Local Knowledge is a geographical research and analysis toolkit used by local governments and other organizations to understand communities. It has been updated to include Output Area Classification (OAC), a method of classifying small areas based on characteristics of residents. OAC data and visualization tools have been added to Local Knowledge to allow users to view demographics of areas using maps, bar charts, and other graphs. Future work includes improving the interactive features and mapping capabilities to help policymakers better understand communities and improve service delivery.

1. Effective Communication: Visualising OAC for Local Government Policy Users Laura Edwards The Local Futures Group

2. Visualising OAC Building OAC into Local Knowledge Different ways of visualising OAC for use as a policy tool Future improvements/ Teresa Alcock’s MSc project

3. What is Local Knowledge? LK is a geographical research and analysis toolkit Holds data at a range of spatial levels (regional down to Output Area level) Over 1,500 indicators with national coverage Allows benchmarking of areas nationally and locally Toolkit includes thematic mapping, bar charts, spider charts and tables

4. Who uses Local Knowledge? Local Government (Economic Development; Regeneration; Corporate Policy; Researchers; Planners; Housing) Learning and Skills Councils Regional Development Agencies Primary Care Trusts Regeneration companies Property companies Charities

5. Policy issues Local Authorities and their Partners need to show a collective understanding of their communities Customer Insight/Improving service delivery Transformational Government – i.e. efficiency savings

6. OAC Colour Map

7. Building OAC into Local Knowledge Added Output Area spatial level, OA data and OAC Applied OAC colour scheme Adjusting toolkit to work with the new spatial level Added descriptive text and hyperlinks to background research

8. Mapping

10. The proportion of the population in OAC Group 7a – Asian Communities

11. Bar Charts

12. Bar Charts

13. Spider Charts and Nearest Neighbours

14. Future Developments Adding new tools Adding links between tools and contextual information More user-interaction with the outputs Adjustment of colour scheme KTP with UCL

15. Teresa Alcock’s MSc - Mapping Mapping OAC at appropriate scales and with context using locational referencing Review of available WebGIS applications to increase WebGIS functionality Issues: Mapping scale Base maps Locational referencing Labelling Legend colours Seeing surrounding areas/features Inset map

17. WebGIS Sample OAC over Google backdrop

18. Conclusion OAC should be used as a policy tool Better understand areas and communities and improve service delivery Local Futures are continuing to develop our tools and ways of visualising OAC to help this process

19. www. localfutures .com