Presentation Transcript

1. Johnny Hazboun, Harvard Kennedy School, MC MPA Exercise #1: Case Studies in Sensing and Data Collection Real-Time Cities: an Introduction to Urban Cybernetics Harvard Design School: SCI 0646900 Spring 2014
2. Narrative Title 1 | Vacant NYC 2 |Betaville 3 ] Food Security in the U.S. 4 | Carbon neural volcano 5 |NYC Soil Survey
3. 1 | Vacant NYC In a DIY response to a combination of homelessness, vacant properties that could be leveraged to ease that homelessness, and what they feel is a municipal disinterest in both, New York-based group Picture the Homeless, inspired by crisis-mapping outfit Ushahidi, are using crowdsource mapping to identify vacant property and lots in that city. https://vacantnyc.crowdmap.com/main
4. 1 | Vacant NYC How was the data collected? PTH is using Crowdmap, Ushahidi's non-technical user-friendly version of their crowdsourced program. People report vacancy lots By sending a message to 9174123064; By using an app of iPhone/Android; By sending an email: sam@picturethehomeless.org; By sending a tweet with the hashtag/s: ##housingnotwarehousing#@pthny Why was the data collected? What is interesting about the data? In a DIY response to a combination of homelessness, the data is collected to identify vacant property and lots in that city. What stories about the urban dynamics can the collected data tell? To prove that vacant property is still a huge problem in this city, and that a census of these buildings and lots can be accomplished without breaking the bank, PTH are turning this project over to the public. It let public notice property going to waste in the neighborhoods where they live and work and play. What sort of questions about urban dynamics can be answered by looking at the data? The fact about the real estate of that city. How is the magnitude of the data is dealt with; limiting the collected data, limiting the dimensions in the data set, or abstracting the data? Location; the number of vacancies reported in a lot .
5. 1 | reCAPTCHA How are particular patterns highlighted through techniques for tagging the data in order of their importance? Location; the number of vacancies reported in a lot . How does the original question to be addressed operate as the benchmark for eliminating unnecessary details in the data? The original question is where a vacant property is. Is the data of a static or dynamic nature? If dynamic, what is the frequency of change and what happens when it starts to change? The data is dynamic. It needs to be verified through the process. Who is the target audience of the data presentation? People report vacancy lots By sending a message to 9174123064; By using an app of iPhone/Android; By sending an email: sam@picturethehomeless.org; By sending a tweet with the hashtag/s: ##housingnotwarehousing#@pthny What are their goals when approaching the data presentation? What do they stand to learn? To prove that there is enough property going to waste to make a real difference in the NYC housing market. Not just for homeless people. For everyone. When all those empty units come back online, the overall cost of housing in New York City will drop.
6. 2 |Betaville Betaville is an open-source multiplayer environment for real cities, in which ideas for new works of public art, architecture, urban design, and development can be shared, discussed, tweaked, and brought to maturity in context, and with the kind of broad participation people take for granted in open source software development. http://betaville.net/
7. 2 |Betaville How was the data collected? By online submission Why was the data collected? What is interesting about the data? Skills developed (and the associated hardware and infrastructure) through things like online games and trip planning during leisure time as entertainment can be leveraged as skills for creative expression and social empowerment of the students and their own communities, embedded in and serving local issues and desires. What stories about the urban dynamics can the collected data tell? The future of a street corner, a blank wall, a vacant lot, or an entire city can now be tinkered with on an ongoing basis at negligible cost by the full spectrum of subject matter experts: the people who know what it's like to live there now, the people who know how to make new things happen... and people with great ideas to share, anywhere in the world, whenever they can and care to. What sort of questions about urban dynamics can be answered by looking at the data? Possibility of a project and people’s interest in it. How is the magnitude of the data is dealt with; limiting the collected data, limiting the dimensions in the data set, or abstracting the data? Location, name, creation time, comments
8. 2 |Betaville How are particular patterns highlighted through techniques for tagging the data in order of their importance? Location and its digital model How does the original question to be addressed operate as the benchmark for eliminating unnecessary details in the data? Is the data of a static or dynamic nature? If dynamic, what is the frequency of change and what happens when it starts to change? Dynamic. It changes as fast as the contribution of models expressing ideas on a certain future project Who is the target audience of the data presentation? The Betaville platform is designed to be deployable by individuals, small groups (say, a project class or a neighborhood association), all the way up to professional design firms and planning offices of major cities What are their goals when approaching the data presentation? What do they stand to learn? In essence, we set out to create an effective platform for the parts of the design and planning process where it has become practical for broad participation and engagement to be most effective: as a matter of course and in a spirit of creative collaboration in the times between and before the formal/professional/really expensive design development process kicks in.
9. 3 | Food Security in the U.S. ERS plays a leading role in Federal research on food security and food security measurement in U.S. households and communities and provides data access and technical support to social science scholars to facilitate their research on food security. ERS research focuses on: food security in U.S. households, food security's impact on the well-being of children, adults, families, and communities, and food security's relationship to public policies, public assistance programs, and the economy.  Project Video: http://www.ers.usda.gov/
10. 3 | Food Security in the U.S How was the data collected? Through survey. ERS (Economic Research Service) plays a leading role in Federal research on food security and food security measurement in U.S. households and communities and provides data access and technical support to social science scholars to facilitate their research on food security Why was the data collected? What is interesting about the data? Food security means access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life. What stories about the urban dynamics can the collected data tell? Whether certain group of people have enough food for an active, healthy life What sort of questions about urban dynamics can be answered by looking at the data? The necessity of governmental measure and personal donation. How is the magnitude of the data is dealt with; limiting the collected data, limiting the dimensions in the data set, or abstracting the data? Answer… …
11. 3 | Food Security in the U.S How are particular patterns highlighted through techniques for tagging the data in order of their importance?  Frequency of food insecurity during the year  Prevalence of food insecurity and very low food security, by reference period Frequency of food insecurity during a 5-year period How does the original question to be addressed operate as the benchmark for eliminating unnecessary details in the data? 1. "We worried whether our food would run out before we got money to buy more." Was that often, sometimes, or never true for you in the last 12 months? For most reporting purposes, USDA describes households with high or marginal food security as food secure and those with low or very low food security as food insecure. Is the data of a static or dynamic nature? If dynamic, what is the frequency of change and what happens when it starts to change? The data for a certain period is static Who is the target audience of the data presentation? To social science scholars. But also common U.S. households and communities What are their goals when approaching the data presentation? What do they stand to learn? Answer… …
12. 4 | Carbon Neutral Volcano Providing you with the resources you need to map my trail, including a GPS for hiking, a pedometer, hiking trails, hiking maps and a count of the hiking miles . Project Web: http://www.mapmyhike.com/us/boston-ma/
13. 4 | Carbon Neutral Volcano How was the data collected? By hikers who map out their hiking routes and share them online Why was the data collected? What is interesting about the data? To inform the popularity, difficulty or points of interest of hiking routes in a city region. What stories about the urban dynamics can the collected data tell? The environmental quality and tourists popularity of a city What sort of questions about urban dynamics can be answered by looking at the data? Which route is interesting or agreeable to hike along. How is the magnitude of the data is dealt with; limiting the collected data, limiting the dimensions in the data set, or abstracting the data? Answer… …
14. 4 | Carbon Neutral Volcano How are particular patterns highlighted through techniques for tagging the data in order of their importance? distance, elevation, time of creation, climb details such as rating start/end points , length start/end elevation , avg grade. How does the original question to be addressed operate as the benchmark for eliminating unnecessary details in the data? distance, elevation, time of creation, climb details such as rating start/end points , length start/end elevation , avg grade. . Is the data of a static or dynamic nature? If dynamic, what is the frequency of change and what happens when it starts to change? Data is dynamic as the rating and recommendation would vary with weather and preference. Who is the target audience of the data presentation? Hikers What are their goals when approaching the data presentation? What do they stand to learn? To inform decision making and preparation for a hiking journey
15. 5| NYC Soil Survey The NYC Soil Survey is a pioneering study of urban soils, spanning a citywide reconnaissance soil map, a series of intensive soil surveys and special research projects. Study results are distributed via reports to the public, decision-makers and environmental managers. The survey is a cooperative effort of the US Dept. of Agriculture –Natural Resources Conservation Service, Cornell University and the District. Project Video: http://www.nycswcd.net/soil_survey.cfm
16. 5 |NYC Soil Survey How was the data collected? The NYC Soil Survey is a pioneering study of urban soils, spanning a citywide reconnaissance soil map, a series of intensive soil surveys and special research projects. Why was the data collected? What is interesting about the data? To preserve soil resource, water quality through preventing soil erosion and sediment damage. What stories about the urban dynamics can the collected data tell? It can inform the land-use and vegetation planning in the city. What sort of questions about urban dynamics can be answered by looking at the data? For example, in the intensive survey of the Bronx River Watershed in Bronx County,in addition to comprehensive soil and land mapping of the area, the BRW survey manuscript provides tabulated soil physical and chemical property data, detailed land use interpretation data, and contains information regarding the ongoing BRW infiltration study. How is the magnitude of the data is dealt with; limiting the collected data, limiting the dimensions in the data set, or abstracting the data? For example,  in the intensive survey of the Bronx River Watershed in Bronx County ,the scale of this map is 1:6,000, and the minimum size delineation is 0.15 acres. The map is composed of 89 soil map units, comprised of 9 anthropogenic and 15 natural soil series.
17. 5 |NYC Soil Survey How are particular patterns highlighted through techniques for tagging the data in order of their importance? For example,  in the intensive survey of the Bronx River Watershed in Bronx County , the scale of this map is 1:6,000, and the minimum size delineation is 0.15 acres. The map is composed of 89 soil map units, comprised of 9 anthropogenic and 15 natural soil series. How does the original question to be addressed operate as the benchmark for eliminating unnecessary details in the data? It has something to do with soil categorization related to certain purpose. Is the data of a static or dynamic nature? If dynamic, what is the frequency of change and what happens when it starts to change? Dynamic. Who is the target audience of the data presentation? Study results are distributed via reports to the public, decision-makers and environmental managers. What are their goals when approaching the data presentation? What do they stand to learn? To inform decision making in the land-use and vegetation planning in the city.