The Role of Data in Redesigning a City Framing Paper

THE ROLE OF DATA IN REDESIGNING A CITY: 

LESSONS FROM DETROIT

2:00–4:15 – Wednesday afternoon

It is hard to find a challenge that commands higher visibility in America’s urban agenda in this decade than the revitalization of Detroit.  The problems are monumental, yet a bold Mayor and the convergence of some of the best talents in the field have created an atmosphere of some hope, and certainly excitement.  For NNIP, it could hardly be more relevant, since virtually all of the key actors are saying that they see the use of data as central to their work. 

The concept of “right-sizing” is being seriously considered.  Experience on using indicators as a basis for accomplishing that in Detroit should offer lessons for matching strategies to differing types of neighborhoods, even in cities whose circumstances are quite different from Detroit’s.

For our Wednesday session, Kurt Metzger, Director of Data Driven Detroit, has assembled arguably the four most important leaders of the change initiatives now underway in the City to talk with us about their work, the ways they are using data to further their objectives and what they think the lessons are likely to be for other cities.