Françoise Provencher - How to measure a city | PyData Amsterdam 2024

Montreal used 6 key indicators to measure city livability: shops/services, public transit, cycling networks, parks/green spaces, schools, and cultural infrastructure

Five criteria for good city metrics:

• Simplicity (easy to understand for stakeholders)
• Faithfulness (captures intended measurement)
• Sensitivity (reflects meaningful changes)
• Precision (allows for nuanced measurement)
• Cost effectiveness (considers limited resources)

Used 15-minute city concept as foundation - measuring what amenities/services are accessible within 15-minute walk radius

Population density targets help achieve efficiency in infrastructure/services while enabling transit viability and community amenities

Different transportation modes were weighted differently:

• Metro rated 10x better than bus service
• Train rated 2x better than Metro
• Weights based on speed and passenger capacity

Data challenges included:

• Accuracy of points of interest data
• Need for manual verification of businesses
• Computing limitations requiring Apache Sedona/Spark
• Balancing precision vs. practicality

Important to acknowledge that metrics contain inherent opinions/biases and be transparent about methodology

Social justice considerations must be included - ensuring cities are designed for all residents

Solutions need to be tailored to each city’s unique characteristics and needs

Success metrics should be both detailed enough for experts and simple enough for general public understanding