Method Guide: Analyzing

ACTIVATING ANALYZING INFORMING MAKING MAPPING STORYTELLING

METHOD GUIDE

WHAT IS ANALYZING? Analyzing can range from advanced GIS analysis to local, on-theground data collection by community groups. Understanding current data related to a issue or place you seek to address will enable you to determine and clearly communicate your impact.

During the life of a project, checking those indicators you want to change will keep your project on track. Thorough analysis can help define a successful project and ongoing data collection can reveal important new information and create a greater impact.

INFORMING BUILDS KNOWLEDGE

ANALYZING PRINCIPLES • Supports decision-making and the increased impact of outcomes • Relies on accurate, current, and accessible data or the ability of users to create data to fit their needs • Quantitative is not the only kind of data that can be analyzed. Qualitative information,like stories, are a good source of data to analyze

Analyzing takes quantitative and qualitative data available from a variety of sources and uses it to answer key questions about a project. Data is collected and its usefulness is determined, questions and analysis method are determined, and results are generated. This process can help to define the scope or location of a project or it can be used to evaluate the outcomes of the project.

ENERGY VISUAL HOME POWER

Power Plus was an energy assessment tool that collected, analyzed and visualized the energy use of four recently renovated homes on Congo Street in Dallas; encouraging homeowners to make small behavioral changes to reduce the monthly cost of their energy use.

BUILDING HOUSING MARKET EQUITY

The Annual Housing Report analyzes mortgage, real estate, building, and demographic data to understand how changes in the housing market impact neighborhood affordability and social equity in Dallas.

TRANSPORT GAPS CONNECT SYSTEM

RGV Transport analyzed transportation systems to identify connectivity gaps between low income areas and available transportation routes. In the process, the project identified high-impact, small scale Using community engagement and GIS analysis to optimize future green projects to improve the transit system.

Power Plus tool prototype

Our “Triple Bottom Line” Strategy asset investments based on economic, social, and ecological objectives

CONTROL RESEARCH SEGREGATE PARKS

Race and the Control of Public Parks analyzed 100 years of demographic data and historical sources to identify the relationship between segregation and Dallas’ parks.

DATA DRIVEN DECISION MAKING

Smart Growth for Dallas collects and analyzes social, economic, and environmental data to create a data-driven decision making process to influence future park development and green infrastructure creation.

ACTIVATING

ANALYZING

INFORMING

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Community engagement

GIS Analysis

MAPPING

Identify highpriority parcels

Social Objectives

Ecological Objectives

Economic Objectives

Interactive decision support tool

Smart Growth for Dallas process diagram

STORYTELLING

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HOW IS ANALYZING DONE? DATA DRIVEN DECISION MAKING Through the Data Driven Decision Making (D3) Institute [bc] works with a variety of organizations for whom analysis will help drive high-impact outcomes. From food security, to identifying transportation routes and ease of access to services, D3 provides direction and data that can be used for program implementation and strategic planning.

ANSWERING STRATEGIC QUESTIONS • Provides data analysis for a wide range of clients.

• Identifies specific question for analysis and data needs to answer questions

• Builds a data library and analysis on a diverse set of issues and geographies

Analysis of adult education levels for a D3 report

COMMUNITY AUDITED PUBLIC SPACE Community Audited Public Space (CAPS) creates a process that empowers neighborhoods to collect data and analyze the public realm in their communities. CAPS activities promote public understanding of data, encourage knowledge and ownership of the public realm, and improve a community’s ability to advocate for positive investment and change.

NEIGHBORHOOD GENERATED DATA

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• Improves public knowledge and understanding of which

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public spaces are or are not productive within the city

• Increases effectiveness of community based advocacy using data and analytics

• Emphasizes neighborhood creation of data

10th Street Sweep CAPS event

EQUITY AND DRAINAGE [bc] worked with the Texas Water Development Board to analyze the flooding and drainage challenges affecting communities in Hidalgo, Cameron, and Willacy Counties. We analyzed data generated through community engagement and compared it to official flood maps, broadening and verifying existing local knowledge about flooding issues, helping to prioritize needs for action.

PRIORITIZE NEEDS FOR ACTION • Builds local knowledge through community engagement • Influences large scale systems analysis and policy • Identifies challenges of local issues and data creations across a wide area

Learning about flooding issues in the LRGV

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ANALYZING

INFORMING

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STORYTELLING

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AIM FOR DALLAS As Dallas continues to see new investment and new housing opportunities, it is critical that affordable options remain available or are created throughout the city and that the local development community has the capacity to deliver those options. Affordable Infill Model for Dallas (AIM) brings together experts on the four main components of providing affordable housing: homebuyer preparedness, development, policy, and finance to analyzing the challenges currently inhibiting affordable infill housing production.

AIM for Dallas working group sessions

THE HOUSING REPORT PROCESS IDENTIFYING AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS THROUGH ENGAGEMENT

housing studies, policy reports, & media raised concerns on affordable housing in Dallas

This analysis identified the need for targeted, coordinated neighborhood investments to ensure the most efficient outcomes. The long-term outcome will be a set of solutions that guides Dallas toward a new market-based model for the creation of affordable infill housing. One product of this work is the State of Housing report for Dallas that will yearly update stakeholders and community members on housing trends.

KEY CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS

key research questions were created by identifying priorities through earlier engagements

ANALYZING & VISUALIZING DATA

State of Dallas Housing Report was created analyzing census data, mortgages, home sales, & building permits analysis conducted was presented using maps & graphics to supports the research

SUITABILITY ANALYSIS

identifying examples of sites & neighborhoods that are most suitable for accomplishing Affordable Infill Model

DRAWING CONCLUSIONS & SHARING CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES informing by sharing research with home buyers, policy makers & housing advocates

hoping to influence policy makers in decision making & correct unequal access to mortgage

Affordable Housing suitability analysis

ACTIVATING

ANALYZING

INFORMING

MAKING

MAPPING

STORYTELLING

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WHY IS ANALYZING IMPORTANT? Analyzing prioritizes the use of data to answer important questions. Access to reliable, intelligible, and current data can build partnerships, and support an informed decision-making process, and results in positive change for all. This process must be rigorous and follow a clear process to achieve reliable results.

Depending on the scale of the analysis, analyzing can be a project in itself or a small piece that supports a larger initiative.

Regardless of its scale, analysis it is a vital step. Most projects start and end with analysis, leading to a well rounded and well documented result.

WHY SHOULD YOU ANALYZE? All projects, regardless of scale or outcome, should undergo some form of analysis. Analysis can serve many functions; in the beginning of a project it can help to define a problem, set an agenda and define an outcome; in the middle of a project it can guide strategic decisions; and on completion of a project it can measure success. As a stand alone process, analysis can reveal important insights and help to shape decision making.

WHAT ARE THE OUTCOMES? Going through a process of analysis leads to new insights and stronger projects. It adds credibility to advocacy efforts around issues that need to be addressed, verifies or contradicts assumptions around causes, and is important in communicating the results of design efforts in making social, economic, and environmental impacts. Neighborhoods and designers can utilize data and stories told by residents and constituents to address actual needs.

Community member identifying flooding issues that affect them

The buildingcommunityWORKSHOP is a Texas based nonprofit community design center seeking to improve the livability and viability of communities through the practice of thoughtful design and making. We enrich the lives of citizens by bringing design thinking to areas of our cities where resources are most scarce.

To do so, [bc] recognizes that it must first understand the social, economic, and environmental issues facing a community before beginning work.

DR2 neighborhood analysis and design workshop

Thank you to all of our partners and the funders of the projects detailed in this guide. Most importantly, to all of our neighborhood partners, community members, and volunteers who make this work possible, we could not have done any of it without you.

ACTIVATING ANALYZING INFORMING MAKING MAPPING STORYTELLING

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