CUTGroup 14 - Chicago Cityscape Final Report

CUTGroup 14 – Chicago Cityscape
In-person test on February 5, 2015
Introduction
For our fourthteenth Civic User Testing session, we tested Chicago Cityscape, a website that tracks
building permits, violations, and historic resources in all neighborhoods, community areas, and wards
using open data
Target Group:
On Friday, January 30, we sent out an email to all of our 831 CUTGroup participants. We wanted to
know if they would be available for an in-person test on Thursday, February 5. We also asked them
some screening questions:
 Are you currently renting your home?
 Do you plan to buy a home in Chicago within the next year?
 How involved are you in your neighborhood or community you live in?
 Do you belong to a neighborhood group? If so, which neighborhood group do you belong to?
When segmenting our testers we were interested in:
 A mixture of renters and homebuyers
 If individuals were homebuyer they did not need to be active in the community
 If a resident and not purchasing a home, then we were looking for testers who are involved in
their community
Test Type:
We did an in-person test with proctors working one-on-one with testers directly. Testers either used
their own laptops or one that Smart Chicago provided for testing.
Questions:
Steven Vance, creator of Chicago Cityscape, was interested in testing these things:
 Usability: Are there functions that are difficult to use or provide different information than
expected. What do testers look at or do first when visiting the website? In what ways can
Chicago Cityscape be improved?
 Desired features: better understanding of the type of information that residents and
homebuyers look for when researching neighborhoods or potential properties to live in. What
are the pieces of information that residents/homebuyers most interested in? What pieces of
information are they least interested in?
 Paid Services: Is there an interest in paying for these services at a low rate?
1

Part I Responses
Are you interested in what is being built or torn down in your neighborhood?
Yes 92% (12)
No 8% (1)
How do you find out about these changes in your neighborhood?
6 – Community news outlets
4 – Walking around neighborhood
2 – TV stations
1 – Civic Lab (TIF Illumination Project)
1 – 311 Website
1 – Aldermen Emails
Here are some specific neighborhood groups or news outlets (in no particular order):
Chicago Tribune
DNA Info
Everyblock
Gapers Block
Logan Square ListServ
Redeye
What information about a property is most useful to you when purchasing a home
or other property?
Testers had a wide range of answers as to what property information was the most useful when
purchasing a home/property. Some testers have never purchased a home before and only rent. The
highest responses to this question were around price of the property and the property value. Here is a
count of the number of times we heard a specific response:
5 – Price
4 – Property value
3 – Close to public transit
3 – Neighborhood amenities/resources (ex: schools, shops, parks, etc)
3 – Condition of property
2 – Location
2 – Size of property
2 – Property taxes
1 – Age of property
1 – Neighborhood safety
On a scale from 1 - 5, how important are these pieces of information to you when
learning more about a property? What would you care about?
2

Building & Zoning information
5 Very Important 8% (1)
4 Important 31% (4)
3 Neutral 61% (8)
2 Slightly Important 0%
1 Not Important 0%
Property information
4 Important 8% (1)
3 Neutral 23% (3)
1 Not Important 0%
Property tax Information
4 Important 23% (3)
3 Neutral 8% (1)
1 Not Important 0%
Neighborhood data
4 Important 46% (6)
3 Neutral 8% (1)
1 Not Important 0%
Permits at the address
4 Important 31% (4)
3 Neutral 23% (3)
2 Slightly Important 23% (3)
1 Not Important 0%
Violations at the address
4 Important 38% (5)
3 Neutral 8% (1)
3

1 Not Important 0%
Historic resources nearby
4 Important 31% (4)
3 Neutral 38% (5)
1 Not Important 8% (1)
Permits nearby
5 Very Important 0%
4 Important 23% (3)
3 Neutral 31% (4)
1 Not Important 15% (2)
Part II Responses
Review the homepage. What do you think this Web site does?
When reviewing the homepage, the majority of testers mentioned one of these three features or topics:
map on the homepage, permits, and who they thought the target audience is for the website. Here are
key responses:
Map
9 out of 13 testers (69%) mentioned the map located on the homepage. Here is what our testers said:
Iggy's Mom (#7) says, “I always go to the map first… [it] shows information on building
permits. Going to the map is more interesting.
Construction watcher (#2) says, “The map shows the details on the building, tells you the
address. I like that, that’s a good way to be nosy and see what people are doing to their houses.
It’s a cool website so far.”
Hardest Worker (#4) says, “It seems kind of confusing at first. I’m having trouble
understanding specifically what it is for. I do like that it has the maps. The map on the home
page showing recent permits is useful.
Permits
6 out of 13 testers (46%) mentioned the permit information when reviewing the homepage.
Home buyer (#1) says, the homepage “looks like it’s showing construction permits for a
specific location in the neighborhood; shows what’s around.”
4

Not sure who target audience is
5 out of 13 testers were not clear about who the target audience for the website is. Here are some
things our testers said:
Architect Dropout (#11) says, “It doesn’t seem super targeted to your average Jane, seems
targeted to a business, not very consumer targeted… doesn’t seem to want to sell me anything,
feels more like an industry site.”
Both HomeSweet (#12) and Big on Community & IT Field #geekchic (#3) said that
they thought this was a real estate/homebuyers website.
Explore the site. What's the first thing you do?
When exploring the website, most testers did not an overwhelmingly clear first step or action. 4 out of
13 testers (31%) viewed or clicked on the map on the homepage, 3 testers (25%) typed in an address,
while the rest of the testers did a variety of other first actions.
4 – Viewed or Clicked on Map
3 – Typed in a Chicago Address
2 – Click "Find Permits"
1 – Other: Clicked all permits list
1 – Other: Clicked on new permit picture
1 – Other: Looked at the key to see what information is available
1 – Other: Recent New Construction Permit
0 – Click on Sign in Features
0 – Click "Companies"
0 – Click "Activities"
0 – Click "About"
Tell us more about the first thing you did.
A lot of testers were drawn to the map since it encompassed a lot of the homepage and testers liked
using the map to find more information. Other testers typed in an address that they were familiar with,
such as their home address to see what information would show up. Here are some responses from
testers about the first thing they did:
Construction watcher (#2) clicked the all permits list and said “I would prefer to look at the
individual list because the full-screen map didn’t show any details on the individual permits… It’s
easier to see and scroll down the list.”
Iggy’s Mom (#7) navigated around the map on the home page. “It is easy to click on a point to
get more information. The icons make sense. Explored permit detail page. Wondering how far
back map on home page goes.” Iggy’s Mom was curious about how “recent” was being defined.
Community Advocate (#8) typed in an address because “It's the first thing that came to
mind. I'm curious about what it will say about this place where I live, what information it would
show for this.”
5

Next, search for an address in your neighborhood that you might be interested in
learning more about. Tell us about your experience and the information you found
out. What address did you search for and what did you learn?
The majority of testers searched their own home addresses. 4 out of 13 testers had trouble searching
for an address. For example, Home buyer (#1) tried to search by “Wicker Park” but could not find a
result. Out of the testers that were able to complete the search, these were the top pieces of
information they found on the address snapshot page (number indicated number of testers who
mentioned these pieces of data):
6 – Demographics
3 – Alderman/ward/community information
3 – Crime
3 – Permits
2 out of 13 testers specifically called out that they did not know what “Historic Resources” meant.
Construction watcher (#2) also wasn’t sure what zoning district meant.
Here are some other things testers told us:
First time looker (#9) was confused by the ad with the rental prices that was in the middle of the
page and did not realize that it was an ad at first.
Big on Community & IT Field #geekchic (#3) was surprised by the large amount of data on this
page, and thought it would useful for Aldermen, community leaders, and contractors!
What was the most useful information you found on this page? Why?
Here are the most useful pieces of information testers found on this page:
3 – Neighborhood data
2 – Crime data
2 – Permit information
1 – Nearest Public Transit
1 – Map was most useful
1 – TIF information
Here are a couple of responses from testers who had difficulty finding useful information on this page:
Recurring Student (#13) says, “It didn't show any useful info on my building, but interesting
to see nearby permits”
First time looker (#8) says, “There's zoning information here that tells me something. But it's
not useful to me”
What was the least useful information you found on this page? Why?
Here are the least useful pieces of information testers found on this page:
2 – Zoning
6

2 – Population data/demographics
1 – School information
1 – PINs
1 – Comments section
1 – Adjoining tracts
1 – Historic information
1 – Permit information
1 – Nearby info
6 testers said pieces of information was the least useful because they were not sure what it meant or
there was not enough data available. Here are their responses:
Construction watcher (#2) says, “Zoning is a bit confusing, but it's not necessarily the least
useful. I don't see anything un-useful.”
Big on Community & IT Field #geekchic (#3) wasn’t sure what “PINs” meant.
Community Advocate (#5) explained that she was not sure how she would the adjoining
tracts information.
Non-Profit Pro (#6) had trouble searching for an address and browsed – “Population wasn't
useful because I'm unsure what the neighborhood is”
HomeSweet (#11) says, “The demographics, because it's not enough information. It has a link
to go to the census. But I'd like to know average.”
Recurring Student (#12) says, “It's kinda difficult - the zoning info is least useful mostly
beacuse it's not there.”
In what ways would you improve this Address Snapshot page?
Design Elements
5 out of 13 testers mentioned changing elements of the color and design as ways to improve the
Address Snapshot page. 2 out of these testers brought up that the advertisements on the page blend too
much with the page. For example: HomeSweet (#12) says, “Visually the page is rather simplistic and
not in a way that makes it easy to read. It's not immediately clear that the ad is an ad."
2 other testers said they wanted different map views such as a 3-D perspective or street view.
Highlight or change information structure
3 testers thought that information architecture on the pages should change and different pieces of
information should be highlighted. Non-Profit Pro (#6) said they wanted to see violations first, and
Iggy's mom (#7) said that “the most recent permits are more interesting than map and neighborhood
data. Move those above.”
Better definition or descriptions
3 testers mentioned providing better definitions about the information found on the Address Snapshot
page. For example, Iggy's Mom (#7) was not sure what “Historic Resources” means, and Recurring
Student (#13) did not know what a PIN is. In addition, Chicago Explorer (#10) wanted thought that
7

the “Building Information” headline encompassed all of the information on the page, so it would make
more sense to add different subtitles
Add more information about nearby buildings
2 testers wanted to have more information about what nearby businesses and restaurants were near the
address that they searched. Another tester, Architect Dropout (#11) was very interested in learning
about what the building used to be. For example, if it was a gas station or a dry cleaner.
Next, under "Find Permits" choose "in certain places & boundaries." Pick a place,
such as a community or neighborhood area, and tell us about your experience and
the information you learned.
When reviewing a place under “Find Permits,” the majority of testers had questions about the data they
were looking at. Here are some of the questions testers were asking:
 “Are these permits already approved?” -Big on Community & IT Field #geekchic (#3)
 “TIF district! I want to know what that is” -Non-Profit Pro (#6)
 “What's to be gained by showing the total estimated costs of the projects? What does change
time mean? How do you get access to the records? Do you have a way to get it quickly?” –
Construction Watcher (#2)
 First time looker (#9) asked what the purpose of permits were for, and thought that permits
were only needed when opening a store.
 “It looks like a long list of permits that have been issued. This one's a lot of money, it's $1
million, and two down this one is $1 for electric wiring. Maybe it's just a placeholder and they
don't know what it's going to cost?” –Community Advocate (#8)
 “Enterprise zone-- is that a TIF District?" –HomeSweet (#12)
2 out of 13 testers specifically mentioned that permits were not useful to them.
In addition, Big on Community & IT Field #geekchic (#3) and Community Advocate AL (#5)
both wanted to compare permit data between neighborhoods.
Chicago Explorer (#10) and First time looker (#9) both mentioned the paid subscriptions on this
page. First time looker (#9) thought the paywall in the description stifles here curiosity. She hasn't
used it enough to make a decision - there is no information on a trial readily available, no free content
on the outset, which turns her off because she doesn't even know if it's valuable to her yet. Chicago
Explorer (#10) added that “Subscribe-- doesn't appeal to me, but would if I were a mogul.”
How useful do you find this information?
5 Very Useful 17% (2)
4 Useful 50% (6)
3 Neutral 8% (1)
2 Slightly Useful 25% (3)
1 Not Useful 0%
8

Next, under "Find Permits" choose the map option and explore the map. Tell us
about your experience and the information you learned.
When testers were asked to look at the map under “Find Permits” some testers tried to decipher what
the circles with numbers indicated. A couple of testers were not sure and assumed that the number
indicated the number of permits in the area. Here are some other responses from testers:
Chicago Explorer (#10) thought that the two permits appearing in the South Loop were too
few since so many things are happening on Michigan Ave. “There is a lot going on there and
there are 4 permits.” She then discovered it was only for the past 14 days and told that the
timeline was not very clear. Hardest worker (#4) was also not clear on the timeline of the
map.
Recurring Student (#13) says, “This is really cool. This gives me a much better idea in my
head of what's happening. The first thing I looked at is replacing a wood porch. Seeing it here,
gave me a picture of the porches that are on the back on buildings. It says ‘issued two weeks
ago’ makes it standout. It gives me a good idea of what's going on.”
Did you find this information useful?
Yes 83% (10)
No 17% (2)
Why or why not?
Here are some responses from testers who said “No” this information was not useful:
Home buyer (#1) says, “I don't really use this information when looking for a house.”
Community advocate (#8) had some issues finding the right place to type in a neighborhood
and where to input an address. Also, the list view of this (on Places) is a little lengthy.
Here are a couple of responses from testers who said “Yes” this information is useful:
Chicago Explorer (#10) thinks that seeing the history of the neighborhood through permits is
interesting. If she was starting a business or looking for a property it would be useful, but she
would be someone who would not look for the last 14 days.
HomeSweet (#12) says “Yes, useful and fascinating.”
Next, explore the site and choose something that you're interested in learning
about. What did you choose?
3 – Architects
2 – Demolition
1 – Resources
1 – History research
1 – Top Companies
1 – Permits
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1 – Browses map
1 – New building information
Tell us why you chose what you did and about your experience.
Here are some responses from our testers:
Big on Community & IT Field #geekchic (#3) wanted to see more information about Top
Companies & Architects” but reached the monthly subscription page. He says, “You get
excited… and then you have to pay more.” He sees a real use of this website for contractors.
Community Advocate (#8) chose the Demolition Tracker out of curiosity, “I've got friends
in Detroit, and I read articles about that and demolition crews showing up and people there
squatting when the demolition crews. I'm curious how many buildings get destroyed and where
they get destroyed. 268 entries in the last 90 days seems like a lot. Pictures are a nice touch.
Some of these are pretty nice.”
Hardest Worker (#4) chose Resources and says, “It tells you about the types of permits and
fees. It is understandable. It gives you a list of assistance programs. It actually tells you what the
permits are. It is very useful. “
Do you like Chicago Cityscape?
Yes 83% (10)
No 17% (2)
Would you use Chicago Cityscape in the future?
Yes 83% (10)
No 17% (2)
In what ways would you improve Chicago Cityscape?
Design
Here are some ways that testers recommended improving design elements on Chicago Cityscape:
 Add more color and imagery
 Make the font a little bigger
 Add a legend to the map to describe icons
 Ads can be invasive and sometimes do not look like ads
First time looker (#9) adds, “It's a lot of words to read. It might be useful because there's a lot of
information - but if I just want to see something I want to see then probably not my first choice…. I just
realized that the search bar is the most important.”
10

Audience
Throughout the test, testers made mention of the targeted audience and made commented how certain
features are more useful to some groups and not others. Here are a few responses from our testers
when asked how to improve Chicago Cityscape:
Community Advocate AL (#5) asked who the audience was. She also asked if this could be
used to find major developers.
Chicago Explorer (#10) says, “it seems very oriented to construction information, not at all
as marketable as sites such as Apartment Finders.” Chicago Explorer doesn't see this as
particularly useful for a homebuyer and thinks that it is more for professional purposes.
Do you like CUTGroup?
Yes 100% (12)
No 0%
Did you like this CUTGroup test?
Yes 100% (12)
No 0%
Anything else to add?
Construction watcher (#2) says “I would like to see more tests in the future geared towards
issues for disabled people, like apps that benefit people that are disabled.”
Community advocate (#8) says “Less applicable to day to day life compared to the transit
app. I think I did one other with restaurant inspection results (that was interesting, but I haven't
used that at all).”
Iggy’s Mom (#7) says, “Site seems very usable”
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Results
Information
12 out of 13 testers are interested in learning more about what is being built or torn down in their
neighborhoods, and most look to community news outlets (such as DNA Info or Everyblock) for this
type of information. When learning about a property, testers said that these are the most important
pieces of information: property information, tax information, neighborhood data, and violations at that
specific address.
When testers were asked to search for an address in their neighborhood, most of them searched for
their home addresses and called out these pieces of data on the "Address Snapshot" page:
demographics, Aldermen/ward information, property taxes, crimes, and then permits. While there was
not a one-sided response to the "least useful information" question, a lot of testers had questions about
the data they were seeing on the pages. Here are a couple of ways that testers would improve the
Address Snapshot page:
 Change up the design elements: 5 out of 13 testers mentioned changing elements of the
color and design as ways to improve the Address Snapshot page. HomeSweet (#12) says,
“Visually the page is rather simplistic and not in a way that makes it easy to read. It's not
immediately clear that the ad is an ad."
 Highlight or change information structure: 3 testers thought that information on the
pages should change and different pieces of information should be highlighted. Testers also
mentioned that there was a lot of information on these pages, and it would be better if they
were organized with better definitions and descriptions.
When looking at the permit information, testers had an easier time navigating the permit information on
the map versus the information listed on the community or neighborhood area. Testers again had a lot
of questions about the data they were looking at, here are some examples:
“Are these permits already approved?” -Big on Community & IT Field #geekchic (#3)
“TIF district! I want to know what that is” -Non-Profit Pro (#6)
“What's to be gained by showing the total estimated costs of the projects? What does change
time mean? How do you get access to the records? Do you have a way to get it quickly?” –
Construction Watcher (#2)
83% of testers thought that the permit information was useful or interesting. Two testers wanted to
compare permit data in their neighborhood to other neighborhoods.
Chicago Explorer (#10), thought that seeing the history of the neighborhood through
permits is interesting.
12

Usability
For the most part, testers found it very easy to navigate the website. There was some confusion when
ads had a light background and matched Chicago Cityscape. In addition, testers had questions about the
map icons and had questions about the data types or the timeline of what was being displayed.
When first exploring the website, most testers did not an overwhelmingly clear first step or action. 4
out of 13 testers (31%) viewed or clicked on the map on the homepage, 3 testers (25%) typed in an
address, while the rest of the testers did a variety of other first actions. Most importantly, when testers
were first reviewing the homepage, 5 out of 13 testers (31%) were not clear who the audience was.
Audience
Throughout the test, testers mentioned useful and not useful information on every page and often
distinguished which information would be useful to one group but not to others. As mentioned before,
testers had questions about the audience ever since the start of the test.
Architect Dropout (#11) says, “It doesn’t seem super targeted to your average Jane, seems
targeted to a business.”
Both HomeSweet (#12) and Big on Community & IT Field #geekchic (#3) said that
they thought this was a real estate/homebuyers website.
Chicago Explorer (#10) and First time looker (#9) both mentioned the paid subscriptions on the
"Find Permits" community or neighborhood pages. First time looker (#9) thought the paywall in the
description stifles here curiosity. She hasn't used it enough to make a decision - there is no information
on a trial readily available, no free content on the outset, which turns her off because she doesn't even
know if it's valuable to her yet. Chicago Explorer (#10) added that “Subscribe-- doesn't appeal to me,
but would if I were a mogul.”
Chicago Cityscape has a great opportunity to teach residents about building/property information and
permits and then provide a platform for residents to learn more about what is happening in their own
neighborhoods. The best way that can happen is to continue to include definitions and descriptions of
terms, so these topics become more accessible.
It is also important to consider audience for this website and provide the proper pathways for
individuals to get the information that they need; whether they are an involved community member,
home buyer, or a contractor. Defining the purpose of this site and how this data is useful to multiple
groups of people at the beginning (on the homepage) will give individuals the grounding to use the data
provided.
13

Tester #:
1
Tester Profile (given by tester):
Home buyer
Proctored by:
Christopher Whitaker
What type of device are you using for this test?
Laptop
Is this your normal device
that you use everyday?
Yes
If not, what is your primary device?
What browser are you using right now?
Chrome
How much time do you spend on the Internet a day?
3 or more hours
No
Walking around
What information about a property is most useful to you when purchasing a home or other
property?
The size of the apartment
property?
Building & Zoning information Important
Property information Very Important
Property tax Information Very Important
Neighborhood data Very Important
Permits at the address Important
Violations at the address Very Important
Historic resources nearby Very Important
14

Permits nearby Important
WEBSITE REVIEW
Map of a certain area - looks like it's showing construction permits for a specific location in the
neighborhood - shows what's around. The tester first noticed the map and that it lists different permits
for different locations.
Viewed or Clicked on Map
It opened a link, I'm looking to see what it is. Looks like it's either a store or a service for plumbing and
sewers. (Clicked because it was highlighted on the map.)
Next, search for an address in your neighborhood that you might be interested in learning
more about. Tell us about your experience and the information you found out.
What address did you search for and what did you learn?
I went to Wicker Park, but it couldn't find it in the search. (Typed in Wicker Park - expecting to find the
neighborhood) I googled my home address and I see a map of different buildings around it. It's telling me
data about demographics in the neighborhood, which I find interesting. It shows where the schools, train
stations are (which for me is very important) and also talks about crime. (Pleased to know that there's
no crime in the area.)
What was the most useful
information you found on
this page? Why?
The train station because I use
public transit
What was the least useful information you found on this
page? Why?
Schools - I wouldn't send kids to these schools.
information about restaurants or entertainment - a link to be able to find laundromats
Next, under "Find Permits" choose "in certain places & boundaries."
Pick a place, such as a community or neighborhood area, and tell us about your experience
and the information you learned.
15

The map shows Chicago and different suburbs with numbers - I assume the number are associated with
the number of permits in the area. I can zoom in and see the number of permits requested in different
area. Some have numbers and some have the little screwdrivers? Push-pins. And when I click on it, it
tells me what's going on. For example, a renovation.
2 - Slightly Useful
Next, under "Find Permits" choose the map option and explore the map. Tell us about
your experience and the information you learned.
The map shows Chicago and different suburbs with numbers - I assume the number are associated with
the number of permits in the area. I can zoom in and see the number of permits requested in different
area. Some have numbers and some have the little screwdrivers? Push-pins. And when I click on it, it
tells me what's going on. For example, a renovation.
Did you find this
information useful?
No
Why or why not?
I don't really use this information when looking for a house
Next, explore the site and choose something that you're interested in learning about.
What did you choose?
I chose architects
Might be useful - They also tell me what people charge - which is useful.
OVERALL REVIEW
Do you like Chicago
Cityscape?
No
No
It's very basic - not too many colors. I would prefer something more colorful to make the information
'pop' - It looks like a fake site to me. If I was looking for houses to rent/buy, I'd go to sites like
@properties or Rent.com. (Redfin does this too.)
Do you like CUTGroup? Did you like this CUTGroup test?
16

Yes Yes
Pretty exciting.
2/5/2015 4:44:52 PM
17

Tester #:
2
Construction watcher
Proctored by:
Steven
Dell laptop with ZoomText
No
iPad
Chrome
2 - 3 hours
Yes
Walking around, TV stations (ABC7)
property?
Whether it's new or old, the condition of the property, I would like to have a home inspection, and the
price, and the location.
property?
Building & Zoning information Neutral
Property information Important
Property tax Information Important
Violations at the address Important
Historic resources nearby Slightly important
18

Permits nearby Slightly important
WEBSITE REVIEW
This website is talking about building permits, and things that have been done to the properties. It's
asking you to put in an address. The map shows the details on the building, tells you the address. I like
that, that's a good way to be nosy and see what people are doing to their houses. It's a cool website so
far.
Clicked All Permits List.
I would prefer to look at the individual list because the full-screen map didn't show any details on the
individual permits. They don't give you any details about what you're going to find when you click on it.
It's easier to see and scroll down the list. I like the full-screen map because you don't have to scroll
around so much to find something to click on. Top 4 isn't very helpful, to me it means what people
clicked on the most. It should say most popular permit types if they're the ones most frequently coming
in.
Searched for my home address [ADDRESS REMOVED]. I don't know what the Chicago Historic
Resources Survey is. The zoning info, that's good there. What does the zoning district mean? There are
two different bullet points here that indicates two different sections. Take the other dot out and make it
one section. Or simply have an information thing to click to figure out what it means, or put that
somewhere else on the page. Or a list of what all the codes mean. The zoning thing, that's a business
permit from September 2014. [Tester] was a little confused about the connection between the map and
the zoning information. [The green Census tract overlay is hard to see.]
this page? Why?
I think the map's most useful if
you know what box to click on
in the layers list.
page? Why?
Zoning is a bit confuse, but it's not necessarily the least useful. I don't
see anything unuseful.
19

Take the zoning bullet point out. The color of the on the map. Maybe you would do better if that's a
bold, black line. Research with eye doctors or someone who knows more about that, what people who
are color blind can see.
The mouse pointer disappears on the maps. The computer uses ZoomText to zoom into the screen.
The mouse pointer reappears when you hover on the Leaflet permit clusters.
4 - Useful
The mouse pointer disappears on the maps. The computer uses ZoomText to zoom into the screen.
The mouse pointer reappears when you hover on the Leaflet permit clusters.
Did you find this
information useful?
Yes
Why or why not?
Except the issue described above.
Architects
I see the name of the architect. Let's see what Richard Fencl is doing. How's it sorted? (It's sorted by the
total value of the projects they're working on.) Shouldn't it be based on consumer reports? Or what
their standing is in the community? [The middle of the page, which would be a login form, is missing.]
OVERALL REVIEW
Do you like Chicago
Cityscape?
Yes
Yes
20

After it gets some improvements. Is it just the city or is it nationwide? [It's just the city.] There's all of
these databases all over the country. Why not have one website that has all of this information in one
place? Let's say I want to move to Florida and I type in that address and then I get all of the same
information. Add a ticker to the top of the page. What would I say? Find some interesting information to
put in the ticker. Is there crime data? (Yes, showed him the Crime tab on Neighborhood Data on
Address Snapshot that leads to the Chicago Tribune.) He pointed out that there may alternative
websites, like SpotCrime. Population is demographics, might be clearer that this is a population chart.
Yes
Yes
I would like to see more tests in the future geared towards issues for disabled people, like apps that can
benefit people that are disabled.
2/5/2015 5:29:08 PM
21

Tester #:
3
Big on Community & IT Field #geekchic
Proctored by:
Sonja Marziano
HP probook, Windows 7
Yes
Chrome
3 or more hours
Yes
Newsletters, recently been networking Tom Tresser, CivicLab, knowledgable about the TIF Illumination
Project
property?
Property value, good education in area, access to public transit, access to marketplaces
property?
Permits at the address Very Important
Historic resources nearby Neutral
22

Permits nearby Neutral
WEBSITE REVIEW
First glance, typical homebuyer website to show homes and locations Looks like Google Maps - "maybe
directions" "Posts" (permits) to give information from different homes in different wards "This is pretty
awesome" Easy to understand Buttons are big More detail with construction -- thinking about
commuting
Wanted to check the map, drawn to that Chose the "warning sign" because human nature - provided
demolition information Box was locked behind the key Wanted to explore the map The permit post
looked almost like an ad Interested in the satellite feed Explored the map, and was interested in
OpenStreetMap, clicked that More color coding, diagram Chose full-screen map
Home address - saw his house Property tax info stood out Likes the neighborhood data, especially if
you are moving Parcels, notices the census tracts layers, but could not see where the boundaries
History of the population change - "Wow" - only looked at demographics, and went to the census
reporter page tables Surprised by the large amount of data -- thinks it would be useful for Aldermen and
other community leaders Sees the use for contractors Notices the demolition permit which was part of
the school nearby
this page? Why?
Taxes and neighborhood data
page? Why?
PINs - wasn't sure what this meant
Design - would want more pop-up window to get more information Tabs to take to you each of the
sections of the Address Snapshot pages instead of the ads Wants to be able to go to more
important/interesting parts Different background -- "something more dynamic" Better placement of the
23

ads, felt like one was just in the middle
Went to the full-screen map after looking at the map on the homepage (second thing) Checked and
unchecked permits Had questions about the color Chose the numbers, and zoomed in Never see freight
train tracking associated with construction (with directions)
5 - Very Useful
Went to the full-screen map after looking at the map on the homepage (second thing) Checked and
unchecked permits Had questions about the color Chose the numbers, and zoomed in Never see freight
train tracking associated with construction (with directions)
Did you find this
information useful?
Yes
Why or why not?
Top Companies
"Log in to Top Companies & Architects" verb "to see" Monthly subscription "You get excited..and then
you have to pay more" See a big use for contractors (used to be in construction - Local 1 Ironworks --
"agile methodology") Blue1647 wants to expand to the Southside -- this would be really useful to them
OVERALL REVIEW
Do you like Chicago
Cityscape?
Yes
Yes
24

Impressed by the website to learn more about Chicago Promote to "get to know your city" Checked
out the "About" Hot button topics and links to go to, to make sure people see certain sites New articles
from newsletter Font a little bigger
Yes
Yes
Critical as a "techie" but did not see too many problems on this site. Interested in seeing a CUTGroup
profile.
2/5/2015 5:33:59 PM
25

Tester #:
4
hardest worker
Proctored by:
Josh Kalov
Dell e6440 laptop
No
Smartphone Android
Chrome
2 - 3 hours
Yes
Local news, Redeye, 311 website
property?
previous owner. What is the property actually worth?
property?
Building & Zoning information Very Important
Permits at the address Neutral
Violations at the address Neutral
Historic resources nearby Important
26

WEBSITE REVIEW
It seems kind of confusing at first. I'm having trouble understanding specifically what it is for. I do like
that it has the maps. The map on the home page showing recent permits is useful.
Click "Find Permits"
Draw custom place under permits. - Companies places
[ADDRESS REMOVED] Historic properties, populations, schools, public transit, crime rates, building
improvements. The ward, community, etc information is useful
this page? Why?
Neighborhood Data. It is not
readily available
page? Why?
The comments section
Add Ground view (Google Street View)
It is showing everything that was listed but now on the map. The options could be more specific. "Days
for what?" - What does the days drop down mean? Last "14 days"?
27

4 - Useful
It is showing everything that was listed but now on the map. The options could be more specific. "Days
for what?" - What does the days drop down mean? Last "14 days"?
Did you find this
information useful?
Yes
Why or why not?
It is quick and accessible. It gives you the specific information you
need.
Resources
It tells you about the types of permits and fees. It is understandable. It gives you a list of assistance
programs. It actually tells you what the permits are. It is very useful.
OVERALL REVIEW
Do you like Chicago
Cityscape?
Yes
Yes
Be able to see the contractor reviews without logging in. Make all the features accessible without logging
in. Have pictures with the building permits table. Make the contractors list more specific (by area). The
website is a little plain. It could be more decorative. It would nice if there was a link for information to
get a permit or request a demolition. You can't access the services that it tells you about.
Yes
Yes
28

It doesn't have a lot of ads. It gives you a lot of choices and it is detailed about the properties on there.
It is nice that it is up to date. The year in review is nice because it shows progress. It is amazing to have
all this information.
2/5/2015 5:34:46 PM
29

Tester #:
5
Community Advocate
Proctored by:
Laptop
Yes
Chrome
3 or more hours
Yes
(Largelots) I just watch the news - Chicago Tribune (that's where i read about the lots)
property?
The value of the property.
property?
Property information Neutral
30

Permits nearby Not at all important
WEBSITE REVIEW
(She also looks up realtor.com) It's a map. And it's showing me new constructions... and demolitions...on
a map..
Looking at the key, to see what info is available, what can it tell me
Testers scrolls around - wants to use the satellite view If I can see it in real time, it'll tell me what's
there. This site seems more for people who are developers, owners... If I was purchasing I would know
what these things would need.
Tester tried to enter an inexact address - though you could do an approx address Wow! It has all the
information for my building - Zoning information, doesn't have property tax information - no permits
found here. No violations. Tester found 107 violations!!!!! According to the census, we have the
demographics.
this page? Why?
It's more useful to know that
it's a TIF area. I assuming zoning
helps that happen - and it has a
whole thing that's just zoning
page? Why?
The adjoining tracks - I don't know how I would use that.
Can you make it 3D? Everything else is cool! You've got the census track, zoning, (Oh! When I put it in
satellite, it is 3D! There's something about seeing something in real life that helps me get my
orientation.)
31

Well, it's just giving me what's in the Chicagoland area and I can see right away where they're building
the most. (I think that this is permits.) OH, and then when you click on it - it breaks down what kind of
permit. Oh, and it'll give you the building names. Several ways to look at this. Clicked to see new
construction. This seems pretty real time.
2 - Slightly Useful
Well, it's just giving me what's in the Chicagoland area and I can see right away where they're building
the most. (I think that this is permits.) OH, and then when you click on it - it breaks down what kind of
permit. Oh, and it'll give you the building names. Several ways to look at this. Clicked to see new
construction. This seems pretty real time.
Did you find this
information useful?
Yes
Why or why not?
If I were a builder
How do I find out about more history research
I just like to know what's in my neighborhood, what I'm next too - Curious Need to find comparison
charts, architects
OVERALL REVIEW
Do you like Chicago
Cityscape?
Yes
Yes
It's simple. Pretty user friendly. Um, I don't know. I guess I would -- I dunno. There's something a little
bit. She asked who the audience was. Could we go on this and go downtown and find major developers.
32

They like that it has companies. Wanted to cross reference election donations. (In particular, the Virgin
Hotel)
Yes
Yes
Something else we tested was more funds
2/5/2015 5:53:30 PM
33

Tester #:
6
Non-Profit Pro
Proctored by:
Laptop
Yes
Chrome
3 or more hours
Yes
Hyperlocal newspapers, community groups
property?
Proximity to public transportation, home value,
property?
Neighborhood data Important
34

WEBSITE REVIEW
Gives me a sense of the neighborhood, lets me search for a property I might be interested in buying,
gives me a full pic of what's going on there.
Typed in a Chicago Address
I checked to see if I could find my house and I couldn't so I figured that I'd just browse
I checked to see if I could find my house and I couldn't so I figured that I'd just browse - I'm looking at
neighborhoods that I'm familiar with to see if it jives - I know they're building that big hotel nearby (The
Loop/River North) I looked up my building and it gives me my alderman / demographics of the
neighborhood - or the ward / Now I want to go to the MLS Website to see if I can see something.
this page? Why?
The crime map is interesting -
it's good to know that there
are no violations.
page? Why?
Populatin wasn't useful because I'm unsure what the neighborhood is
I'd want violations to pop up first - have a learn more/more resources button. I'd want that to show up
first.
35

I keep forgetting that this is just permits. If I was one of those people who called my alderman to fix
things, I could see if there was progress. So I guess new construction needs a permit - I can see what
new buildings are going in the neighborhood. I don't know what a PIN is.
4 - Useful
I keep forgetting that this is just permits. If I was one of those people who called my alderman to fix
things, I could see if there was progress. So I guess new construction needs a permit - I can see what
new buildings are going in the neighborhood. I don't know what a PIN is.
Did you find this
information useful?
Yes
Why or why not?
It's certainly interesting - it's defn intereting to see what types of new
buildings people are looking at
Looking at an address on Hamlin that was coded as a demoliation
When she clicked the demolition - She saw that it was a nice house - wondering why it's got so many
permits - why it's being demod Ah, she sees that the permit was for new constructin - but they have to
knock it down first. Didn't realize the ads were ads at first
OVERALL REVIEW
Do you like Chicago
Cityscape?
Yes
Yes
I defn will. We decided that we were going to look on Craigslist to find houses and this will let us get
some information in homes being sold by owners - sometimes it's hard to get the story out of them.
And it's kinda fascinating to see new neighborhood
Do you like CUTGroup? Did you like this CUTGroup test?
36

Yes Yes
Works for a non-profit that has a website, it's interesting to learn how CUTgroup is done
2/5/2015 6:18:49 PM
37

Tester #:
7
iggy's mom
Proctored by:
Josh Kalov
Dell e6440
No
windows laptop, iphone
Chrome
1 - 2 hours
Yes
Reading Logan Square list serv; DNA Info
property?
Haven't purchased before so not sure. Previous purchase price.
property?
Neighborhood data Neutral
38

WEBSITE REVIEW
I always go to the map first. Shows information on building permits. Going to the map is more
interesting.
Navigated around the map on the home page. It is easy to click on a point to get more information. The
icons make sense. Explored permit detail page. Wondering how far back map on home page goes. (what
is the definition of recent)
[ADDRESS REMOVED] Renovation estimated cost I was able to see what the permit was for and when
they got it.
this page? Why?
Finding the permit information
and getting permit details;
Finding the PIN number.
page? Why?
historic info is interesting but maybe not useful
I don't know what historic resources mean. The most recent permits are more interesting than the map
and neighborhood data. Move above those. Nice having the alderman information
39

Not used to the clustering (dot with number). Map view is pretty useful. It is more interesting with the
options to change time frame
4 - Useful
Not used to the clustering (dot with number). Map view is pretty useful. It is more interesting with the
options to change time frame
Did you find this
information useful?
Yes
Why or why not?
The ability to specify time frame
Permits Dashboard; charts; Year in Review
Pages were not useful to me, but might be for contractors or other people
OVERALL REVIEW
Do you like Chicago
Cityscape?
Yes
Yes
The changes on the address snapshot page (moving permits above map and neighborhood data)
Yes
Yes
Site seems very usable
40

Tester #:
8
Community advocate AL
Proctored by:
Steven Vance
Dell (with ZoomText turned off)
No
Laptop at home, desktop at work
Firefox
3 or more hours
Yes
Usually read about them in articles, DNAinfo, Gapers Block (aggregates local news that's interesting,
they've done stuff about Logan Square being torn up up and down Milwaukee Avenue); I don't go to the
Chamber of Commerce websites or anything like that.
property?
Neighborhood safety, property taxes, neighborhood amenities, parks nearby, public transit accessibility.
Cool things to do (bars), rent/cost.
property?
42

WEBSITE REVIEW
Looks like a directory of buildings in the city. Looks like it wants me to put in an address and it will give
me a bunch of information about that address and the area (or maybe just that particular building, but it
talks about schools and stuff). I imagine it would be for developers or individuals. I'm not sure if it this is
for houses, or living spaces, or just commercial.
It's the first thing that came to mind. I'm curious about what it will say about this place where I live, what
information it would show for this.
Shows me a picture that I know is correct because that's what it is. It's showing me the ward,
neighborhood, community area, points it out on a map. It's an interesting looking map. [When prompted
he identified them as parcels.] Got neighborhood data, got property tax info. I've never paid property
tax, their property tax bill is the first column there. I'm not sure what the assessment means. Is that the
land or the building, because I think it would be worth a lot more than that? It's a fairly big building. I
don't know what historic resources means. I guess some buildings that are listed as having some historic
significance. There's a bunch of Ukrainian churches nearby.
this page? Why?
Assessments and property
taxes would be important if I
were to live in this
neighborhood. I would want to
know how much property
taxes. Rent would be great
because it eats up 20-50% of
page? Why?
The permits stuff is kind of dry information. Upgrade balcony. Not
too necessary for me to know that.
43

people's income.
Schools. Ah, it's there. I didn't look too closely there. I see that these are schools where they're
guaranteed a seat. If I had kids, I might want to open that school. I don't know what Level 2 school
means. All of this is cryptic
Switched the map to the Building Names layer, just curious what would happen if I did that. Dig into the
Loop here. Clicked on a permit in the Loop. Renovation permit in the Loop. I'm not sure about Building
Names, I don't know what building is being named. Is the permit associated with the (OpenStreetMap)
map object that has a building label? [He clicked on the permit and it told him the building name was
Avondale Center.] I switched to Streets layer. The Building Names layer is pretty busy. I guess it
depends on what I'm trying to do. The Streets one is visually less aggressive. I'd probably be searching
for a place by address or neighborhood. Searched for 233 S Wacker (Sears Tower) in the "Search for a
Place". I directed him to search for Lincoln Park and then click the "Find" button". (It was not apparent
to click on the Find button.) The map loaded Lincoln Park but failed to recenter the map.
4 - Useful
Switched the map to the Building Names layer, just curious what would happen if I did that. Dig into the
Loop here. Clicked on a permit in the Loop. Renovation permit in the Loop. I'm not sure about Building
Names, I don't know what building is being named. Is the permit associated with the (OpenStreetMap)
map object that has a building label? [He clicked on the permit and it told him the building name was
Avondale Center.] I switched to Streets layer. The Building Names layer is pretty busy. I guess it
depends on what I'm trying to do. The Streets one is visually less aggressive. I'd probably be searching
for a place by address or neighborhood. Searched for 233 S Wacker (Sears Tower) in the "Search for a
Place". I directed him to search for Lincoln Park and then click the "Find" button". (It was not apparent
to click on the Find button.) The map loaded Lincoln Park but failed to recenter the map.
Did you find this
information useful?
No
Why or why not?
There was some issues finding the right place to type in a
neighborhood and where to input an address. The list view of this (on
Places) is a little lengthy.
Demolitions Tracker
44

Just curiosity again, I've got friends in Detroit, and I read articles about that and demolition crews
showing up and people there squatting when the demolition crews. I'm curious how many buildings get
destroyed and where they get destroyed. 268 entries in the last 90 days seems like a lot. Pictures are a
nice touch. Some of these pretty nice. Issue: When I press next on the table it sticks to the bottom.
OVERALL REVIEW
Do you like Chicago
Cityscape?
Yes
Yes
I think it's cool, pretty interesting, it would be more applicable, er, worthwhile for developers, and
homeowners, people moving, less familiar with the city. Fortunately my roommates did the leg work
finding this place, we have a really cool landlord. Moving sucks, so you don't want to deal with that.
Maybe down the line at some point. I personally have no idea how good a school is. That one that I walk
by a million times, I don't know anything about it.
Yes
Yes
Less applicable to day to day life compared to the transit app. I think I did one other with restaurant
inspection results (that was interesting, but I haven't used that at all).
2/5/2015 6:34:16 PM
45

Tester #:
9
First time looker
Proctored by:
Laptop
Yes
Chrome
3 or more hours
Yes
A lot of new restaurants coming in - maybe the grocery stores
property?
The price
property?
Historic resources nearby Not at all important
46

WEBSITE REVIEW
For me, I think it's a map for looking for an address. Notices the map first. The map is very good here. I
think that the picture is maybe should be bigger than the map - otherwise I'm looking for some
directions website. (Navigation website)
Clicked on 'new permit picture'
Is this a renting website? (notices the price) (Scrolls the site a bit) It's a little bit confusing to me.
I don't understand why there's a rental price (AD LOOKS JUST LIKE A RENTAL AD - THEY THINK
IT'S PART OF THE SITE) There's not really any information I can see here. The address that was
returned didn't show a PIN. No property tax info (ADDRESS REMOVED) - (Home address) (In south
loop)
this page? Why?
There's zoning information
here that tells me something.
But it's not useful to me
page? Why?
Not sure
List some more information here: (Tester see's the neighborhood information) - I would like to know
the property information, tax info, neighborhood data
47

I think I like this better. Because I can see clearly where I'm going to purchase and it means more to me
I think. I can see the transportation. (Transport to work and school is big.)
2 - Slightly Useful
I think I like this better. Because I can see clearly where I'm going to purchase and it means more to me
I think. I can see the transportation. (Transport to work and school is big.)
Did you find this
information useful?
Yes
Why or why not?
More clear to me - more logic I think. If I see the place first, I don't
know where it is. The address number doesn't give me that
impression.
I'm wondering why the picture is changing.
It's kinda weird the pictures keep changing. (The one showing the latest permit.)
OVERALL REVIEW
Do you like Chicago
Cityscape?
No
No
I think a lot of information is needed to get used to it. I need to explore maybe for 10 - 20 mins. It's a
lot of words to read. It might be useful because there's a lot of information - but if I just want to see
something I want to see then probably not my first choice. I'd still take a look. (For the home, we use
Zillow, Zuri) I thought the picture was important, but it's not. I'll pay attention to the search bar for
what I want to purchase. So, I think the pic/information drags too much of my attention. Although I like
the map, same thing. I just realized that the search bar is the most important.
48

Yes
Yes
I think this website, I need more time to explore. It looks good for now - like the map the most. But, I
think the map is kinda too big for the first page. Because it's a home purchasing website.. I'll just type the
address where i want to buy. I
2/5/2015 7:11:25 PM
49

Tester #:
10
Chicago Explorer
Proctored by:
Daniel Ronan
Dell Laptop
No
iphone5, MacBook Pro at home
Chrome
3 or more hours
Yes
Neighborhood Association Facebook Group, Neighborhood Association Emailed Agenda, DNA Info
Chicago
property?
Assuming location is first, then price, condition of property
property?
Permits at the address Slightly important
50

WEBSITE REVIEW
It doesn't seem super targeted to your average Jane, seems targeted to a business, not very consumer
targeted, like B to B, seems very tactical, doesn't seem to want to sell me anything, feels more like an
industry site For a specific location in Chicago, can tell me permits, violations, taxes and more Maybe I
can get more information as a member, seems like it - access to more data Announces more permits
that are entered
Recent New Construction Permit, Search is also very prominent
Blue bar at the top for Recent New Construction, makes it seem very current - it makes me think this
part of the page is updated with new permits that are issued Blue bar told me to read the paragraph, it
looked like the information was populated 3 days ago, [ADDRESS REMOVED] details on development
[ADDRESS REMOVED], I learned that it's in the 2nd Ward, reminded of who Alderman, Considered in
West Town Community, In Ukrainian Village neighborhood - basic neighborhood snapshoot Seems to
be no historic information, lots of stuff around it, B32 zoning, no PIN for this address, property tax info
- too many PINs Confusion about this address which says it has no PINs and then says it knows 9 The
pin on the map is not quite accurate, but it says that the location is approximate
this page? Why?
The neighborhood data is
probably the most valuable,
demographics, schools
page? Why?
A lot of nearby information, if I was looking for one address doesn't
think at all of the permits nearby would be that helpful, information
balance seems off with this address and nearby permits
Headlines - "Building information" headline could encompass all the info on the page, so it would be wise
to change this title. There could be a more specific label such as "Historic and Zoning information"
51

Disappointed there was no historic resources survey information, so that surprised me, the fact that
there is none seems weird
First impression, circles with the number of properties reminds me of (a apartment searching app)
Shows here the number of properties by area The thing she is not quite sure about is why there are
two permits in the South Loop, she thinks the amount of permits on Michigan Avenue seem too few.
There is a lot going on there and there are 4 permits. She then discovers that it was in the past 14 days
- it wasn't clear in the beginning that the map was 14 days, she figured out what she was looking at.
When she tried to search from 2004, it crashed it. She doesn't know how many permit type there are
or what "top 4 permit types" means. If I was looking for a home, I would definitely look for the last 14
days of permits, I assume a permits are really slow to be issued so 14 days would not be that telling of a
story.
5 - Very Useful
First impression, circles with the number of properties reminds me of (a apartment searching app)
Shows here the number of properties by area The thing she is not quite sure about is why there are
two permits in the South Loop, she thinks the amount of permits on Michigan Avenue seem too few.
There is a lot going on there and there are 4 permits. She then discovers that it was in the past 14 days
- it wasn't clear in the beginning that the map was 14 days, she figured out what she was looking at.
When she tried to search from 2004, it crashed it. She doesn't know how many permit type there are
or what "top 4 permit types" means. If I was looking for a home, I would definitely look for the last 14
days of permits, I assume a permits are really slow to be issued so 14 days would not be that telling of a
story.
Did you find this
information useful?
Yes
Why or why not?
Yes, seeing the history of the neighborhood through permits is
interesting, she thinks she could explore, if she was starting a business
or looking for a property it would be useful, I would be someone
who would not look for the last 14 days
New two story climbing wall, [ADDRESS REMOVED]
52

Caught her attention because it had a light blue pin Something that is slightly unusual - a two story
climbing activity.
OVERALL REVIEW
Do you like Chicago
Cityscape?
Yes
Yes
It seems very oriented to construction information, not at all as marketable as sites such as Apartment
Finders Doesn't see this as particularly useful for a homebuyer Most people don't search for home
buying everyday. Someone as interested in Chicago might like this more if it was more marketed to
them. Doesn't currently know if there are comparable tools that Chicago Cityscape has For CUTGroup:
Believes in civic technology - it has an opportunity to help a lot of people, good that CUTGroup is
getting people from the neighborhoods and not asking them to come to the Loop "Become a member
and monitor building permits and violations for your clients" - seems very corporate and not at all
accessible to the average Jane, someone trying to buy a home, etc. Likes the testimonials, thinks that it is
more for professional purposes, especially since they are from groups, not individuals such as
homeowners The ad in the middle of the page is really invasive for her, she thinks it could be mistaken
as not an ad.
Yes
Yes
Wonders whether the test would be better targeted to respondents using a scenario-based track and
what they are trying to find. Home, business siting, construction company, builder etc.
2/5/2015 7:22:07 PM
53

Tester #:
11
Architect Dropout
Proctored by:
Sonja Marziano
iPad
No
iPhone, pc laptop at home and work
Safari
3 or more hours
Yes
Everyblock subscriber (Lincoln Park), emails from Alderman, construction mishaps
property?
Location, access to transit and sidewalks
property?
54

WEBSITE REVIEW
Reviews the navigation bar Gets to the Get an Address Snapshot and reviews Construction permit post
Then leads to to the sign in "Cost associated with signing up with account" 6088 PNG "Image" (tile
images of the map) 6089 PNG "Image" (tile images of the map) Alt text label on map controls Mapping
"drawing custom place"
Clicked on map images (set up as tiles) could not interact with the map
Searched for address, tries to pre-populate with option, but cannot access those options 915 W.
Montana "Bullet" "Bullet, list start" "Separator" Property info - PINs "Only 11..." Map on this page is
similar to the other map where it is multiple image tiles -- unable to use layers The site is "clicking"
which usually means loading "Heading Level 5" -- Draw Custom Place Heading Level 1 - the main title,
gets smaller JAWS lets you jump from 1 heading to another, headings should not Has difficulties scrolling
below the map Top left frame is start > moves right on the top navigator "Jump to", "screen reader
users" SR tag JAWS provides options to bypass or jump to certain sections of the site
this page? Why?
N/A
page? Why?
N/A
Interested in data that explains what the building used to be (Gas station, dry cleaners, etc) or was used
for Contamination information Parking information -- zoned or not --Handicap spots, only deeded Dog
parks Business license (specifically mentioned bars) Mixed/use of buildings (residential/commercial) Walk
score
55

Map is created as tile images as a layer that you can pan and zoom into Maureen shared BlindSquared,
which uses FourSquare data
3 - Neutral
Map is created as tile images as a layer that you can pan and zoom into Maureen shared BlindSquared,
which uses FourSquare data
Did you find this
information useful?
No
Why or why not?
N/A
N/A
N/A
OVERALL REVIEW
Do you like Chicago
Cityscape?
Yes
Yes
N/A
Yes
Yes
56

Maureen will be using her JAWS system and filling out the rest of the test at home.
2/5/2015 7:26:02 PM
57

Tester #:
12
HomeSweet
Proctored by:
Daniel X. O'Neil
Dell Latitude E6440
No
Desktop computer at work
Firefox
3 or more hours
Yes
By walking or riding around the neighborhood and seeing them.
property?
Price, number of bedrooms, condition of the home, property tax, photographs of interior and exterior--
as many as possible
property?
58

Permits nearby Not at all important
WEBSITE REVIEW
It looks like it's some sort of real estate website. But it is more specific, because it's going to tell me
about the building and the location. As a renter, this is very important to me to see as a potential rental
space. I see they have school information. In Chicago, I don't see that as reliable. On real estate sites, it
is often parents talking about the teachers or the homework-- not useful. < goes through the nav > PIN
search-- finds useful. On a map-- useful. This is intriguing to me if I were a researcher. Demolitions and
teardowns being planned that maybe I couldn't perceive. Good tool to gauge the temperature of a
neighborhood or area. On the map: "All sorts of helpful tiny things I can never figure out. Oh there's a
legend" In the right hands, this can be more and more useful. Community organizers and people looking
to buy. Permits are good. Can make the map bigger-- good. "Oh I can like them on Facebook. That's
delightful."
Click "Find Permits"
"Oh, and I can look at who's doing what" "These are from all over the city". If I were more
knowledgable, I could use this"
< Searches for her own address. > Finds that it is where she lives; looks good. No permits. There are a
lot of old people in the neighborhood, and there is a lot of theft. Clicked on crime, opened in new tab.
Checked on school. Checked the info, it comported with her knowledge. Feels better when the crime is
in someone's home.
this page? Why?
The crime info was quite useful
because it's interesting. I can
use this to show my kid.
page? Why?
The demographics, because it's not enough information. It has a link
to go to the census. But I'd like to know average incon
59

Map shows a Dominicks, but there is not a Dominicks there. The info is not up to date. The blocks
indicating houses. It makes me happy to see they have the neighborhood and sub-neighborhoods rights.
Violations at this address: "How did I miss this!?" She does not make comments, but other people do.
Would be nice to talk to others. "Visually the page is rather simplistic and not in a way that makes it
easy to read. It's not immediately clear that the ad is an ad." Could be visually more appealing and easier
to read.
The blobs were confusing, but then figured it out. Scrolls in and out. Clicking was tough. Looks
downtown. "Lots more detail, but I don't know what they mean. Much more focused on the icons and
not the building info. Saw map editor. If she didn't struggle with GIS, it might be useful. Then clicks on
the map and says she can do all sorts of stuff
3 - Neutral
The blobs were confusing, but then figured it out. Scrolls in and out. Clicking was tough. Looks
downtown. "Lots more detail, but I don't know what they mean. Much more focused on the icons and
not the building info. Saw map editor. If she didn't struggle with GIS, it might be useful. Then clicks on
the map and says she can do all sorts of stuff
Did you find this
information useful?
Yes
Why or why not?
Yes, useful and fascinating
Stays on the map and scrolls south.
Found the house where her mother was born.
OVERALL REVIEW
Do you like Chicago
Cityscape?
60

Yes
Yes
Maybe they need to put a legend with all these little icons for less sophisticated users like me.
Yes
Yes
It's exciting to see stuff like this.
2/5/2015 7:32:02 PM
61

Tester #:
13
Recurring Student
Proctored by:
PC Laptop
No
iPhone/iPad
Chrome
3 or more hours
Yes
Most of it is just seeing it - seeing new construction. I also work in a building on the leasing side, so you
hear things
property?
Utilities and what the average is - is rent including - history of what's happened for the past ten years
(roofs, piping, electric, major issues) Like a complete diagnostic
property?
Property tax Information Neutral
Historic resources nearby Very Important
62

WEBSITE REVIEW
It looks like a place to enter in an address and see an image of the building, a brief description, and
basics about the community - and also the more political information (like which ward) Throws up a
map - looks like it's annotated with constructions
I entered my own address and it didn't find my address in historical data. gives me zone information,
light manufacturing It's actually showing the lot next door. They *just* finished construction. The area
used to be manufacturing
My home address
this page? Why?
It didn't show any useful info on
my building, but interesting to
see nearby permits
page? Why?
It's kinda difficult - the zoning info is least useful mostly beacuse it's
not there
I love historic building and know the history of our building - would like to have seen that. It's really
cool, but I imagine most people wouldn't.. I'd improve it by having my address pop up. I'm not sure what
the PIN number is. It'd be nice to know what the PIN is. And needs a more recent photo. (Looking at
2007)
63

She wants to look outside the city. (Wanted to look at Berwyn/Cicero) This is really cool. This gives me
a much better idea in my head of what's happening. The first thing I looked at is replacing a wood porch.
Seeing it here, gave me a picture of the porches that are on the back on buildings. It says "issued two
weeks ago" makes it standout. It gives me a good idea of what's going on.
4 - Useful
She wants to look outside the city. (Wanted to look at Berwyn/Cicero) This is really cool. This gives me
a much better idea in my head of what's happening. The first thing I looked at is replacing a wood porch.
Seeing it here, gave me a picture of the porches that are on the back on buildings. It says "issued two
weeks ago" makes it standout. It gives me a good idea of what's going on.
Did you find this
information useful?
Yes
Why or why not?
I can see myself looking at this to see if something was issued (nearby
construction)
Architects
I took an Architecture in Chicago class and really enjoyed it. I see the list of companies.. sorted by
estimated construction costs for the year which is kinda interesting because it shows the one we may be
hearing about the most. My sister in law is an architect.
OVERALL REVIEW
Do you like Chicago
Cityscape?
Yes
Yes
I liked the history information - like landmarks. I'd want to see some of that in here. I find it really
interesting - and I think it's important. For example: Why is this name super-popular? (One of the first
64

people in the neighborhood lived here.) Probably expand it out more - update it (They didn't have our
building, now that area is so built up and different) The schools expanding. (Greektown)
Yes
Yes
Nope!
2/5/2015 7:34:12 PM
65

Make $20 for a test of a building projects website.
Hi <<First Name>>,
We've got a new opportunity for you to make money in the Civic User Testing Group
(CUTGroup) by testing a building projects website.
This website shows residents where new buildings are being constructed or
demolished in the context of neighborhoods, community areas, schools, and wards.
Are you available for a 3045 minute inperson test on Thursday, February
5 between 4:00 7:30 PM? If so, please complete this form.
We are planning to be in the Logan Square neighborhood for this test.
We are in the process of gathering responses, so we will be in touch to check
availability and confirm that you are right for this test. We are looking for about
15 testers.
For your participation, you will receive a $20 VISA gift card. You'll also help make
better software for Chicago.
Thanks for being a member of the CUTGroup! As usual, call or write with questions.
Remember: if you want to be a part of this test, please complete this form.

Daniel X. O'Neil
(773) 9606045
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Let us know when you could join us on Thursday for this test.
Hi <<First Name>>,
Thanks for your interest in our CUTGroup test of a building projects website. Now that
we have our location nailed down, we'd like to know if you can still make it next
Thursday and, if so, what time you want. Here are the details:
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Between 4:30 7:30 PM
Chicago Public Library Logan Square Branch
3030 West Fullerton Ave
If you can still make it on this night, please let us know what time slot you want
by completing this form. For your participation, you will receive a $20 VISA gift card.
There are limited slots available for this night, and it's coming up fast, so please
let us know as soon as you can. We will get back to you with a confirmation of
your time if you are chosen to do this test.
If this location doesn't work for you, or if you just can't make it on this night after all, no
big deal. If you have any questions or comments, just hit "reply" and let me know what
you think.
Remember: use this form to tell us about your availability.
Thanks for being a member of the CUTGroup!

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CUTGroup 14 - Chicago Cityscape Final Report

CUTGroup 14 - Chicago Cityscape Final Report

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CUTGroup 14 - Chicago Cityscape Final Report