Home / Research

Research

Our Recommendations for Equitable Open Data in Detroit presented in this report are the outcome of multiple participatory research projects and community education initiatives facilitated by the DDJC and DCTP around open data since early 2015.

We collaboratively identified the following questions to guide and motivate our research:

  • What should Detroit residents be aware of when it comes to open data?
  • What are the perceived benefits and harms of open data to residents?
  • How can we inform all residents and educate our communities about open data?
  • What can we learn from other cities? What types of open data policies, portals and practices do they have in place?
  • What does participatory and democratic governance of open data look like, and how can we help to facilitate it here in Detroit?

Methods

Below are summaries from our four key research projects. Click a module to read about our methods and findings and learn how each project has shaped our understanding of equitable open data practices.

Data Justice Surveys

The Data Justice Survey was created by members of the DDJC and is available to Data DiscoTech participants. The survey gauges familiarity with government data, perceptions of how open data is collected and used, and which data sets are most important for our communities to have access to.

Data Justice Scenarios

Data Justice Scenarios are a collective brainstorming exercise facilitated through focus groups. Together, participants learn about a specific dataset, raise questions about how it is initially collected, and craft possible positive and negative use case scenarios of that data, with the goal of identifying actions and policies to maximize benefits and reduce harms.

Data Policies

Research into open data policies, portals and practices has been completed by members of the DDJC and compares and contrasts what open data looks like and how it works across different U.S. cities, aiming to understand how data policy shapes data culture and highlight creative, just uses cases of open data.

Data DiscoTechs

Data DiscoTechs, or Discovering Technology fairs, are interactive workshops designed to demystify, engage and inform participants about the impact and possibilities of open data within our communities.