Join us for DataConnect Conference on Oct 2-3, 2025. Round 1 pricing ends December 31, 2024.
The City of Cleveland, Ohio embarked on a journey starting in 2022 to improve data management, analytics, and collaboration for City operations, as well as open data capabilities. City data is both deep and wide, spanning departments such as public safety, public utilities, public works, public health, building and housing, and more. We identified the need for a new data platform to integrate multiple internal operational systems and also with regional entities, including multiple GIS systems, and support data sharing among multiple departments. The City selected Azure Databricks as a data management and analytic platform, PowerBI for reporting, and ESRI as an open data platform.
To implement, the City had to establish an enterprise data governance framework from the ground-up including a data source inventory as well as an Executive Order on Open Data signed by Mayor Justin Bibb in December 2023 that was prepared in collaboration with the City’s Office of Urban Analytics & Innovation (Urban AI) and Law departments.
This presentation will address lessons learned through this implementation process including getting leadership alignment, selecting technology, managing through change, and implementing.
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Elizabeth (Liz) Crowe, PhD is the Director of the Office of Urban Analytics and Innovation (Urban AI) at the City of Cleveland. As the thought leader and public face for the City’s analytics efforts, Director Crowe oversees deliberate strategic planning to advance Cleveland’s position as a leader in modern, data-informed governance. Crowe established Urban AI as the data and process center for excellence in the City of Cleveland in August 2022 under the leadership of Mayor Justin Bibb. Urban AI enables improved decision making through data analytics, increasing transparency through access to data; and establishing data governance. Urban AI facilitates innovation and modernization by assessing and evaluating administrative, operational, and programmatic performance of departments/divisions.
Crowe is an economist and researcher, who is passionate about civic tech, data and the possibilities they hold for Cleveland. An experienced data manager, she has years of experience in economic development, nonprofit management, venture capital, and the private equity industry.
