Methodology

Solo Kota Kita combines a decentralized survey approach with simple technology to illustrate the assets and issues in each of Solo’s neighborhoods. The process has four steps – 1) data collection, 2) mapping, 3) analysis, and 4) distribution.

First, we send Community Facilitators to collect data from the Ketua RT in Solo’s neighborhoods. Ketua RT are leaders ofRTs, which are the smallest administrative unit in Solo. The Ketua RT have data about education, poverty, and other issues, which the Facilitators collect using a questionnaire.

Solo Kota Kita’s 12 Community Facilitators work independently and spend a lot of time in the neighborhoods. There are over 2,700 RTs in Solo, which means the Facilitators interacted with at least 2,700 residents during the survey. This approach allows the team to cover a lot of area and gain on-the-ground knowledge of what’s happening in the neighborhoods.

Next, we input the survey data into Geographic Information Systems (GIS). GIS is a computer technology that takes tabular data and connects it to maps of the city. This means we can map where poverty is high in Solo, for example, and where it is low.

The team then works together to analyze how each neighborhood is developing. We look at the data and maps to understand how each neighborhood compares to the rest of the city and how each indicator is distributed within the neighborhood.

Everyone on the team brings a different perspective – since the Community Facilitators spend so much time in the field, they are aware of what residents perceive are assets and issues. We record the ideas of the analysis in a mini atlas.

Lastly, we distribute the mini atlas to residents so they can use it in participatory budgeting. The mini atlases are printed and distributed to neighborhood leaders. They are also posted in newspaper kiosks at community centers. Lastly, anyone can download a mini atlas from solokotakita.org.