2023-24 CivicLab Annual Report

CivicLab was launched in September 2019 to support citywide collaboration and datainformed decision-making. This focus on data and innovation fosters efficient resident services and encourages residents to use our data to increase their understanding of our city government.

Over the past 18 months, CivicLab has expanded the data available in the city’s Open Data Portal, undertaken analyses of complex city data to include public safety, personnel vacancy and leave data, and led a resident and employee survey. In addition, CivicLab helped staff use data for innovation. In the months ahead, CivicLab will partner with the Department of Information Technology and a citywide team of data experts to leverage the incredible opportunities that Artificial Intelligence presents.

possible without the strong support of the City Manager’s Office and the other teams in the Department of Budget & Strategic Planning.

CivicLab provides assistance in surveys, data analytics, process improvement, and data research for policy and service issues. This work helps all our employees provide better services and information to our residents. We, in turn, welcome support of our many projects as we delve into data, analytics, and innovation.

Our talented CivicLab staff achieve this work through the support of Team Norfolk. City employees support data work through the city Data Leadership Committee and participation in the Data Certification Program and Data Champions. They support innovation through Agile training and implementing Agile processes in their workplace. Our work would not be

We are particularly proud to have made data more accessible to our residents through community presentations and development of dashboards and data visualizations which aid with understanding of data sets. With help from our Communications Department, we have increased public communication about data.

We invite you to read what we have accomplished and join us in the exciting work before us in the coming year.

Pete Buryk Director of Budget and Strategic Planning

CivicLab Norfolk Team

Betty Meyer, Ph.D. Interim CivicLab Director

Natasha Singh-Miller, Ph.D. Data Scientist

Carl Larsen Program Manager

Alan Boring Project Manager

Caylin Sawyer Management Analyst

Matthew Konopka Data Analyst

Anthony-Izek Montebon Data Analyst

Jay Spare Data Analyst

Timothy Werner Data Analyst

Timeline of CivicLab

2016-2017: Committing to a Data-Informed Culture

2018-2019: Action for Agile Solutions

2020-2021: Implementing Change

2022-2023: Sustaining Data-Informed Culture

City leadership committed to making Norfolk a city informed, led and inspired by data

ΠWhat Works Cities designation achieved

ΠOpen Data policy adopted by City Council

ΠAgile Team Norfolk established

Foundation built to adopt and use data and embrace transparency citywide

ΠTeams established (Data Leadership Committee & Data Champions)

ΠOpen Data Portal launched

ΠCivicLab launched

Continued focus on resident engagement and program outcomes

ΠProgram catalog developed

ΠPerformance measures launched

ΠEmphasis on publishing data stories for datasets in Open Data Portal

ΠAgile stories published on webpage to encourage focus on improvement

ΠWhat Works Cities Silver Certification achieved

Build a sustained citywide culture of data utilization to improve results

ΠResident Survey analysis

ΠEmployee Survey analysis

ΠHampton Roads Datathon established

ΠData Strategic Plan operationalized

ΠArt of Data event hosted

ΠData analytic and governance capacity increased

ΠData governance guide published

ΠData inventory finalized

CivicLab Norfolk Mission

CivicLab is a division of the Department of Budget and Strategic Planning that uses data science, process improvement , and transparency to create a culture of innovation and efficient public services.

Data Science

CivicLab provides data analysis to identify patterns and develop insights.

DATA ANALYTICS PROJECTS

In the quest for a more insightful understanding of Norfolk’s evolving landscape, CivicLab stands as a beacon of datadriven analysis. At the intersection of city leadership and the community’s needs, CivicLab’s initiatives delve deep into diverse issues, offering comprehensive data analytics to uncover patterns and foster informed decision-making.

Project Highlights

Underground Storage Tanks

Offering historical records through a mapping dashboard, CivicLab aided property owners and environmental analysts in navigating underground storage tank information, a critical aspect of Norfolk’s century-old infrastructure.

Police Staffing Prediction

In collaboration with the Norfolk Police Department, CivicLab developed a predictive model to anticipate staffing needs, crucial in strategizing recruitment, training, and retention efforts.

Short Term Rentals

Addressing the surge in short-term rentals, CivicLab provided transparent mapping tools, facilitating policy decisions, and enhancing public awareness of rental locations.

Hampton Blvd. Traffic Study

Responding to safety concerns along the bustling Hampton Blvd. corridor, CivicLab’s analysis identified safety issues and evaluated the impact of implemented improvements.

Project Highlights (continued):

Tide Gauges

Recognizing the gravity of flooding concerns, CivicLab established real-time public dashboards, delivering timely updates on water levels across Norfolk.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Libraries

A collaboration between Norfolk Public Library, DEI, and CivicLab resulted in a dashboard facilitating connections with Spanish and Tagalogspeaking patrons, enhancing outreach.

Scooter and Bike Rental Tracking

CivicLab’s public-facing dashboards provide residents with insights into pedestrian and micro-mobility traffic patterns.

CivicLab’s data science contributions extend beyond individual projects

Data Empowerment for Communities

By creating ward profiles and community statistics, CivicLab ensures accessible socio-economic information for residents.

Advanced Analytics for Betterment

Leveraging cutting-edge technologies, CivicLab employs AI driven methods for comprehensive data processing, including text, image, video, and speech analysis. CivicLab spearheads responsible data and AI governance for Norfolk and encourages identification of AI uses.

Process Improvement

CivicLab provides process improvement services to support departments and to increase staff efficiency.

Agile Team Norfolk

In 2018, Agile Team Norfolk was launched with a mission to empower all city employees by fostering a culture of innovation, data-informed decision-making, and customerfocused improvements. Since its inception, our initiative has provided training to over 600 employees, representing 35 departments across the city.

Agile Team Norfolk is a dynamic force within the city, shaping the future of service delivery. These initiatives are further supported by the Old Dominion University Strome College of Business, whose faculty bring high quality, experience-based training to the Agile Academies and Managers’ Training. Our goal is to empower every employee to lead the charge in building a better Norfolk through Agile principles.

Transparency

CivicLab provides resources that support data-accessible decision-making among city staff and residents.

OPEN DATA PROGRAM

The Open Data Program achieved significant milestones in fostering a citywide culture of data accessibility, transparency, and using data to inform decisions both among internal staff and external users. Special projects included a comprehensive analysis of the 2020 Census, providing demographic research and analysis, supporting the Eviction Data Working Group, data automation support for FOIA, Open Data public presentations, and various geospatial analyses.

In 2023, the Open Data Portal demonstrated impressive metrics with over:

40,488 Open Data Portal Users

68,670 Sessions

176,247 Page Views

New resources that were introduced included: In 2024, the Open Data Program aims to prioritize:

11,000 Data Downloads

Citywide Surveys

CivicLab is responsible for managing two citywide surveys.

Resident Survey

Norfolk conducted a resident survey, administered by ETC Institute, during the fall of 2022. The purpose of the survey was to objectively assess resident satisfaction with the delivery of city services and to gather input about priorities for the city. This was the first resident survey conducted since 2014. The seven-page survey was mailed to a random sample of households in Norfolk. The cover letter encouraged residents to either return their survey by mail or complete the survey online. Copies of the survey were also made available in locations around the city to enable all residents to provide feedback. All data collection was completed by November 4, 2022. ETC Institute provided data analysis and a report to the city on the results while ensuring privacy of respondents. CivicLab made the survey results available on the Open Data Portal and developed a dashboard to help residents visualize their concerns and areas of importance. The results of the survey were used to inform the FY 2024 operating budget development. The next resident survey is planned for spring 2024 to measure progress on actions implemented to address resident concerns.

The Employee Engagement Survey

In 2021, Norfolk contracted with the Institute for Public Sector Employee Engagement, a division of CPS HR Consulting, to conduct a survey of city employees. With the hybrid work conditions due to COVID, use of the survey results was very limited. In spring 2023, CivicLab staff worked with CPS HR to complete a follow-up survey for all employees who report to the City Manager as well as those working for Council appointees. The survey included 65 questions in 12 categories. The questions were derived from the 2021 survey so that comparisons could be made of results over the two surveys. 52% (1,983) of employees who were sent the survey link responded. CivicLab staff coordinated with CPS HR to provide coaching to draft Departmental Action Plans which could lead to implementation of department strategies to improve employee engagement across the city. Action Plans are anticipated to be in place for 2024. A follow-up survey is planned for 2025.

Partnerships

DATA LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE AND DATA CHAMPIONS

CivicLab is continuing to lead the Data Leadership Committee, bringing together cross-departmental senior leaders to develop and approve new datasets for the Open Data Portal, promote data-informed decisionmaking among staff, and cultivate a datacentric environment in the city. The Data Champions, a group of cross-departmental city data professionals, played a key role in skill development, best practice sharing, and fostering collaboration.

DATA CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

CivicLab launched the Data Certification Program (DCP), an advanced set of coursework which equips city staff with essential data analysis skills. As of December 2023, there are almost 20 city staff currently enrolled. Also in December, the DCP celebrated its first graduate, laying the foundation for a cadre of employees skilled in data analytics and use across city departments.

Community Engagement and Resources

HAMPTON ROADS DATATHON

The Hampton Roads Datathon, inaugurated in 2022, marked its second annual event in September 2023. The Datathon is designed to enhance data sharing within the region, foster connections among local data enthusiasts, city personnel, and other institutions, advocate for regional collaboration, stimulate innovative solutions for pressing regional challenges, and establish connections with cities who have or are aspiring to launch open data programs.

On September 29, 2023, CivicLab hosted the event at Slover Library, where teams of two to six participants engaged in friendly competition to develop the most impactful projects or analyses aligned with the theme: “Community Wellness: analyzing and promoting mental, financial, social, spiritual, occupational, physical, intellectual, and environmental wellness in Hampton Roads.”

Twelve diverse teams, comprising City of Norfolk employees, regional organizations, educational institutions, and private industries from Hampton Roads and beyond, participated. These teams included representatives from Old Dominion University, the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, the Hampton Roads Sanitation District, the Williams School, Eastern Virginia Medical School, and other organizations. Armed with publicly available data sources, teams had one week to craft and refine their projects for presentation on the event day.

Judged by Ken Pfeil (Virginia’s Chief Data Officer), Dr. Vickie Carnegie (Director of the Old Dominion University Public Administration Graduate Program), and Heather Johnson (Wellness Program Coordinator for the Norfolk Healthcare Consortium), each team presented their projects during a poster-style session. Presentations were assessed based on the team’s data analysis, relevance to the community wellness theme, innovation, and ability to be implemented by local organizations after the event. The first place winner was the Old Dominion University Business Analytics Club, who developed an interactive map application that helps residents plan weekly guided walks through Norfolk.

THE ART OF DATA

While our Open Data Portal has seen growing interest, our mission to increase transparency, accountability, and accessibility of government information is far from complete. Engaging the community through the Art of Data represented a significant step toward our objective to explore the intersection of data, technology, and creativity. By transforming data into art, a universally understood visual medium, we make information more accessible and engaging. Art transcends barriers, offering an inclusive platform that invites everyone to appreciate and connect with our data-driven initiatives.

Over twenty local artists submitted proposals to our “call to artists”, and nine were chosen for the exhibit. Their creations provided a unique perspective on what residents cherish and what needs improvement within our city. Through their artistic lens, we can

Christopher Kozak, "Mother Nature"

Darnell Jordan Babe Dukes, "Alone/Together"

explore city issues in a fresh light, offering insights and viewpoints that may have previously eluded us. This art exhibition reached residents who might not typically engage with the city through conventional means, such as city hall meetings or budget hearings.

This project was a celebration of innovation, creativity, and community engagement. By marrying data and art, we aimed to strengthen our bond with the residents of Norfolk, making our city’s data more approachable and engaging. Engaging the community through the Art of Data is not only a celebration of our achievements but a commitment to continue evolving, ensuring that the city remains a place where data and art flourish together.

Shalina Mitchell, "Unity Beyond Grime: Global Restoration"

Davila Assomo, "Evergreen"

What Works Cities Gold Achievement

In 2017, Norfolk partnered with What Works Cities (WWC), a Bloomberg Foundation initiative aimed at leveraging data to enhance decision-making, promote equity, and improve resident services. Acceptance into WWC is accomplished by demonstrating how the city uses data-informed governance. Cities can earn Silver, Gold, or Platinum WWC certification by demonstrating their commitment to utilizing data to drive decision-making and enhance services for residents.

Norfolk attained Silver Certification in 2021, becoming the first city in Virginia and one of 62 cities in North America and Latin America to achieve this certification. In 2023, Norfolk achieved Gold Certification by demonstrating even more innovative and data-informed initiatives the city undertook. CivicLab took the lead in documenting criteria for submission to the WWC review process. CivicLab continually shares with city staff the many opportunities afforded to us because of our WWC certification, including WWC training resources, networking, and coaching, all designed to help us reach higher levels of service for our residents.

Performance Goals

Performance Measures

Number of datasets and data stories added to the Open Data Portal

of employees who complete indepth Agile training

Number of Hampton Roads Datathon participants

Number of reports, data stories, and dashboards delivered to the public and city staff

Percent of Agile Academy participants who implement a process improvement within one year of academy completion

of city programs

have a corresponding dataset in the Open Data Portal

Percent of Data Certification Program participants who complete two modules of program during fiscal year