Access to and use of The Bigger Picture is without charge.

The Bigger Picture incorporates research that covers a wide range of cities. It is designed to be adaptable and applicable globally. While it provides a standardized framework for safety measurement, it also allows for customization to accommodate the unique characteristics and challenges of individual cities and regions.

An indicator is a gauge of the status of an outcome – in this case we are concerned with safety, so each of the 15 indicators helps to understand the status of safety in a region or city or neighbourhood. The Urban Safety Monitor is made up of 15 indicators, under three themes: for example: Human Rights is an indicator under the Community theme.

A measure is something which can be quantified. The indicators are broad factors which it would be impossible to assess directly. Indicators can only be assessed using specific measures, for example: Health is one measure which can be quantified to understand the status of Human Rights. Each indicator in the Urban Safety Monitor has several quantifiable measures.

A data source is the specific source of information that can be used to quantify the status of a given measure. For example, child mortality rate statistical data source which can be accessed to understand the status of Health. Data sources offer practical guidance on what sort of information is available to cities to understand the status of specific measures. 

Different projects will define indicators at different levels of granularity and detail. For this tool indicators are as high-level as possible, to make them inclusive and comprehensive. It may be that indicators related to specific localised projects appear in The Bigger Picture as measures, or even data sources, associated with a more general indicator. This is a simple terminological difference, depending on the design and knowledge needs of any given project.

The short assessment (link) assists in identifying immediate priorities for an individual city based on your status. This tool offers suggested steps to take to begin the incremental, long-term process of implementing the Bigger Picture approach in your city, including building capacity for understanding safety and safety data, strengthening civic participation to democratise safety knowledge, and working on policy and strategy to support transversal safety knowledge management.

Yes. This tool is designed to advocate for an approach which can support improved safety knowledge practice in cities. That means that it is not intended to be adopted in its entirety, it should be used to support strategy and design, to prompt dialogue and investigation, to influence approaches and principles. It is not intended to be a tool for monitoring safety itself.

Evidence-led approaches: accessing global good practices and understanding what is working in other parts of the world enables innovation to achieve more sustainable and effective local practices.

Understanding the local context: Generating data on local circumstances ensures that projects are designed in response to the specific local problems and opportunities and improves design and implementation to strengthen the likelihood of sustainable impact.

Adaptive management: monitoring and analysing projects as they unfold allows for quick responsiveness and adaptation to respond to gaps and risks as they emerge, improving effectiveness and impact.

Learning exchange: building global networks of experience and insight provides inspiration and support for innovative approaches.