Adults, seniors and children: Using maps in mixed group discussions in urban planning

Sidewalk Labs Controversy - Using Data for Design. Really??

Did you see this?

Its been all over the CBC this week.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/google-sidewalk-toronto-waterfront/article36612387/

I dont know a lot about the tracking of garbage, water and other utility systems, but I know a lot about tracking people in public spaces in order to design them better.

One big argument I hear on the radio is that these data will be invaluable to urban planners and architects across Canada.

I wish.


I am a believer in using data for design. Its what I do. Not by philosophical principle, but by NECESSITY. The data is coming, and by golly the designers better keep up!

I believe designers have got to step up, and become data experts. If you are a designer and you don't know what to do with data, get ready to be bulldozed by manufactures, technologists, and smartphone apps. Basically by those who stand to gain a profit, and who know how to use these data to do it. On the other hand - you COULD take a statistics course or two, and get with the program. :) Just sayin'.

There are a few points about this discussion I hear on the CBC that I think are being missed:

• People seem to forget that we are already being tracked. Everywhere. We are being tracked by our phones, in public spaces, in retail stores. etc etc etc. I am really not sure its such big a deal to be adding it to this Toronto suburb.
• In order to make powerful analysis we need a lot of data, and there needs to be some connection between these data - such as a user ID, in order for the data to be used for marketing or politics or other subversive manipulation. Urban data does not often include this. (although much of this data is being collected from our phones already - so its a moot point.) So while I think it needs to be regulated, its important to know particularly how the data can be linked to other data.
• Data has been used to manipulate us in subversive ways, NOT by finding our personal information - but by finding MANY many peoples information, that are all linked through personal ID - and then looking for patterns in that. One person's data isn't really all that powerful for finding generalizable patterns - or subversively manipulating populations. Likewise, it isn't particularly helpful to know how people use ONE park. We need to know how multiple parks are used to see patterns.
•  Actually for research purposes it is already ethically considered OK to collect data about people in public places as long as people are under the understanding that their behaviors can be seen (i.e. bathrooms are NOT OK. obvi), AND that the data being collected has no personal identifying features - i.e. faces. In other words the city or researchers could already be collecting this data. (They might be, but it is expensive to do and most designers don't know what to do with it once they've got it...on to my next point...)
• The other big issue is that these data are being claimed to be helpful to planners - but generally, designers, are a little stumped about how to use these. We have been collecting similar data for decades, and are still struggling with how to use it to really benefit society. (I'm not saying it can't be used for society's benefit - just no one really wants to admit, that they don't really understand HOW - yet)
• It is particularly useful to collect data from multiple similar places with the same design features with specific measurable benefits. Then we can see patterns. I am not sure the data collected in this one little suburb will be enough to make the kinds of claims they are making. Also, the questions being asked about human benefit are not easily tracked or answered, and we would actually need to figure out the questions BEFORE we start collecting, because we could be collecting ALL THE WRONG DATA! (Other PhD students - you know what I'm talking about!) 

Overall, research has made some conclusions in various published papers over the last decades, and made some headway in design but it is still a fairly periphery approach. Correlation doesn't mean causation, and it is difficult to measure real holistic benefits of urban planning such as public health or happiness. It is easier to use these data when money is involved - i.e. in retail - to find out what designs make people buy more - which is likely why it is getting funded and receiving so much attention.

BUT using data to create "better" urban designs? This, is not all that clear.

The main point is, planners and designers are not just sitting waiting for large data to answer all their design questions. Most have no idea what to do with this data, and the ones who do have already been  trying to use it, (with varied success) for decades.