Suggestions for Data Partnership

Initiating Data Collaboration

Having appropriate up-to-date information about the cultural resources is critical to good cultural planning and management. As suggested by the Canadian Municipal Cultural Planning Inc. (2010), the underlying principle of any partnership framework for PCM is that the responsibility for collecting, updating and enriching mapping information must rest with those organizations most familiar to the content of that data. Before discussing these recommendations, it is important for those organization to understand the commitments involved in the cultural mapping partnership framework from having a unified way of grouping cultural information, to having a shared technology platform as well as a dedication to give to shaping future projects related to mapping cultural assets in the community.

While setting the foundation of a cultural mapping information baseline requires drawing and consolidating data from different sources, the question that needs to be asked is whether the data can be easily obtained and at affordable cost? And does it come from reliable source? This important task in designing a cultural mapping project suggests the need of a unified framework for information partnership among different people and organizations involved in cultural development in the community (Creativity Network of Canada, 2008; Colin, 2005; Baeker, 2010). Equally important, the partner organizations should have a sense of why they are involved. Potential partners in cultural mapping may include municipal partners, community partners as well as private partners (Ontario Municipal Cultural Planning, 2010). The diagram below illustrates these potential partners.

Basic Guideline for Data Partnership

Participatory cultural mapping projects pay attention to the fact that equity should be a guiding principle in building a data partnership between organizations in the community. Political, human and financial resources are also needed as part of the collaboration process. One critical step in any partnership attempt is to make sure that the different people and the agencies involved know what the partnership is about, what are the common goal, who is doing what, and which outcomes are expected (Jana Machačová et al. , 2006; Creative City Canada, 2008). Therefore, first communications with potential partners should revolve around building the basic understanding of what can be achieved through PCM. Generally, building a successful data collaboration requires agreement on the following elements:

As suggested by the Municipal Cultural Planning Inc. (2010), the first momentum can be either locally driven, or bottom-up, where the need for better collaboration is recognized; or policy driven, or top-down, when someone at the central level considers the partnership approach to be the right one for the solution to a certain type of problem. Whatever the motive to initiative a partnership for mapping and planning the cultural assets in the community, there are key factors to bear in mind. First, it is important to get all the relevant actors to join in the partnership. Failure to invite or attract some of these key actors might turn out to be an ongoing weakness limiting options (Jana Machačová et al. , 2006).

Once all potential partners agreed on the principles, it is important to get formal commitment though “data sharing agreement” which sets out the terms for all parties involved in data partnership, including what information can be shared, for how long, and what it can be used for”. To have an agreement on these elements, partners have to share a vision and they also have to take part in articulating a strategy to realize that vision. This is an essential part to establishing a commitment to action from the different partners involved in the partnership (Ontario Municipal Cultural Planning Inc., 2010).

Next Steps in Design Process

• Get a programmers to consider feasibility of technology
• Find out if companies would subsidize service for marketing and branding opportunities
• Build more technical prototype and physical design to test on different users
• Investigate methods to combine all different layers of information extracted from each user

Additionally, a project work plan should address project goals and scope. The following first questions are also important to consider:

• Who should lead?
• Where will the database be housed?
• Who are some likely partners?
• What data already exists within the community?
• What will this cost?
• What funding sources exist that can help make the case for and support Cultural Resource Mapping?

Assessing Costs

• To begin the budgeting process, you will want to assess the level of effort and costs associated with:
• Technical resources (GIS software, GIS and IT staff or consultants).
• Primary data collection that may be required (should be minimal).
• Checking, inputting and consolidating data.
• Regular meetings with your project partners.
• The cost of community engagement workshops to inform your project and build support.
• The cost of time allocated for consultant and staff.
• Ongoing costs including maintaining data and performing analysis and making maps to illustrate findings.