Challenge
Allowing an international comparison of perceptions of place
Understanding how the public views a community can help the people in that community address underlying issues that are impeding tourism, public safety, or general growth of the community. Knowing how outsiders perceive a community can help places break stereotypes, or bring attention to actual problems being accurately perceived.
Place Pulse collects quantitative data on 'urban perception'. It invites users to rate which of two places (captured by Google Streetview cameras) look 'livelier', 'wealthier', more family friendly etc., and then collates the results. With sufficient user participation the site will allow an international comparison of perceptions of place, which could then be mapped against data such as violent crime, creativity or economic growth, to reveal correlation or causation.