Madison Open Data User Research
Can open data support equitable neighborhoods? That was one of the most important questions we asked in Madison, Wisconsin. A team of researchers, including myself, undertook a two week research sprint to better understand how residents of Madison are using open data in their communities, and challenge the possibilities of a tool to solve systemic problems.
We conducted over 30 one-hour interviews with residents of Madison from a range of backgrounds. The data was synthesized to identify patterns and opportunities.
Following the research, the team created a set of six user personas and user journeys, representative of commmon experiences held by Madison's residents when it comes to using (or not using, as was often the case) Madison's open data.
Additionally, we made recommendations to the City as to how their open data program should be designed in order to be responsive to the needs identified in the research process.
Complete findings deck, journeys, and personas can be found here.