Over the past several years, big data has become more main
stream: proliferating businesses, education, the tech sector, as well as the
government. Big data can add value not only in predictive behavior of a group
of people, but also through identifying and locating problems. Starting with
the mapping of the 1854 cholera outbreak of London, data visualization has
become a key part of problem solving in our world.
In a city of just over eight million people, data collection
can be found in just about any place. From collecting information from parking
meters, to tracking pedistrians on the
streets at night, to identifying a zip code with highest call frequency. These
seemingly unimportant metrics can be aggregated to generate meaningful
information about residents, crime, infrastructure, and utility useage. This
information can be used for city improvement as well as future development and
planning.
New York City has taken a unique approach to implementing
big data in conjuction with their crime fighting. In an unconventional twist,
the New York City Department of Environemental Protection, in conjunction with
the Office of Policy and Strategic Planning, identified areas where cooking oil
was being illegally disposed. By idetentifying areas where pipe clogs had occurring,
and cross checking those locations to businesses which utilize a carting
service to dispose of grease, they were able to crack down on this harmful
business practice and track down approximately 95% of violators.
Although this example may seem trivial, it’s impact on the
future of the power of data must not be missed. If cities implement successful
data collection and analyst departments, manpower can be preserved, resources
can be protected, and services to citizens can be improved. By targeting key
problems, such as parking limitations, emergency service shortage, or high
utility consumption, city leaders can offer a more comfortable and safe
environment for residents. This might also one day attract businesses to the
area, improving the local economy all because of successful implementation of
big data in a city.
Source:
No comments:
Post a Comment