DATA ACTION: Using Data for a Public Good | Sarah Williams | TEDxMIT Salon

Summary

The speaker addresses the paradox of the Big Data era, highlighting the significant gaps in essential data in many countries, particularly affecting vulnerable communities. They discuss 'Data Action,' their approach to harnessing data creatively to influence policy and improve public benefit. Using Nairobi's transportation system as a case study, they detail how they leveraged local technology and community engagement to collect data on informal transit systems, leading to policy changes and global replication. The talk also covers the creation of interactive data visualizations to advocate for migrants, influencing U.S. policy on legal visas for Central American agricultural workers.

Takeaways

• 🌍 We are living in an era of Big Data, but also an era of missing data, particularly in vulnerable regions lacking basic infrastructure and census data.
• 📊 Missing Maps project reveals significant gaps in infrastructure data, especially in the Global South, which marginalizes communities further.
• 🚌 In Nairobi, Kenya, informal transit systems, particularly matatus, which account for 80% of road traffic, lacked any formal data or maps.
• 📱 Cell phone use was leveraged to collect transit data in Nairobi by creating an app in collaboration with local communities and the University of Nairobi.
• 🌐 GTFS (Google Transit Feed Specification) was used to organize and collect transit data, allowing integration with platforms like Google Maps.
• 👨‍💻 A local hackathon resulted in five new apps and the inclusion of Nairobi’s informal transit system in Google Maps for the first time.
• 🗺️ A subway-style map was created for the matatu system in collaboration with bus drivers and stakeholders, making it the official map for Nairobi’s transit system.
• 🚍 The Nairobi project has inspired over 40 cities globally to develop similar data solutions for informal transit systems.
• 🌱 Data-driven visualizations have been used in migration studies, helping policymakers understand the motivations and financial challenges of migrants.
• 🤝 The data collected has led to significant policy changes, such as the expansion of legal visas for Central American migrants, backed by visualizations presented to Congress.

Q & A

What era are we living in according to the speaker?

We are living in an era of Big Data, but also an era of missing data, where many countries lack basic census data or infrastructure data essential for resource allocation.

What is the Missing Maps project mentioned in the script?

The Missing Maps project produces maps that highlight the lack of infrastructure in many areas, particularly in the global South, to help fill the data gap and support vulnerable communities.

What is 'data action' as described by the speaker?

'Data action' refers to the process of using data to create public benefit and influence policy. It involves collecting data in unique ways, synthesizing it into useful tools, and communicating it effectively to inspire change.

Why was the transportation system in Nairobi, Kenya, a focus of the speaker's work?

The transportation system in Nairobi was a focus because the city developed faster than its transportation infrastructure could keep up, leading to congested streets, and the speaker aimed to model and improve this system.

What is a 'matatu' and why are they significant in Nairobi's transportation?

Matatus are the main mode of transportation in Nairobi, representing close to 80% of the vehicles on the roadway, making them crucial for understanding and modeling the city's transportation system.

How did the speaker and her team collect data on Nairobi's matatus?

They leveraged the ubiquitous use of cell phones in Nairobi to collect data by building an app in collaboration with the University of Nairobi, which collected data in the GTFS format used by Google Maps.

What was the outcome of the hackathon in Nairobi regarding matatu data?

The hackathon resulted in five different apps developed by the local tech community and the inclusion of Nairobi's informal transit system in Google Maps for the first time.

How did the creation of a traditional subway map-style visualization benefit the understanding of matatu systems?

The subway map-style visualization made the complex matatu system more understandable to everyone, including those without smartphones, and helped stakeholders see the organized nature of the system run by a union.

What was the impact of the matatu system map on policy and public perception?

The map went viral, was made official by the city, and showed that the matatus were an organized system. This led to multilaterals and the government considering ways to make these systems safer.

How did the speaker's work on migration data visualize the experiences of migrants between Colombia and Panama?

The speaker created a visualization from data collected from migrants, showing that 42 countries were represented in the dataset. This helped to understand the motivations and costs associated with migration.

What was the significance of the interactive tool presented during the congressional hearing in 2021?

The interactive tool allowed congressmen to explore data and insights themselves, leading to recommendations for more legal visas for Central American migrants, which were later adopted by the Biden Administration.

How did the 'tapestry of motivations' visualization impact the World Food Program's fundraising efforts?

The tapestry, created with physical dollar bills representing the reasons migrants leave, allowed the World Food Program to interact with the data and hear migrant stories, which had a significant impact on their fundraising efforts during a time when funding was being diverted to the war in Ukraine.