Urban Benchmarking step-by-step

USESPON workshop on Urban Benchmarking

6.11.2013 Dorota Celińska-Janowicz

Urban Benchmarking step-by-step

• Aim

Scope

• Data: gathering & analysis

Visualisation

• Interpretation

Discussion

Urban Benchmarking step-by-step

• Aim

Scope

• Data: Gathering and analysis

Visualisation

• Interpretation

Discussion

Step 1: Aim and scope

• Aim

Diagnosis (assessment)

Development goals (strategic documents, consultations)

Communication about achievements

• Scope

Type of analysis: processes vs results

Type of reference group – other cities, external standards

Thematic scope

Reference group – selection criteria, final choice

TRAP:Starting analysis

without defining an aim

ESPON FOCI, SGPTD, ESPON

typologies

Identification of cities for a reference group

ESPON FOCI: Typology of metropoltan areas,based on GDP dynamic 1995-2004

Urban Benchmarking step-by-step

• Aim

Scope

• Data: Gathering and analysis

Visualisation

• Interpretation

Discussion

Step 2: Data and visualisation

• Gathering data Sources: national, Eurostat, ESPON Completeness - time, territorialComparability - methodology of indicators (important also during

interpretation) Final selection of indicators (accurate, understandable, interpretable, adequate

number) Qualitative elements – yes/no

Preliminary database

• Calculations relativisation– per capita, density, percentages,

combining categiories, standarisation of units, currencies

Final database

• Visualisation: maps, graphs

TRAPS:- Concentration on

easily measurable factors

- Outdated indicators

ESPON Database, Hyperatlas, CityBench

Visualisation

Benchmarking of Warsaw, Berlin and Paris metropolitan areas

Source: www.mojapolis.pl

TRAPS:- Map: choice of presentation method (cartogram, diagrams), adequate intervals

- Information oversupply – lack of readability

ESPON Best Metropolises

Visualisation

Source: Eurostat

Aim of the analysis – diagnosismade by experts (specialists)

Aim of the analysis – communication to public audience

Visualisation

Source: www.fastcoexist.com/

Urban Benchmarking step-by-step

• Aim

Scope

• Data: gathering and analysis

Visualisation

• Interpretation

Discussion

Step 3: Interpretation and discussion• Unusual results (outliers)

Calculation mistakes Data quality

• Comparison to the reference group Which values are good – high, low, medium Our city compared to others – strenghts and weaknesses >> causes>> ways of

improvement Qualitative aspects – now they can be included into analysis

• Trends (historical data) Postive/negative/neutral Possible causes – universal, specific for our city

• The aim Diagnosis >> improvement plan >> benchmarking as monitoring Development goals Identification of the lider – source of good practices Communication – broader discussion

TRAPS:- Misinterpretation

- Ranking rather than Benchmarking

- Best practices copy-paste approach

Useful links

Źródło: Eurostat

• ESPON FOCI http://www.espon.eu/main/Menu_Projects/Menu_AppliedResearch/foci.html

• ESPON SGPTD http://www.espon.eu/main/Menu_Projects/Menu_AppliedResearch/SGPTD.html

• ESPON BEST METROPOLISES http://www.espon.eu/main/Menu_Projects/Menu_TargetedAnalyses/bestmetropolises.html

• ESPON CityBench http://espon.geodan.nl/citybench/#

• ESPON Database database.espon.eu/db2

• ESPON Hyperatlas http://hypercarte.espon.eu/HyperCarte/initLicense.action

• EUROSTAT – Metropolitan Regions http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/region_cities/metropolitan_regions

• OECD Regional Statistics and Indicators www.oecd.org/gov/regional-policy/regionalstatisticsandindicators.htm

Thank you