Browsing by Author "Sistrunk, Andreea"
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- Redistrict: Designing a Self-Serve Interactive Boundary Optimization SystemSistrunk, Andreea; Self, Nathan; Biswas, Subhodip; Luther, Kurt; Verdezoto, Nervo; Ramakrishnan, Naren (ACM, 2023-07-10)The assignment of parcels of land afects many communal activities, from voting to public school assignments. This process creates unease and often has a strong impact on communities. We propose Redistrict, an interactive web-based system designed to support redistricting deliberations for public school zoning. Redistrict helps community members explore and experiment with the possible consequences of various zoning scenarios. This point-and-click digital discovery activity allows the user to understand long-term implications of proposed zonings and to provide feedback in an easy, intuitive way. By providing the opportunity for more people, individually or collectively, to look at the problem from diferent points of view, Redistrict promotes transparency, shared understanding, and cooperation. We designed Restrict to serve as a common information space to help cultivate trust and enable communities to grow stronger, smarter, and more resilient.
- Redistrict: Online Public Deliberation Support that Connects and Rebuilds Inclusive CommunitiesSistrunk, Andreea; Self, Nathan; Biswas, Subhodip; Luther, Kurt; Diaz Verdezoto, Nervo; Ramakrishnan, Naren (ACM, 2024-04-23)Public deliberations are often a staple ingredient in community decision-making. However, traditional, time-constrained, in-person debates can become highly polarized, eroding trust in authorities, and leaving the community divided. This is the case in redistricting deliberations for public school zoning. Seeking alternative ways of support, we evaluated the potential introduction of an online platform that combines multiple streams of data, visualizes school attendance boundaries, and enables the manipulation of representations of land parcels. To capture multiple stakeholders’ values about the potential to enhance public engagement in school rezoning decision-making through an online platform, we conducted interviews with 12 participants with previous experiences in traditional, in-person deliberations. Insights from the interviews highlight the several roles an online platform could take, especially as it provides alternative means of participation (online, synchronous, and asynchronous). Additionally, we discuss the potential for technology to increase the visibility and participation of multiple community actors in public deliberations and present implications for the design of future tools to support public decision-making.