Snow squad
UX Designer/ Project Manager/ Team Project
Brief
Our Citizen Interaction Design project is to create a tool to enable and facilitate two way communication between the City of Jackson and its residents, among residents when sidewalks are blocked by snow in winter months and to engage citizens with their city.
Problem
Jackson city needs a tool to report the issue, ensure the enforcement of the violation and connect people with assistance to clear the snow on sidewalks.
Background
Last year the City of Jackson received more than 6 feet of snow. For those without a car, this made walking around the city a huge challenge. To address that challenge, the Walkable Communities Coalition has partnered with the University of Michigan to create a new information tool. Packed snow creates dangerous sidewalks which force walkers into the street. Also, failing to clear a sidewalk is against the law. Last year more than 100 blocked sidewalks were reported to the City.
Source: http://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/index.ssf/2014/01/city_officials_launch_website.html
Step 1. Narrow the problem
After meeting with Laurel Mauldin, (the chairperson in WCC) and better understanding the problem and information constraints facing residents, our team began the design process with a brainstorming session. Next week, we traveled to Jackson to meet with with the members of the WCC. At this meeting we determined what resources were available, what community perceptions were thought to be, and what the student team could provide as a solution. The week after then, we conduct the survey with neighborhoods in Jackson city about their awareness to the ordinance and how they clear snow.
Step 2. Develop initial solution & communication
Because of the intense timeline, instead of exploring different kinds of solutions, we decided a solution first and communicated with partners to ensure the feasibility and synchronize our expectations.
Our Solution
A Website specific to Snow Removal in Jackson
Website Features
- A tool enabling residents to report issues and makes these data transparent, available in auditory and visual formats
- Raise awareness of the ordinance and public safety issues created by uncleared sidewalks
- Increase community's engagement and bridged volunteers to whom needs help
- Free, sustainable and easy to maintain
Initial Design
In the first prototype presentation, WCC raised the concerned about the non-Internet users. Also, they are afraid that "fine" and "ordinance" are too sensitive. These words might put the negative image on residents. They hope to motivate residents to clear the snow in positive way rather them forcing them to do it with fine.
"How to deal with elder people and non-Internet users? "
"The words, fine and ordinance, are too negative "
Step 3. Design modification & survey
To solve partners' concern about the website's image, we decided to remove the data and use stories instead. To understand what kind of stories touch people most and their preference, we came up four statements and conduct market survey. At the same time, we need to find an approach to connect non-Internet user . Thus, we investigated the common media they use and the place they went for community participation.
From the Jackson Citizen Interaction report, we found around 20 % of users don't use the Internet in Jackson city. According to our survey with 30 users, including face-to - face interview and digital survey, we found the "mail flyers" is an effective and simple way to inform the residents. Therefore, we decided to design a post card for citizen. In this way, for those who doesn't access the Internet, they can sent the post card to their neighbors to remind them to clear the sidewalks. Also, we decided to release the post cards from schools and churches because they are most common place residents went for community participation.
Step.4 Final Design and working flow.
Final Solution
To address this issue we developed an easy-to-use website and where residents can report blocked sidewalks, register to volunteer, and access important information such as city ordinance requirements and shoveling tips. For those that may not have internet access we’ve developed a postcard that relays this information. Our website also allows Public Works to visualize reported sidewalks at a time period of their choosing.
Design for reasons
The final design is based on the stakeholder's needs and sustainability. Features and reasons listed as below:
- Utilize open resource . We chose "google documents" as main part in the website because it is free. Cost is a important constraint for a non-profit organization. In addition, the google documents is easy to maintain. With the user guide we made, our partners learn how to maintain it easily. This fact implies the sustainability.
- Add-on rather than replacement. Our solution is in no way a replacement for the current information and communication tools available. For people prefer to use phone, they can still use phone to report the issue. However, the website is a digital tool to bridge the residents and the government, allowing issue be uncovered and fixed more efficiently.
- Both digital and non-digital method. Most of elders in Jackson city don't use the Internet, while they are the ones really need help. Thus, we prepared a postcard as a mild reminder for neighbors. According to our survey, people don't use the Internet prefer the mail flyer approach. In addition, the slogan on the cards is based on the survey's result, which is most motivating to residents there.
How the design works?
The overall flow has two parts - promotion and execution. The promotion is to increase the usage rate of the website and arouse community's awareness to the problem. The execution part illustrates how the system, including the postcards and website, works and how and who to maintain.
1. Promotion
When winter comes, WCC released postcards through local schools and churches to promote the website and remind the snow clearance. We think church and schools are good starting points because they are places where residents and volunteers engage.
2. Execution
Todd Knepper and Dept. of Public Works staff, after receiving training, will monitor the reports entered into the google document. The issues reported via the website will be handled in the same manner that issues reported via 2-1-1 and the current City of Jackson online portal are handled. Based on the data entered into the google doc, the Dept. of Public Works will send the appropriate contractor to clear snow from the reported sidewalk and issue fines accordingly, as per usual operating standards. When a report is addressed, it will be highlighted in the document to show that it is complete. The WCC can use the “Sidewalk Snow & Ice Removal List” against the Google form to ensure that issues have been addressed. Google Docs will be rotated every month to show trends of snow removal for the month and provide accurate data on how many sidewalks were cleared.
Results
Government was satisfied with our proposal and willing to host the website for the Snow Squad. Department of Public Works manages and deals with issues from Snow Squad website. At the same time, WCC undertakes the awareness of the website.
Related News
“City of Jackson officials launch website aimed at helping seniors clear snow from their property”
“City projects vary from tracking unshoveled walks to keeping our history alive”