How Fictional Characters Can Give Real Perspective to Planners
"RPA has created 10 profiles meant to represent — in a statistically true sense — the people who live in the region. The personas will serve as a sort of fictional oversight panel tasked with holding the [Regional Plan Association's Fourth Regional Plan] accountable to its true mission," reports Eric Jaffe.
Jaffe explains just how the RPA generated the "avatars": "RPA derived the profiles (or avatars, as they're called in-house) from the latest Census data. Geography was the overarching metric, followed by 13 separate statistics chosen to align the profiles with actual metro area demographics as closely as possible. Since only 8 percent of the region lives in Manhattan, for instance, only one avatar calls it home; and since Manhattan also has one of the area's largest white populations, that avatar also is white. And on down the list."
"Once the plan is more fleshed out, the avatars could function as a kind of jury to evaluate the strength of a particular plan element."
Topics
- Portland's Long-Term Transportation Plans Include a Downtown Subway
- Mapping the Tools of Discrimination
- Overcoming Density Opponents by Listening to Them
- Is This Really Penn Station?
- It's Too Hot to Fly in Phoenix Today
- Surveying the Suburban Office Market
- No Cars Allowed on Portland's New Street
- A Rap Song About Bike Safety? Yes Please.
- Urine Trouble: MARTA Station Elevators to Get Pee Alarms
- NACTO Releases New 'Urban Stormwater Guide'
- Seattle Adds Bus Capacity to Accommodate Amazon Interns
- New Tallest Building West of the Mississippi Now Open
- Tri-Cities Emerging as a Solar Demonstration Hub for the Pacific Northwest
- Business Owners Vote to Fund Sacramento Streetcar Operations
- The New Apple Store in Chicago Looks a lot Like a Laptop
- Invasive Fish Encroaching on the Great Lakes While Army Corps Study Languishes
- Bamboo Regulations Almost as Popular as Bamboo in New Jersey
- Los Angeles Councilmember Chooses the Side of Traffic Safety
- Cap Park Planned for I-579 Near Downtown Pittsburgh
- Will Alaska Return Millions of Dollars for Bike and Pedestrian Projects to the Feds, Again?
