G.Lupi, G. Rossi, Design as an information process,

/ |||| / | Monday Aug 29th 2011giorgia lupi, gabriele rossi

DESIGN AS AN INFORMATION PROCESS: A Public Services Plan for the Municipality of Milan

DESIGN AS AN INFORMATION PROCESSa Public Services Plan for the Municipality of Milan

We're Giorgia Lupi, and Gabriele Rossi, today we will briefly introduce who we are and what we do as a company,we'll focus on a project developed during the last 3 years within InteractionDesign-Lab and with Stefano Mirti for the Municipality of Milan.Among all the projects we took part in, we felt this one was the most interesting according to the topics of this series of meetings.

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/ |||| / |We run a company called accurat,We're a design agency and consultancy,

Our design research deals with the interaction between people, information and contexts.

Accurat was born in 2011, growing from our previous experiences as associates and project managers at InteractionDesign-Lab and Bonsaininja Studio.

We design, teach and research.

/ |||| / | (?) - ACCURAT, 2011interaction between people, information and contexts.

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information related issue

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At / |||| / | we think that information related issues are at the core of any design project that deals with cities, society, public services and behaviors, regardless of its scale.

transforming our everydaylife experiences

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At / |||| / | we study how informations is transforming our everydaylife experiences.From our activities (studying, working, socially interacting), to our places (home, office, cities), to the infrastructures that nowadays include and rely on users.

an easy and immediate access to information

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At / |||| / | we think that a good design is the one that enables an easy and immediate access to information.

At / |||| / | we deal with information as the most important design element.

giorgialupi

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We come from different backgrounds.

I'm giorgia lupi , I'm an architect since 2006, I've been involved in different urban design project in the last years, I've been teaching communication design (information design) for the last 3 years, and at the age of 30 I've just started a PHD in Design, at Politecnico di Milano within PERLA (perception lab).

My research focuses on the nature of behaviors and processes that can weave new urban patterns, and on the possible virtuos interaction between citizens and the global context.

I've been here in New York for the month of August working with Lara and Eduardo at DESIS Lab.

gabriele rossi

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I'm gabriele rossi, Master in communication design.

Before starting Accurat I ran a communication agency and production house in Milan for 5 years, where I worked as movie and commercial director.

I now work as project and production manager on information and digital communication projects with Accurat.

I'm also the coordinator of the Design Studio at the International School in NABA, (new academy of fine arts in milan) a multidisciplinary workshop for international students where I teach Visual and Communication Design.

simone quadri, / |||| / |

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Simone Quadri, who is not here is the other associate, is a sociologist.

As an agency we currently work with many professionals, like sociologists, architects, researchers, interaction designers, writers, graphic designers, video makers, software developers, that build different teams addressing to specific design goals.

Each project has a team on its own, built around the studies, processes and technologies involved.

an information project

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listening, monitoring, reporting and crossing the needs and the offers

We will now introduce one of the most interesting projects we've taken part in, the Plan of Services for the Municipality of Milan (developed between 2009 and 2010).

The plan has not to be intended as a product or document, since it was developed as a continuous process of listening, monitoring, reporting and crossing the needs and the offers in terms of services of the city;

It is, in fact, an information design project.

Milan

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A short introduction to Milan and its situation.

Milan is the business capital of Italy and centre for Italian economic activities.

There is situated the Stock Exchange, which fame is consolidated by the whirlwind of Fashion and Design, the heavy industrial presence, the diffusion of the tertiary sector and the great cultural fermentation.

Thanks to its economic activities, the design fair, fashion week and other global events, it's slowly becoming an international city, destination for travel, study and business from all parts of the world.

Milan

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the first Plan: PGT (Territorial Government Plan), 2009 - 2010

Milan has never had a Plan. For the first time in its history, according to a law in the Lombardy County, the Municipality hired different teams of architect, urbarnists, design companies and economic experts to shape the so called PGT (Territorial Government Plan), which consists of three acts:

the Strategic Development Plan [Documento di Piano], which indicates the strategies and general objectives of the local government town-planning policies; the Regulations [Piano delle Regole], which govern the regeneration of the consolidated fabric of the city;the Plan of Services [Piano dei Servizi], which determines the urban facilities and services needed.

Within Interactiondesign Lab, a design consultancy based in Milan, we took part in the design and development of the Plan of Services.

PDS,a new model for a service network

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with economic and social constraints.

The primary objective of the service plan is that of thinking, developing and implementing a new model for a service network.

The underlying idea that services are provided through a system based on standard areas and rigid constraints is no longer practical: it seems to be a model which no longer has any chance of functioning.

The challenge is not banal: we needed to invent a completely new way of providing services for a metropolis as Milan, keeping in high regard economic and social constraints.

visualizing the city we want

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we did this through:

- Visualizing the city we want:an attractor of new activities, a sustainable and effective provider of sound infrastructure and mobility services.

visualizing todayʼs city

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- Visualizing today`s city:Milan effectively keeps away young active people (because of the high living costs), grows commuting and traffic, is ineffective with regard to infrastructure.

invent new sustainable systems

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- There is a a real need to invent new sustainable systems through which to offer services, facilitate cooperation between various new actors, to find new approaches to challenges.

...costs

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By looking at public and private services in Milan and other contemporary cities, we can focus on these facts:

- costs/ The are no more funds for building new services, not even for supporting and keeping the already existing ones active, that citizens' give for guaranteed.

qualitative vs. quantitative

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- qualitative vs. quantitative / We have to switch from a traditional urban planning point of view that relies exclusively on a quantitative analisys of the offer and demand of services to an approach that includes qualitative information. Most of the citizens won't argue about the square feet of per capita public green space, they will care instead about the quality of this green space; is it well mantained? is it propoerly lit?

spatial vs. a-spatial

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- spatial vs. a-spatial / From a world where services were deeply related to a physical place to a world where services can be provided anywhere, even online.

The life of a citizen doesn't really get better if the city opens a registry office near his place, it does improve if he can quickly and easily access the same information online.

needs vs. desires

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- needs vs. desires / Urban planning usually deals with needs; citizens are more and more used to think in terms of desires.If I have to say what could change my life of Milanese citizen,

I could say the subway open all night long. This is not a real "need", even though I feel that I truly need it, I can have other options of transportation.

residents vs. city users

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- residents vs. city users/ we have to switch the target from residents only to all the other categories of "city users", including commuters, tourists, businessmen, which is something Milan is not used to.

social conflicts

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- social conflicts / in the past almost all of the services were considered somehow in a positive way by the community; we know have to deal with services that a part of the community might need and another part fiercely opposes.

= PERCEPTION

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= PERCEPTION

PerceptionAs we said before, nowadays simply addressing the need of services is not enough; the user experience is becoming a central topic in planning a complex system.

And experience is deeply related to perception. If i feel, as a user, that the service is not good, this perception is somehow my only reality.

Ss planners we have to deal with this perception in the same way we do with more objective informations, such as analytical data and statistics. even if the numbers are saying that a service is working, if users have a different perception, this information becomes immediately the most important one, even against the supposed objectivity of the analytical input.

This is why the Plan tries to read both existing and future services also from this very important point of view.

What kind of services are ruled by the PdS?

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localized services

What kind of services are ruled by the Plan of Services?

In order to better understand how the Plan works we have to divide services in two categories.

- localized services, like infrastructures and green. this kind of services are planned for the years to come in detail in the PGT

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not yet localized services

schools

kindergardens

libraries

social services

health

museum

public markets

...

...

...

...

...

What kind of services are ruled by the PdS?

- not yet localized services, which we define as constructed services such as schools, universities, kindergartens, libraries, health and social services… the localization of these services is not planned, a new paradigm is used:

the Plan decides to act on these services in a flexible way, analyzing the relationship between needs and offer through time, and not in advance.

3 keypoints of the Service Plan

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Ascolto della Città [Hearing the City]

The idea of quasi-market

The concept that the Plan is not a product, but a continuous process.

The Plan of Services is built on three key points:- Hearing the City- The idea of quasi-market- The concept that the Plan is not a product, but a continuous process.

Ascolto della città [hearing the city]

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n- monitoring mass media- aquiring all information considering public services supplied by the Office of Complaints.- conducting more than one houndred and fifty public meets in all of Milan by the Councillor Masseroli.- conducting a constant monitoring of all mass media publications regarding any thematic referring to city services, public and private.- aquiring all information considering public services supplied by the Office of Complaints.

1. ascolto della città [hearing the city]

The prototype lasted 6 months, in 2009, and it was made of:- more than 150 public meetings all over Milan, held by the Councillor Masseroli.- a constant monitoring and geo-referencing of all mass media publications regarding any topic referring to city services, public and private.- aquisition of all the information regarding public services supplied by the Office of Complaints.

* information here is the amount of qualitative and quantitative datas available

designin a correct information process system is the ability to select, cross, organize, and report all of these different voices

Quasi market / subsidiariety

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2. quasi-market / subsidiarity

The idea of the quasi-market is the principle through which the public becomes facilitator, supporting the spontaneous initiatives by individuals and groups, with the goal to trigger in this way potential answers to multiple needs.

It's easy to explain the concept saying that in terms of Public Services, in some situations, rather than planning new onea, it's preferable and more efficient to support those private services that grow spontaneusly and already efficiently address a specific need.

This could introduce the idea that private citizens and private companies can provide public services, if supported.

* information here is to see and mark what's happening.

designin a correct information process system is the ability to recognize and estabilish a relationship between citizens' active behaviours in terms of public services, the Municipality, and private actors.

Continuous flux

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The project of the method (continuous flow)The third key concept is that regarding the project of the method (continuous flow). Traditionally, the Service Plan is intended as finite as a product, as a rigid map which sets constraints referred to precise areas. In our case it has been constructed as a process, to be iterated continuously, which guarantees a refining mechanism and constant improvement.

3. continuous flux

The third key concept the method that supports the project, which we can describe as a continuous flow. Traditionally, the Service Plan is intended as finite as a product, a rigid map which sets constraints and indications referred to precise areas. In our case it has been constructed as a process, to be iterated continuously, which guarantees a refining mechanism, up-to-date informations on the needs of the city and constant improvement.

We can imagine our cities as the result of the combination between different kind of fluxes.Fluxes of people, objects, datas, informations, fluxes that are rapidly changing.We cannot start from the definition of a precise final result, as a goal.We have to start from the understanding of what are the mechanisms that in a way direct these fluxes.We cannot set rigid rules, we have to set a system which has to be able to refine itself continuously.

* information here is the contentdesigning a correct information process system is the ability to shape infrastructures and tools that contain and display constant fluxes of selected informations.These infostructures have also to be easily manageable and updatable.

Method of action

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The table of Services

The environmental Atlas (88)

2 tools

Method of actionThis is what we did.

We designed 2 tools.

2 tools at 2 different scales, the macro scale of the city, and the micro scale of the neighborhood.these tools don't define what services we plan to have, but they give directions on how to cross the demand and the possible answer in terms of services in a meaningful way.

they are: the table of services + the environmental atlas

the table of Servicesthe instrument which defines the method of action. the intersection between the demand of services and the offer of services and structures.

The first tool is the Table of Services, the instrument that defines the method of action.

Imagine a huge dynamic matrix that crosses the demand of services and the offer of services and structures.This matrix has the goal to visualize all the possible different scenarios in terms of public services,

The matrix allows to give a hierarchy to the priorities of intervention, to understand the actual technical and economic chances of applications.

The matrix helps to define time by time, what to do, but more than that which existing services and structures can be used to address new needs.

the table of Servicesthe offer

THE TABLE OF SERVICESHow it works:

THE OFFER, the horizontal axis of the table.

It displays and organizes all the possible territorial answers to service needs. We're talking about all the existing services and structures (schools, libraries, parks... divided into 16 cathegories).

We also include public services provided from private citizens or companies, supported by the Public administration.

the table of Servicesthe demand

THE DEMAND, the vertical axis of the table.

It shows all the needs in terms of public services, it's built on the interaction between:- Programme guidelines and actions of the municipality (the major has been elected, so we could imagine that the program of the major is a starting point to be checked)- Ascolto della Città [Hearing the City] and a universe of quantitative values on services, constantly updated by the Statistical Sector.

the table of Servicesintersections

The table of services: intersections and clusters.

Crossing demand for services and spatial availability reveals points of intersection.

Potential territorial answers to new specific needs are highligthed on an intersection.

The next step is to define potential gatherings of services in the form of clusters (groupings) which include existing services to improve, or new ones, divided by families.

The analysis task lets us define which gatherings of services are prioritized, suggesting at the same time possible modalities of strategic action.

the table of Servicesintersections / an example

For instance, reading the matrix;what if we cross the "safety" goal with public administration? mmmm. nothing.what if we cross the "safety" goal with public schools? apparently nothing, but if you're able to extend the opening time of the building through evening, lending the spaces for cultural activities, you can achieve incredible results in terms of the level of safety people actually perceive...

the table of Servicesintersections / how to read clusters

horizontal clusters /intervention possibility for specific needs

vertical clusters /how a specific structure can answer to a need

area clusters /wide intervention area possibility

How to interprete clusters :The matrix can be read in different ways, depending of the specific goal at hand

- horizontal clusters, show that the specific need can have multiple solutions within the services already provided from the city.- vertical clusters, give the idea of how a singular service, or a singular structure can answer to different needs and goals.- area clusters, suggest wider possibilities of intervention, even complex relationships between families of needs, public services and structures..

* information here is different layers of needs and opportunities

designin a correct information process system is to create the infrastructure that immediately highlites possible virtuous crossings.

Environmental Atlas (88)88 “dashboards” of continuous and constant monitoring which light up different environments

ENVIRONMENTAL ATLASthen we have another instrument, in relation with the matrix, that is the micro-scale of the process,this tool deals with neighborhood and it's called the Environmental Atlas.in Milan we have 88 neighborhoods, (Local Identity Nucleus) defined not just by limits of streets and squares but taking into consideration also the neighborhood features, history and life.

The hearing of the city is now more and more fundamental to understand where to act geographically when a specific need is highlighted.So, after reading the matrix, and let's say, after having discovered that the structure of a public school is a possible answer to a safety problem (need),we have to understand which structures to take into consideration, we have to focus on the places where the problem or the need is really felt as important.

Environmental Atlas (88)88 “dashboards” of continuous and constant monitoring which light up different environments

Quantitative + Qualitative

The Environmental Atlases (88, one for each Local Identity Nucleus) are the design tools that enable access for the public administration to the actual local status in terms of needs and offers of services.They are a constantly updated reference for planning decisions, helping to outline how to act locally, which services to activate, which services can be provided by private partners or communities in the neighborhood.

Imagine 88 “dashboards” built from a continuous and constant monitoring of chances and woes, which light up different environments:- Quantitative/demographic values and indicators on the state of the services of the neighborhood collected by the Statistical Sector;- Indexing and localization of existing services by SIT, problems and potentialities expressed during the operation of Ascolto della Città [Hearing the City];

Environmental atlas (88)quantitative informations

The Atlases are made of different boards;

1) quantitative informations (gathered by the statistics municipality office) - population density of the neighborhood - residents and neighborhood users - main attractive factors

Environmental atlas (88)working services of the neughborhood

2) working services of the neighborhood (divided into categories: parks, public transports, public and private education facilities…), for each category there's an index of the effective facilities.

Environmental atlas (88)working services of the neighborhood (localization)

3) geo-localization on the neighborhood map of these services, (we can now start seeing what is close to what…)

Environmental atlas (88)critical situation (qualitative)

4) the so called "critical situations" and "opportunities"gathered and geo-localized starting from the hearing of the city...at a first look you can immediately have an image of the actual situation, just by lookin at the size of the pointers directly on the map.

Environmental atlas (88)potentiality (qualitative)

4) the so called "critical situations" and "opportunities"gathered and geo-localized starting from the hearing of the city...at a first look you can immediately have an image of the actual situation, just by lookin at the size of the pointers directly on the map.

Environmental atlas (88)pointers (comparizons)

5) this is the pointer comparison, when you can see for each service where the neighborhood is compared with the rest of the city.

Environmental atlas (88)ongoing transformations

6) and then the last part, the most important one, regarding the ongoing transformations. usually when a private company wants to build on an area, it has to pay to the municipality the so called urbanization tax". as an alternative to the tax the constructor can choose to build a service (usually infrastructures, planned to be built some years before the effective moment, in the traditional plan of services...)with this method the public administration can say to the constructor what is the effective need of the neighborhood in terms of services at the exactmoment of the negotiation...

and so, for example, if in 2013 there's a safety problem in the park of the neighborhood X, the municipality can swap the urbanization tax with, maybe, the construction of an efficient lighting system....of course, if I have to plan now what will be the needs of the neighborhood X in 2013, it would be a bit un-real...

* information here is the amount of different datas available

designin a correct information process system is to deal with all this different datas, understand how to visualize them, how to compare them, and how to enable quick decision proceses.

...a working prototype

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the Milan situation

NOW / the Milan situation.The Plan is still a prototype.

Due to the very long approval process (italian), the entire Plan has been approved at beginning of 2011, and should be put in practice through the work of different offices and people in the Municipality that have been involved in the design process and carefully trained to keep the cyclical update alive.

In fact, the Mayor has just changed (in May) and we will learn what will happen to the Plan in the following months.

milanopersceltathe Communication of the PGT

A very important part of the Plan for the city is itsA very important part of the Plan for the city is its comunication to the citizens,We've personally designed this part, thorugh a Website called milanoperscelta, unfortunately it's in Italian.We've personally designed this part, thorugh a Website called milanoperscelta, unfortunately it's in Italian.

milanopersceltathe Communication of the PGT

Milano per scelta (www.milanoperscelta.it)is the official website of the new Territorial Administration Plan of the City of Milan, so the whole Plan, not only the act regarding Public services.The basic option is of course to download the thousand pages of the Plan document, but the most interesting feature are:- 15 30 second videos that allow citizens to understand in a super easy / visual and immediate way the 15 goals of the Plan

milanopersceltathe Communication of the PGT

- an interactive role-playing game where the citizen is supposed to be the Mayor and has to deal with effective weight and worth in terms of time, costs, attractivity, quality... of the choices he makes.

In a way it's very similar to the Urbanology game we've seen at BMWguggenheim lab, it lets citizens explore and understand the amount of elements that compose the planning of a city, and how choices always have a price.

milanopersceltathe Communication of the PGT

(at the very end they get a feedback in the form of a Mayor Profile, which kind of Mayor would you be?)

design of the other thingsthe Communication of the PGT

The game is shown through the website, and has also became at first a temporary exhibition at triennale "design of the other things"and a permanent exhibition at the Urban center of Milan..

* information here the Plan in all of its constituencies

designin a correct information process system is to make complex datas and processes accessible, and to create the motivation for access them through a playful engagement.

* appropriateness

In our experience, as professionals and researchers, the most difficult task is the definition of what is appropriate in different situations.

We think that appropriateness is at the center of any design issues.In this context the design has to set itself new goals: understanding how ways of knowing, methods, logic and skills can change the way products, services, processes and strategies are developed.

DESIGN AS AN INFORMATION PROCESS: A Public Services Plan for the Municipality of Milan

more on us at:www.accurat.it

[email protected]@accurat.it

more on us:www.accurat.it