivist approach, this paper aims at exploring how municipalities drive smart city programs in the pursuit of governmentality goals spanning from efficiency to societal impacts.

We contend that cities striving for smart development engage in programs trying to direct or reorient practices towards desired aims, by adopting various tools (technologies of government) and involving a plurality of actors (governmental experts).

By conducting a longitudinal case study with interventionist elements with reference to the City of Helsinki, we have addressed both the benefits and criticalities faced in Helsinki’s programs introducing new performance measurement systems as a technology of government. Our findings show that such technologies of government are useful, but also problematic tools, especially considering the fragmentation in inter- and intra-departmental operations characterizing smart cities and related forms of resistance.