Which is better: technology or shoe leather?

I’m sure you saw this coming, but the answer really is “You need them both.”

We have a wealth of data and analytic tools out there that can summarize and profile all sorts of important things. We all have our go-to platforms, based on what we’re doing. Perhaps the most obvious, long-extant resource is the Census Transportation Planning Product (CTPP). In my mind, this was a data mash-up that’s been around since before mash-ups were a thing. All things Census-related that pertain to transportation are under this hood, which you can find via http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/census_issues/ctpp/, among other places.

Because of the work I do, I’m often spending time in the “On The Map” site, which is maintained through Census’s Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics site, mashing up labor statistics with Census’ own data. It does one set of things, but it does them pretty well, and is a great way to start conversations about the jobs, housing and commuting patterns in an area. If you’ve never been there, take time to go to http://onthemap.ces.census.gov.

Recently, EPA released a data tool called “EJSCREEN.” It’s a screening and mapping tool around environmental justice, and helps you see how a dozen environmental indicators mash up with a half-dozen demographic indicators for any place in the country, I saw a presentation on this at the latest Transportation Research Board meeting, and definitely am intrigued. It’s another of these tools that is meant for a single purpose. In this case, it’s great for framing the context of EJ concerns in any particular area. It won’t solve a single thing, or plan your strategies for you, but it sure is a great way to start the conversation. I’m going to spend a fair amount of time at http://www.epa.gov/ejscreen; maybe you’ll be there, too.

But here’s the thing: these tools are not going to generate answers. If anything, they create the questions that are appropriate to a community. If you’re going to create any viable plans, strategies or solutions, you’ve got to get out of your office or cubicle, and go meet with people. Ask the questions that these and other tools can help frame for you. Listen to what’s important to people, and then discern how their concerns fit in with your plans and programs. Listening is often hard work, especially if you’ve got community differences, cultural diversity, or the simply stated challenge of busy people without a lot of time on their hands to come to meetings or events.