ICT4Detroit: The Role of ICTs in Collaboration for Detroit

‘To Connect a Thousand Flowers’

Bill DuttonOn a Steep Learning Curve at the Quello Center

Michigan State UniversityFollow @QuelloCenter

Project briefing for a workshop on civic technology and urban informatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, October 7, 2016.

AcknowledgementsSupport• Michigan Applied Public Policy Research

(MAPPR)• Institute for Public Policy and Social

Research (IPPSR)

Team• Faculty: Bibi Reisdorf, Michael Thelwall

(Wolverhampton)• Paige Blessman, Dontae Freeman, Kat

Hartman, Jessica Mcinchak, Whisnu Triwibowo

Signs of Detroit’s (Re)Development

Halt to Decline in Population

A Recognized Center of Philanthropy

Redevelopment Centered on Midtown• Quicken Loans• Dan Gilbert (Moving into the City)

Rising Optimism

State of the State Survey (SOSS)

• Telephone survey with ~1,000 respondents• Representative of Michigan• Internet-related questions since 1997• Fall 2016

• 32 questions about Internet use and attitudes• N=995 (49.4% male, 50.6% female; 80.2% white,

12.9% African-American, 6.9% other)

Conducted 2-3 times/year since 1994

ICT4Detroit:Public Opinions and Collaborative Initiatives

Opinions on Detroit’s Future

ICT4Detroit’s Progress

Attitudes Toward Detroit

Decline Improve Unsure0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

100.0%

24.8%

70.5%

4.7%

27.3%

72.7%

0.0%

Agreement that the City of Detroit will decline/improve over the coming years

Michganders Detroit Residents

Attitudes on Impact of Declaring Bankruptcy

Much better off Somewhat better off Neither/nor Somewhat worse off Much worse off0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

100.0%

14.3%

63.6%

4.2%

13.1%

4.7%

20.0%

50.9%

3.6%

18.2%

7.3%

Agreement that the City of Detroit is better/worse off as a result of declaring bankruptcy

Michganders Detroit Residents

Race and Detroit’s Prospects

Decline Stay the same Improve0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

100.0%

12.4%

35.0%

52.6%

21.2%

3.4%

75.4%

30.4%

40.8%

28.7%26.2%

4.0%

69.8%

Agreement that the City of Detroit will decline/improve over the coming years by race

African American 2008 African American 2016 White 2008 White 2016

Continuing Problems

Distressed Neighborhoods• Huge area of 139 square miles

Public Access to the Internet• Average in Michigan• Well Below Average in Detroit

Internet Access in Michigan, 1997-2016

Use of Social Media in Michigan

Promising Developments

The Place to Be• Tech Startups• Artists Finding Detroit

City’s Open Data Initiative• Garlin Gilchrist II, Deputy Director for Civic Engagement

Rocket Fiber• Business Network with Potential Spinoffs for Neighborhoods

Philanthropy• Legacy, underpinning 1,300 Charities for Detroit

Collaboration in Detroit: How Wide? How Deep?

1,000 Flowers, Weakly ConnectedWebmetric Analyses• Scrapping IRS Forms of Foundations [Detroit

Ledger]• Network Analysis of Mentions• Identifying Clusters

Interviews, and Observations• Sample from Clusters• 20 Interviews, 20 Organizations (15 completed)

Clusters of Organizations 4 Detroit

Clusters1. Low-Income Housing & Vulnerable Populations• Brightmoor Alliance, City Connect Detroit

2. Com Development, Placemaking, Cultural Assets• Erb Family Foundation

3. Grassroots Community Development• Adopt a Plot

4. Open Data, Civic Tech & Education• Skillman Foundation – 482Forward • Data Driven Detroit, Motor City Mapping

5. Food Security + Development

6. Youth + Mentorship

Potential for ICTs

Collaborative Network Organizations• Distributed Problems

Outreach

Fundraising

General Themes from Interviews

Limited Use of the Internet and Social Media• Marginal to Most Organizations• Some Making Effective Use

Signs of Marginalization• Old, Not Up-dated Websites, Blogs• Limited Commitments of Staff

Shift to Social Media and Video• Facebook v Blogs• Video Content

Challenges for Exploiting ICTsCulture of Grassroots Charities• Access, Age, Traditions, Face-to-Face, ‘Flyering’

Primacy of B-B Networking

Social Media Viewed as Substitute v Complement

Risk Aversion Among Competitive Charities

Limits on Openness and Transparency• Risks to Activities, ‘the goat’• Keeping Head Down: Risks of Bad Publicity

Limited Funding and Staffing (Social Media Not the Priority)

Amid Challenges, Many ExceptionsCentralizing Data Collection• Data Driven Detroit (Detroit City Connect)

Connecting Neighborhoods• 482Forward – Educational Reform

Well Produced Videos to Communicate Problems• Community Development Advocates

Responsible Use of Social Media• Food Policy Council, can’t name and shame markets re Food Justice

Limitations of the Exploratory Work

Still In Progress

Web and Blog Sites as Data

Limited Number of Qualitative Interviews

A Dynamic Topic

ICT4Detroit: The Role of ICTs in Collaboration for Detroit

‘To Connect a Thousand Flowers’

Bill DuttonOn a Steep Learning Curve at the Quello Center

Michigan State UniversityFollow @QuelloCenter

Project briefing for a workshop on civic technology and urban informatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, October 7, 2016.