EDA Journal Vol 15 No 3 | Page 11

Figure 2 : Childcare Access .

The left image shows the walking catchments for five childcare centres in the LGA of Hobsons Bay , Victoria . This simple visualisation suggests a gap in supply in the far west and east of the LGA . The second map , however , shows parents will visit from all over the LGA , and that proximity is not necessarily essential for ensuring access . The clustering of childcare centres may have commercial or logistical benefits that would be undermined by building a new centre in the west or east .

requirements . That is , specific , measurable , achievable , relevant and time-bound . This approach emphasises impact indicators over input indicators . That is , indicators that draw on data that is relatively easy to collect , relevant , timely , and with directionality ( i . e ., it is unequivocal which direction is preferred for the change in any particular indicator / data point ).

WHY SMART DATA ? Using poorly conceived indicators and data and focusing on inputs rather than impacts is more common than we realise and harder to correct than we might hope . It requires a shift from input to impact objectives and from ‘ dumb ’ to smart data .

By way of example , securing funding to build a childcare centre to improve access to childcare services may be an action for a community development strategy . However , deciding to build a new childcare centre based on the observation that there is a geographical gap in the supply is an inputbased approach . A better ( impact-based ) objective is to “ improve child well-being ”. Better access to childcare services may not be the best method for improving this . Even if we can conclude better access to childcare services is the optimum solution , a geographical gap in supply ( something that is relatively easy to measure with a basic GIS exercise ) may not be the cause of poor access . Figure 2 shows that parents are willing to travel to take their children to childcare centres . Proximity may not be the barrier to access . It could be price , staffing issues or any number of other problems .

Furthermore , clustering childcare centres into the town centre may be a more effective way of addressing pricing or staffing issues at the centres . Building one in a far-flung corner of the city may not be the optimum approach . SMART data help identify these types of solutions .

THE UMF The outcome of the UMF background work was the creation of a single recommended framework ( Figure 3 ).

Figure 3 : Global Urban Monitoring Framework .

SDG11 ( 15 targets )

New Urban Agenda Commitments

Make cities and human settlements inclusive , safe , resilient and sustainable

Sustainable urban development for social inclusion and ending poverty Sustainable and inclusive urban prosperity and opportunities for all

Environmentally sustainable and resilient urban development

Building governance structure : establishing a supportive framework Planning and managing urban spatial development

Means of implementation

Reporting and Analytics

This shows the basic structure of the UMF . Each of the 20 boxes includes specific indicators to measure that attribute — for example , a safe society or a resilient culture . The UMF background material includes clear definitions of the objectives of safe , inclusive , resilient and sustainable , as well as the differences between the domains of society , economy , environment , culture and governance .

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT JOURNAL VOL 15 NO 3 2022 11