New Cornerstone Project: The Auckland Indicators Model
In 2017, the Committee has accelerated a pivotal strategic initiative that has been evolving for some time, one that a wide range of Auckland’s stakeholders now want to happen. It’s the creation of a data-led Auckland Performance Measurement model.
The foundation of the project has been progressed in the first quarter of 2017, along with a first round of consultation. The initiative is supported by a multitude of stakeholders. Our consultations with the Auckland Council, central government and others showed that there was a high level of enthusiasm for the Committee to drive the initiative forward.
There is also a strong consensus that the Committee is the right organisation to take the lead in the project, given its cross-sectoral, unbiased and independent nature. We also have the benefit of a broad membership which can provide some of the data needed, relevant to their areas of operation, beyond the core public data sources that will be tapped into.
The timing is right for this project for a host of other reasons. We are in a new age of predictive ‘big data’, progressive ‘smart’ cities (our competitors) are pursuing data initiatives, and the Open Data movement is gathering momentum (In NZ, the Open Government Information and Data Programme is moving from LINZ to Statistics New Zealand.) It’s irrefutable that what gets measured gets improved. A city’s ability to measure, predict, course-correct and improve decision-making is tied ever closer to having good metrics and open data.
The measurement tool will provide an evidence-based city-wide snapshot of progress, in any moment, showing performance against a long-range vision. International benchmarking is only one element. Cities are different, nuanced, and face different problems. The challenge is to design a purpose-driven model that is fit for Auckland, a ‘machine’ with indicators and data-feeds that identify progress and performance against Auckland’s particular goals, needs and opportunities.
The model will evolve and improve as new data sources become available through a range of factors including openness, technology and public involvement. The ultimate aim is to have data being fed into the data portal from all points at all moments so that our city can respond better, and at a faster pace, to the growth challenges ahead. The metric will be a platform for the Committee’s future priorities and actions in civic leadership.
In the foundational work underway, research is being spearheaded by two young Committee analysts, Gaurav Aggarwal and Cristian Mandiola. They have looked at international benchmarking measures and are now moving onto local models, indices, range of data sources, and data availability from stakeholders.
As we reach out to stakeholders, we encourage our Committee members to proactively get in touch to discuss how they can help. Different members will have different data streams to recommend or contribute, based on how they function economically, socially, culturally and environmentally. This is an exciting initiative. More soon on its implementation.
