citieswhile

citieswhile is a collaborative framework and repository for the collection, visualization, and analysis of urban data across multiple cities. It emphasizes longitudinal, cross-city comparisons and aims to support researchers, planners, and citizens in understanding how urban variables evolve over time.

Coined by urban data practitioners in the early 2020s, the name combines 'cities' with 'while' to signal concurrent investigation across urban contexts. The project positions itself as an open-science resource, inviting contributions from municipal agencies, universities, and community groups.

Core components include an open data schema for standardized city indicators, a web-based explorer for side-by-side city comparisons, and an API for programmatic access. Data categories commonly included are population, housing, transport, land use, economic indicators, and environmental metrics. The platform also supports temporal visualizations, benchmarking dashboards, and GIS integrations.

Citieswhile is used for academic research, policy assessment, and civic engagement. Critics note challenges in data completeness, varying city governance structures, and privacy considerations when aggregating data. Proponents argue that standardized cross-city analytics improve transparency and informed decision-making.

See also: urban analytics; urban data; open data initiatives; geographic information systems.