serendipityoucity

Another Project Completed! 

I got to work with the following group of co-authors on a research paper that was just submitted!  The summary and TOC are below.  The full paper will eventualy be published on the Knowledge Media Design Institute (KMDI) in their publications section.

Toward an Online Interactive Broadband Atlas for Ontarians
A research paper submitted to:
The Ministry of Government and Consumer Services of Ontario
program on:
Toward a Broadband Research Agenda for Ontario
by:
Amelia Bryne Potter
Tracey P. Lauriault
Neal McIntyre
Andrew Clement
as part of:
Community Wireless Infrastructure Research Project (CWIRP), Faculty of Information Studies (FIS), University of Toronto July 7, 2008

Executive Summary

Access to advanced information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure, such as broadband internet and wireless networks, is vital to the socio-economic well-being of cities, regions and nations in the global knowledge-based economy/society. Access to this infrastructure is as important in the new economy as is access to other public infrastructures and utilities such as highways, power grids, water and sewage facilities.  Understanding broadband infrastructure - including what infrastructure exists, its capacities, where there are gaps, and who is involved in providing it - is essential for effective socio-economic and infrastructural planning in the Province.

Provincial governments, as providers, partners, and regulators of public infrastructure can help ensure that Canadians have access to affordable, high quality broadband infrastructure. Local, regional, and national governments have played a variety of active roles in the development of broadband, ranging from coordinating infrastructure build-outs, to assessing user needs, and negotiating rights of way (Ethos 2007). To assist in evidence-based broadband policy decisions such as where to deploy new infrastructure in underserved areas, to assess spatial clustering of heavy broadband usage, to analyze the market, or simply for public education purposes, policy makers and developers integrate, visualize, analyze and disseminate broadband data through the creation of broadband atlases, maps and finder/locator services.

Communications infrastructure, like all other infrastructures, is inherently spatial.  Where elements of the infrastructure are located is related to factors such as population density, urbanization, business districts, educational institutions, physical topography and pre-existing infrastructures such as rail lines, electrical wires, or telephone lines.  The infrastructure is often absent where incomes are low, in remote areas, where the terrain is difficult, and where the private sector deems it is not profitable for them to deliver such a service.  The presence or absence of communications infrastructure and the quality of communications services influences, to some extent, the social and economic viability and livability of a community, its integration with the rest of the nation, and access to potential global markets.  Cartographically represented broadband data can help governments, the private sector, NGOs and the public see the distribution of this infrastructure by providing access to a wide range of information relevant to broadband development – rendering it more tangible via maps, graphics and accompanying text. These include: the location of already existing infrastructure; the types and locations of various local broadband providers; the availability, quality and capacity of broadband service by region; and the types of technology used.  In addition, integrating these data into themes such as ‘digital inclusion’ or ‘economic development’ can help users to think through larger broadband policy questions and economic issues in a way that leads to concrete decisions on, for example, where to build fibre infrastructure, or where to locate a business.   On a larger level, by showing spatial data about broadband facilities and services, a broadband atlas can help governments better understand the status of broadband infrastructure, and to determine how best to facilitate further development within their jurisdictions. A comprehensive online Broadband Atlas in Ontario – a first in Canada - could inspire other provinces and territories toward creating regionally managed, but nationally integrated, broadband atlas initiatives.

This paper reviews existing paper-based and online broadband atlases, maps, indicators, data visualization projects and finder/locator services in Canada and internationally. Of the dozens of broadband mapping initiatives we found, we provide an in-depth analysis of 11 that exemplify the wide range of possible approaches. These include highly systematic international mapping efforts, local user-generated Google mashups, and academic analyses. We identify the types of data represented in these broadband maps, and ways of visualizing them. We do not provide a design for a Broadband Atlas itself, but rather a framework for understanding what a Broadband Atlas can be useful for and what it might include. To inform the development of a Broadband Atlas we offer such guiding principles as usability, usefulness, authority, aesthetics, engagement and preservation. We also highlight nine prospective themes or topic areas for an atlas relevant for developing a broadband strategy in Ontario. These include:

1. Technical Infrastructure
2. Service Availability, Quality & Affordability
3. Digital Inclusion
4. Economic Development
5. Ownership
6. Competition
7. Traffic Inspection & Management Practices
8. Public Sector Involvement
9. Decision-making by sector

We further provide over a hundred indicators, drawn from the policy and mapping initiatives analyzed earlier. These indicators can be used, in various combinations, to support and develop the themes described in the paper, or other relevant themes. Finally, we review selected atlas framework technologies that provide promising ways to implement an Ontario-led online broadband atlas. Together, these findings may inform the Ontario government on key ingredients for the creation of its own online interactive Broadband Atlas.

Table of Contents:

Executive Summary 

1. What is an Online Interactive Broadband Atlas (BBA)?

2. Why a Broadband Atlas (BBA)?

Making infrastructure visible
Broadband atlas users
Broadband atlas uses

3. Current Broadband Mapping and Atlas Initiative

Research process and findings
Review of select mapping initiatives

4. Key Principles for Developing an Online Interactive BBA for Ontarians

Usable
Useful over time
Authoritative
Data-aware
Aesthetically pleasing
Engaging
Secure
Preservable

5. Key Themes of a Online Interactive BBA for Ontarians

Themes, indicators and datasets
Emergent themes for a bba for ontarians
Theme 1. technical infrastructure
Theme 2. service availability, quality & affordability
Theme 3. digital Inclusion
Theme 4. economic development
Theme 5. ownership
Theme 6. competition
Theme 7. traffic inspection & management practices
Theme 8. public sector Involvement
Theme 9. decision-making by sector

6. Atlas Framework and Mapping Technologies

Technology Overview of Selected Atlases, Maps, Finder/Locator Services/Portals
Review of select ongoing atlas framework projects in Canada

7. Conclusions and Next steps

References
About the Authors
Appendices

        appendix 1. list of atlases, maps, finder/locator services and tools
        appendix 2. list of indicators
        appendix 3. sample indicator description chart