Project Name— Ann Arbor Living Lab Interactive Map
Type— Mapping, Data Visualization, Qualitative Research
Role— Researcher, Designer
About this project
This project served the dual purpose of producing a map of Ann Arbor’s Mobility Ecosystem as well as generating data for my first year doctoral student research project in 2020/2021. I conducted roughly 45 interviews with various stakeholders from the mobility ecosystem as a way of understanding how mobility was “made” in the southeastern Michigan. Part of this process involved visualizing the data around startups and new mobility projects started by large corporates as well to understand (1) spatial distributions of finance in SE Michigan, (2) what industry sectors are most prevalent, and (3) what types of partnerships are being created through innovations zones or proving grounds. The research concluded with the production of the map, where I then began to draft the paper.
Deliverables
Michigan Mobility map, coded interviews, and a research publication
Process
First, we established an IRB application that listed the intentions of the research and the terms of the research partnership. Following this approval, I began conducting research using data given to be by Ann Arbor SPARK as well as through independent research. After I established a list of research participants, I conducted brief 30-minute semi-structured interviews that were developed in partnership with Ann Arbor SPARK. As we went, I joined qualitative data with quantitative and spatial data to produce the map attached at the bottom of the page. The map was intended to be descriptive and aimed to serve the Ann Arbor community to know what kinds of innovation was happening in their backyards, as well as for entrepreneurs and innovators seeking a home for their startup or economic development project.
