City Knowledge

City Knowledge City Knowledge A Web-services ApproachA Web-services Approach

for the Emergence of Sustainable for the Emergence of Sustainable Municipal Spatial Infrastructures Municipal Spatial Infrastructures

MIT/WPI MIT/WPI

Fabio Fabio CarreraCarrera

Muenster, September 20, 2006Muenster, September 20, 2006

for thefor theBeyond SDI Workshop @ GIScienceBeyond SDI Workshop @ GIScience

Born in Venice, Italy Born in Venice, Italy BSEE and MSCS @ WPI BSEE and MSCS @ WPI PhD @ MITPhD @ MIT

Urban Information Systems and Urban Information Systems and Planning Planning

Teaching @ WPI and MITTeaching @ WPI and MIT Director of Venice and Boston Project Director of Venice and Boston Project

CentersCenters Founder and Director of City Lab (WPI)Founder and Director of City Lab (WPI)

LOUIS (Local Online Urban Information LOUIS (Local Online Urban Information System)System)

Planning Board in Spencer, MAPlanning Board in Spencer, MA Consultant to municipalitiesConsultant to municipalities

Forma Urbis sas and City Knowledge LLCForma Urbis sas and City Knowledge LLC

Biographical Biographical SketchSketchFabio CarreraFabio Carrera

SDIs in 2016 (MSDIs)SDIs in 2016 (MSDIs) City KnowledgeCity Knowledge The 6 ToolsThe 6 Tools Birth Certificates Birth Certificates Web-services and the “Long Web-services and the “Long

Tail” Tail”

Presentation Presentation OutlineOutline

Beyond SDIBeyond SDI

Municipal Spatial Data Infrastructures Municipal Spatial Data Infrastructures emergeemerge

Towns have “plan-ready” informationTowns have “plan-ready” information Municipalities stop hunting-and-gatheringMunicipalities stop hunting-and-gathering Information is instead farmedInformation is instead farmed Change is captured at the source (for Change is captured at the source (for

free)free) Open-source web-GIS dominateOpen-source web-GIS dominate New business models emergeNew business models emerge Web services are the currencyWeb services are the currency Profits come from “changers” and “users”Profits come from “changers” and “users” Private sector contributes fine-grained Private sector contributes fine-grained

datadata

SDIs in 2016SDIs in 2016A positive local scenarioA positive local scenario

SDI’s in 2016SDI’s in 2016 City KnowledgeCity Knowledge The 6 ToolsThe 6 Tools Birth Certificates Birth Certificates Web-services and the “Long Web-services and the “Long

Tail” Tail”



PromotesPromotes

the transformation of the transformation of

municipalitiesmunicipalities

from from hunter-gatherershunter-gatherers of urban of urban

data data

to to farmersfarmers of municipal information of municipal information

City KnowledgeCity Knowledge

Municipalities are the Municipalities are the locuslocus of change of change Cities = Structures + ActivitiesCities = Structures + Activities Reality = Backlog + Future ChangeReality = Backlog + Future Change Space Is the GlueSpace Is the Glue Middle-out = Top-down + Bottom-upMiddle-out = Top-down + Bottom-up Government only has 6 tools for Government only has 6 tools for

implementation and data collectionimplementation and data collection

The Premises of The Premises of CKCK

Municipalities are the Municipalities are the locuslocus of of changechange

Cities = Structures + ActivitiesCities = Structures + Activities Reality = Backlog + Future ChangeReality = Backlog + Future Change Space Is the GlueSpace Is the Glue Middle-out = Top-down + Bottom-upMiddle-out = Top-down + Bottom-up Government only has 5 (or so) tools for Government only has 5 (or so) tools for

implementationimplementation


Like politics, “all change is local”Like politics, “all change is local” Most change is filtered by municipalitiesMost change is filtered by municipalities by 2016:by 2016:

City departments implement information strategiesCity departments implement information strategies City knowledge is accumulated at a fine grainCity knowledge is accumulated at a fine grain Documentation becomes InformationDocumentation becomes Information Intra- and Inter-departmental sharing is commonplaceIntra- and Inter-departmental sharing is commonplace Regional patterns (SDI) emerge upon municipal Regional patterns (SDI) emerge upon municipal

foundationsfoundations

Municipalities are the Municipalities are the locuslocus of change of change Cities = Structures + ActivitiesCities = Structures + Activities Reality = Backlog + Future ChangeReality = Backlog + Future Change Space Is the GlueSpace Is the Glue Middle-out = Top-down + Bottom-upMiddle-out = Top-down + Bottom-up Government only has 5 (or so) tools for Government only has 5 (or so) tools for



“The Fundamental problem is to decide what the form of a human settlement consists of […]

[…] the chosen ground is the spatiotemporal distribution of human actions and the physical things which are the context of those actions […]”.

Lynch, Good City Form, p. 48

Structures are more permanentStructures are more permanent Structural change can be capturedStructural change can be captured

Activities are more dynamic and fickleActivities are more dynamic and fickle Activities can be frozen in time and space (snapshots)Activities can be frozen in time and space (snapshots)

by 2016:by 2016: Information about structures is routinely updatedInformation about structures is routinely updated Activities are “spatialized”Activities are “spatialized” Activities are periodically frozenActivities are periodically frozen




There is a lot of “reality” already out there…There is a lot of “reality” already out there… But the amount of information is finiteBut the amount of information is finite by 2016 the backlog is completely capturedby 2016 the backlog is completely captured

Urban change is rather slow so, by 2016Urban change is rather slow so, by 2016 all Structural change is captured at the sourceall Structural change is captured at the source snapshots of activities are creatively obtained snapshots of activities are creatively obtained

by 2016, municipal information is “farmed” by 2016, municipal information is “farmed” dailydaily




by 2016by 2016 Space plays a key role in municipal information Space plays a key role in municipal information

farmingfarming Addresses are no longer primary spatial identifiersAddresses are no longer primary spatial identifiers GIS means Geographic GIS means Geographic IndexingIndexing Systems Systems Space indexes our datasetsSpace indexes our datasets




Top-down is rigorous and structured…Top-down is rigorous and structured…… but is received as an “imposition” and resisted… but is received as an “imposition” and resisted

Bottom-up is passionate and self-interested…Bottom-up is passionate and self-interested…… but unstructured, unscalable and unsustainable… but unstructured, unscalable and unsustainable

by 2016by 2016 Pure top-down and bottom-up approaches disappearPure top-down and bottom-up approaches disappear Middle-out combines the positive traits of bothMiddle-out combines the positive traits of both

Municipalities are the Municipalities are the locuslocus of change of change Cities = Structures + ActivitiesCities = Structures + Activities Reality = Backlog + Future ChangeReality = Backlog + Future Change Space Is the GlueSpace Is the Glue Middle-out = Top-down + Bottom-upMiddle-out = Top-down + Bottom-up Government only has 6 tools for Government only has 6 tools for

implementation (and information implementation (and information gathering)gathering)


1.1. Ownership & OperationOwnership & Operation

2.2. RegulationRegulation

3.3. Incentives/DisincentivesIncentives/Disincentives

4.4. Education & InformationEducation & Information

5.5. RightsRights

6.6. Mitigation & CompensationMitigation & Compensation

by 2016by 2016 Municipalities consciously & creatively combine the 6 Municipalities consciously & creatively combine the 6

tools fortools for Information Farming Information Farming Policy/Plan ImplementationPolicy/Plan Implementation


Tail” Tail”



1.1. Ownership and OperationOwnership and Operation



4.4. Education and InformationEducation and Information

5.5. Right swappingRight swapping

6.6. Mitigation and CompensationMitigation and Compensation

6 Tools of Gov.’t6 Tools of Gov.’tapplied to Data Farming in 2016applied to Data Farming in 2016







by 2016, municipalitiesby 2016, municipalities Adopt internal mechanisms to farm THEIR OWN dataAdopt internal mechanisms to farm THEIR OWN data Emphasize Information in Standard Operating Emphasize Information in Standard Operating

ProceduresProcedures Extract Informational Returns from all internal Extract Informational Returns from all internal

processesprocesses Change “job descriptions” for personnel to include Change “job descriptions” for personnel to include

informationinformation Catch up with their own “backlog”Catch up with their own “backlog” Intercept all future internal change as it happensIntercept all future internal change as it happens

applied to Data Farming in 2016applied to Data Farming in 20166 Tools of Gov.’t6 Tools of Gov.’t







applied to Data Farming in 2016applied to Data Farming in 2016

by 2016, municipalitiesby 2016, municipalities Make informational Returns part of their regulationsMake informational Returns part of their regulations Force outside entities to provide information (for free)Force outside entities to provide information (for free) Change submission requirements (permits, plans…)Change submission requirements (permits, plans…) Modify maintenance and management contractsModify maintenance and management contracts Institute yearly renewals for data updatesInstitute yearly renewals for data updates Apply regulations to capture backlog as wellApply regulations to capture backlog as well Invent creative ways to acquire datasetsInvent creative ways to acquire datasets Become “validators” instead of “collectors”Become “validators” instead of “collectors”

6 Tools of Gov.’t6 Tools of Gov.’t







applied to Data Farmingapplied to Data Farming

by 2016, municipalitiesby 2016, municipalities Routinely entice outside entities into providing Routinely entice outside entities into providing

informationinformation Change submission fee structures (permits, plans…)Change submission fee structures (permits, plans…) Make “old ways” costly (disincentives)Make “old ways” costly (disincentives) Make it cheaper to do the right thing (incentives)Make it cheaper to do the right thing (incentives) Provide benefits for data updatesProvide benefits for data updates Invent bonuses for data backlogInvent bonuses for data backlog Reward and enforce collaborationReward and enforce collaboration Validate incoming dataValidate incoming data









by 2016, municipalitiesby 2016, municipalities Constantly educate citizens about the use of dataConstantly educate citizens about the use of data Are always transparent about motives for data Are always transparent about motives for data

collectioncollection Explore potential for volunteer citizen inputExplore potential for volunteer citizen input Incite “peer-production”Incite “peer-production” Make educational institutions partners in the processMake educational institutions partners in the process Acknowledge and Reward collaborationAcknowledge and Reward collaboration Include this aspect in ALL their initiativesInclude this aspect in ALL their initiatives








applied to Data Farming by 2016applied to Data Farming by 2016

Requires “real” creativity but is very powerfulRequires “real” creativity but is very powerful More useful for implementation, toMore useful for implementation, to

Trade-up “as-of” rights in exchange for desired Trade-up “as-of” rights in exchange for desired outcomesoutcomes

by 2016, municipalitiesby 2016, municipalities include informational returns any time rights are include informational returns any time rights are

renegotiatedrenegotiated increase “as-of” rights in exchange for dataincrease “as-of” rights in exchange for data









More useful for implementation, to…More useful for implementation, to… Mitigate negative consequences of initiativesMitigate negative consequences of initiatives Remove final obstacles to implementationRemove final obstacles to implementation

by 2016, municipalitiesby 2016, municipalities accumulate complaints and suggestions from affected accumulate complaints and suggestions from affected

partiesparties provide online tools for quantifying and logging provide online tools for quantifying and logging

problemsproblems


SDI’s in 2016SDI’s in 2016 City KnowledgeCity Knowledge The 6 ToolsThe 6 Tools Birth CertificatesBirth Certificates Web-services and the “Long Web-services and the “Long

Tail” Tail”



Birth CertificatesBirth Certificates

Municipalities treat their assets as newborn Municipalities treat their assets as newborn babiesbabies

Municipalities identify “parent” dept’sMunicipalities identify “parent” dept’s Dept’s produce a “birth certificate” for each Dept’s produce a “birth certificate” for each

asset asset Parent dept. assigns “name” (and code)Parent dept. assigns “name” (and code) Death and Adoption certificates are treated Death and Adoption certificates are treated

similarlysimilarly

Other dept’s refer to assets by their given Other dept’s refer to assets by their given namename

A municipal spatial data infrastructure A municipal spatial data infrastructure emergesemerges

by 2016…by 2016…


Tail”Tail”



Web-servicesWeb-services Open-source web-GIS will dominateOpen-source web-GIS will dominate

Light clients or AJAX apps replace standalone appsLight clients or AJAX apps replace standalone apps Systems are upgraded regularly on serverSystems are upgraded regularly on server

Municipalities get data and applications for Municipalities get data and applications for freefree

Web services are source of “real” profitsWeb services are source of “real” profits Dept’s mash-up web-services to suit needsDept’s mash-up web-services to suit needs

Metadata is reliably availableMetadata is reliably available Web 2.0 techniques are commonplaceWeb 2.0 techniques are commonplace

FolksonomiesFolksonomies Reputation Management, etc.Reputation Management, etc.

Urban Information Systems exploit the Long Urban Information Systems exploit the Long TailTail

by 2016…by 2016…

The Long TailThe Long Tailin Municipal Spatial Data Infrastructuresin Municipal Spatial Data Infrastructures

Size of CitiesSize of Cities

Large Large CitiesCities

Small Small CitiesCities

The total population that lives in small and medium cities is at least as big as that in megacities. Small towns (“tail”) represent a huge market opportunity.

ANY TOWNANY TOWN

The Long TailThe Long TailChange managed by various Change managed by various

DepartmentsDepartments

Planning, Buildings, Planning, Buildings, DPWDPW

Other Other DepartmentsDepartments

The Long Tail is Fractal.

within a Municipal Spatial Data within a Municipal Spatial Data InfrastructureInfrastructure

Target main Target main departmentsdepartmentsANY DEPARTMENTANY DEPARTMENT

The Long Tail is Fractal. Starting with the “head” makes sense here, though all departments will eventually adopt the CK approach leading to MSDI.

The Long TailThe Long TailAmount of Change by different Amount of Change by different

“agents”“agents”

specific developers, specific developers, contractors, staffcontractors, staff

Other agentsOther agents

Again, the “head” will yield instant benefits, although the change generated by agents in the tail may be quantitatively just as large. Target all agents eventually

major agentsmajor agents

within a Department in the MSDIwithin a Department in the MSDI

ANY AGENTANY AGENT

The Long TailThe Long TailChange produced via various Change produced via various

processesprocesses

subdivision subdivision approvals, approvals,

construction construction permits, contractspermits, contracts

Other ProcessesOther Processes

Processes in the head are major vehicles of change. Minor processes in the tail still add up to major change. Eventually all processes will be addressed.

produced by agents of change in an MSDIproduced by agents of change in an MSDI

Low-hanging Low-hanging fruitsfruits

ANY PROCESSANY PROCESS

The Long TailThe Long TailChange produced over time Change produced over time

BACKLOGBACKLOG

Future Future ChangeChange

The backlog may be huge but it is finite and worth catching up with. Focusing on the long tail of future piecemeal change will close the loop forever.

of processes within an MSDIof processes within an MSDI

Municipal Spatial Data Infrastructures Municipal Spatial Data Infrastructures flourishflourish

Departments farm their “data plots”Departments farm their “data plots” The 6 tools make data farming The 6 tools make data farming

perpetual/freeperpetual/free Fine-grain is achieved routinelyFine-grain is achieved routinely Backlog is completely captured Backlog is completely captured Change is intercepted as it happensChange is intercepted as it happens Technologies automate/facilitate data Technologies automate/facilitate data

collectioncollection Web-services enable intra-/inter-dept. Web-services enable intra-/inter-dept.

sharingsharing Information is treated like an infrastructureInformation is treated like an infrastructure

Beyond MSDI -> Beyond MSDI -> SDISDI

… … and it’s really going to happen!and it’s really going to happen!

by 2016…by 2016…

Fabio CarreraFabio [email protected]@wpi.edu

http://www.wpi.edu/~carrerahttp://www.wpi.edu/~carrera

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