Page 11 - 2019 Spring Conference Ebook
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After conducting the federal government’s annual Key Summary:
survey of homeless people, Margiotta and her
team discovered a peculiar finding: the survey • Only measure what matters.
showed that homelessness in Times Square had • Don’t waste your time with contacts.
gone up 17 percent that year over the previous. • Be thoughtful about what you are measuring. If
This result taught her a key learning: it takes 12 the data changes, take action or decide to stop
data points to differentiate between random measuring.
variation and an actual trend. It instigated a
change in survey strategy, where the team • Use data for learning and improvement.
focused on a subset of 18 people who were the • Recognition of your partners is a far more
"hardcore" homeless. powerful motivator to encourage participation
than having your partners compete against
“When we did this change, street homeless- each other or ranking them.
ness went down 87 percent in Times Square. It • It takes 12 data points to differentiate between
was a really significant thing.” random variation or accountability.
• Data isn’t the answer — it’s the clues.
Margiotta's subsequent work in sharing this “Data and measurement are everything. Are we
model with other cities and establishing the focusing here on how to change the individual or
100,000 Homes Campaign — a network of cities
across the United States that proactively worked can we pry our attention back up to the bigger
to reduce their homelessness numbers — taught picture of what’s going on in the systems, the
her these key learnings:
structures and history? It’s not an ‘either/or,’ so
• Let go of your arrogance that your way is the much as a ‘both, and.'”
best way, and celebrate adaptation.
• Encourage people to move toward a shared Watch, Read, Learn | Curated Content
goal and recognition.
1. Watch the General Session Video
2. Billions Institute: Data Malpractice Webinar
3. Visit the Billions Institute for additional
information.
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