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.

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. In those situations, it can help to bring evidence 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?

Joint Survey between initiatives and district politics

A joint survey between district politics and initiatives has potential to drive change. A survey means to ask inhabitants of an area what they like or don't like about status quo and what they want to change. The initiative has local knowledge of the area and knows what is important to ask. The survey results give politicans guidance what kind of change is backed up by the inhabitants. From our experience a joint survey is possible when

1. all involved people are amicable towards each other
2. there is a third neutral party (for example science project or neighbourhood management) that coordinates the process

Collecting data about parking occupancy

Opponents of street transformation often claim, that there are to little parking possibilities. But is that true? Evidence in Ljubljana showed that the city has rather a problem with how parking space is unevenly occupied. The urban design studio prostorož suggested the following steps to collect data about parking space occupancy.

1. define the area of observation (street / block / neighbourhood)
2. prepare the site plan of all the parking spots you will observe / have access to, regardless of ownership
3. set a hypothesis (e.g. parking is occupied by employees, not generating income for local shops)
4. create an observation plan: check occupancy one Wednesday and Saturday; and granular occupancy of observed parking lots every 2 hours, starting from 5 AM to 12:00 PM
5. graphically present data for example via Q-GIS and interpret results

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.

Headlines from the future

A participatory activity to support aspirational goal setting, by imagining a more positive future.

Learning public participation hub

The Vienna Climate Team is a participatory initiative in Vienna that brings residents, local stakeholders, and the city administration together to co-develop and implement climate protection measures at the district level. It enables citizens to submit ideas, collaborate with experts, and take part in decision-making processes related to urban sustainability.

Understanding your target groups

Card Sort is a simple yet powerful method for uncovering what matters most to your target audience. Participants rank a set of word or image cards by preference, quickly revealing key priorities and opening the door to deeper conversations about personal values and motivations.

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.

Making specific demands that are backed up by evidence

The "Platz für Wien" Initiative had a lasting impact on Vienna because they specified their demands and backed them up with scientific findings (e.g., demand for 50 km of bicycle lanes by 2030). They even has scientists speaking up for them, which made their demands even more valid.

Streetgames

How your neighbourhood should look like should be a concern of everybody living there, right? In reality it can be hard getting in touch with people about this topic. Especially if they have a different social or cultural background than you. The initiative "MeiMeidling" faced this challenge and had a breakthrough: They blocked an alley from cars and organised street games. Especially the big skipping rope was loved by the kids. In no time the parents joined. For the first time members of the initative talked to neighbours, that were strangers to them until this moment. Knowing your neighbours does not only increase life quality but also paves the way for better communication about how this neighbourhood should look like in the future.

Streetdesign table

By setting up a table in the street, a big print of the layout of your street and pens you can provide a fun way to develop ideas for greening, traffic calming and street furniture. You could discuss with passers-by what uses they would like to see, what space is needed for them, and what ideas they can come up with. From a simple cycle path to a vibrant street park! If you live in Vienna, the platform WirMachenWien can assist and do the workshop with you.

more tools for Action…