Welcome to the UNLOCK15-Toolbox - we are collecting tools to empower „agents of change“ from civil society as well as city officials to unlock existing lock-ins. We hope you will find some relevant tools to drive change towards mobility transition in your context!

From experience, three types of tools are need for real change: tools to create and communicate evidence, tools to envision possible futures and scenarios and participatory tools for on-site action.

Evidence

This type of tools help you to collect evidence, which supports the change you are aiming for. Some tools also allow crowd-based approaches to involve citizens in a broad manner. Evidence helps to convince decision makers to back-up change.

Mapping and analysing facades

"We need parking space otherwise our shops will die!" This is an argument often brought forward by opponents of street transformation. The urban design studio prostorož confronted this claim with evidence. They analysed the facades of the street by the following categories: Lively facade, active facade, monument, empty facade, unremarkable facade. They could show that a lot of the ground floor was at that point in time not occupied.

prostorož combined this analysis with analysing parking place occupancy and human behaviour to build an even stronger argument: A street full of cars is not helping shops at the moment. By combining all these analysis they managed to convince the decision makers to give that street a human friendly makeover!

Observing and visualising human behaviour in public space

Collecting data on how people use space can give you a solid foundation to discuss how it should be designed. The free public live app helps you to collect the data you need when observing people. The second link leads you to a website where you can download an analog version with excel sheets. The picture is an example how you could visualise the collected data, done by urban design studio prostorož.

Measuring the speed of public transport

We can’t reduce the speed limit on this road because the busses would loose time!“ This or similar arguments may come up in discussions about street transformations. Maybe with your local knowledge you think: „Because of the frequent stops, the local busses don’t go beyond 30 km/h anyways.“ In those situations, it can help to bring evidence for your argument into the discussion. For example by measuring the speed of busses. Think in advance how to make your data collection as valid as possible within your ressources. To produce solid evidence about the speed of public transport we suggest the following steps:

1. Make a plan how you will collect your data: What do you want to measure (one busline in both directions between bus stop X and Y), when (on peak/off peak, which days) and how often (how many times per day)
2. Install an App that collects GPX-Tracks (data that links speed with location)
3. Ride the busses according to your data collection plan
4. Find someone who knows how to use QGIS (open source program for making maps) and install the plug-in for GPX Segment importer (https://plugins.qgis.org/plugins/GpxSegmentImporter/#plugin-about)
5. If everything works out the result should be maps like the ones you see here.
6. Think about how you want to communicate the data: In a confidential setting or rather to a bigger audience?

more tools for Evidence…

Vision

In this category you find tools that help you to create a vision of what you are aiming for. A strong vision is key for driving change because it helps you to grow as a movement and to shift public opinions. This category also includes tools that help you envision how you want to work together as a group.

A shared digital ToDo-List to get you vision on track

There are several digital to do lists out there, that can help you as a group to organise projects, assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress collaboratively. Trello is free until ten collaborators, wekan and kanboard are completely open source.

Power Mapping

Power Mapping is a visual method for strategically analyzing actors, relationships, and dynamics of influence. It helps identify the right target individuals or institutions — those who actually have the authority to make or shape decisions — and reveals through which pathways and allies one can gain access to them or build pressure on them.

Making processes in public administration more transparent

Mapping of relevant workflows within the public administration to identify critical points / steps.

more tools for Vision…

Action

Small steps towards the realisation of local change can help to make the vision tangible and also easier to be discussed. Tools for action help to make the impact of change tangible and involve local communities.

Bikebus

Bikebus is an organized bicycle group for children who cycle safely to school together with accompanying adults. Like a school bus, only by bicycle.

Window Banner

Initiatives use window banners to communicate their demands to the public. This creates visibility and helps the initiative grow, encouraging more and more people to join the cause and the banner campaign.

Platform for free meeting spaces

A simple, user-friendly tool for overview and booking of free spaces for use by initiatives.

more tools for Action…