The Emerging Technologies Research Lab will conduct a second project City Data Futures Prototype with the City of Melbourne that builds on the research findings in our 2020 report: Experiences and Perspectives of Urban Sensing in Melbourne (PURE ID: 311839255), City Data Futures Prototype will trial a way of transparently and ethically communicating how data is captured at City of Melbourne’s Argyle Square, and how that data is then used by the City.
The intent of the research project is to engage design ethnographic research methods across 20+ participants, to create a universal and transferable prototype that better communicates how and engages with publics regarding how data is
captured and used by the City of Melbourne.
The project will:
create a universally recognisable and accessible prototype that will inform and engage people/the public with the data being captured within Argyle Square, how this data is being used by the City of Melbourne, and possible future uses of data
use ethnography to better understand how people/the public engages with (or does not engage with) data; experiences, understands and perceives data being collected; imagines future possibilities of the city through data; and experiences possible futures through ethnographic interventions and the prototype
The prototype will:
be accessible to a wide range of users, inclusive of age, ability, language spoken, location, education held, income etc
demonstrate what existing data is being captured by City of Melbourne
demonstrate how the data is being used by the City of Melbourne
make the data available to the public and offer them possibilities to engage with the data
have a physical and digital activation within the City of Melbourne
create a 2-way conversation about data
use the research findings from the Experiences and Perspectives of Urban Sensing in Melbourne report to inform the design ethnography process towards defining the prototype
Following on from this, it is proposed that CoM and ETLab test this approach with other partner cities as part of a national approach to understanding data (this activity will be funded separately).
Deliverables
Prototype to be installed by 26 April 2020 ahead of Melbourne Knowledge Week
Report due by 30 June 2020
Milestone description
Understanding the site, conducting advanced ethnographic research of Argyle Square - observation, participation, getting involved (December - Jan 2020)
Interventional ethnographic research - starting to think about prototype (Jan, Feb)
Prototype development through interventional ethnography (Feb, March, April)
Installation of prototype + ethnography (mid April)
Launch of prototype at Melbourne Knowledge Week + ethnography (26 April - 2 May 2021)
Research findings (3 -7 May 2021)
City of Melbourne discussion about findings (10 -14 May 2021)
Report writing (14 May - 20 June 2021)
Report due (30 June 2021)
Key dates
Commencement - upon signature of the contract (estimated early December 2020)
Completion June 30 2021
Budget
$50K (less GST)/ $45K + GST
Invoice $40K upon signature of the contract
Invoice $5K on 30 June 2021
Key Personnel
Sarah Pink (Lead CI)
Dr Debora Lanzeni (CI),
Dr Ilya Fridman (CI)
Dr Melisa Duque (CI),
Associate Professor Shanti Sumartojo (CI)
Dr Jathan Sadowski
Research Assistant - Robert Lundberg
Project Manager- Ms Bianca Vallentine