Denice W. Ross: Deputy Director

denicew@gnocdc.org | 504–304–8260 x261

Denice W. Ross is co–Deputy Director the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center, where her role is to design information systems that effectively deploy content, designs and programming across projects.

With more than fifteen years of experience in user–centered design, Denice specializes in creating large web sites that convey complex information through an intuitive user experience. When she came to New Orleans in 2001, she designed the GNOCDC.org web site with data for all 73 New Orleans neighborhoods – from the Lower Ninth Ward to Lakeview – and built a loyal following of 5,000 unique monthly visitors. When Katrina hit, the site received 120,000 visits in one month; now, GNOCDC.org has a wide audience that includes neighborhood leaders, national media and the White House as they all track the recovery of New Orleans.

Denice has been a long–time contributor to the field of “public participation GIS” and is an active member of the Urban Institute’s National Neighborhood Indicator Partnership. She is frequently called upon to present at national venues, such as the Alliance of Information & Referral Systems (AIRS), Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA), Council on Excellence in Government, PolicyLink’s Regional Equity conference, O’Reilly’s Where 2.0 Conference, and the Brookings Institution. Denice has participated in a number of local information–related efforts including serving on the Agenda for Childrens Kids Count Data Advisory Panel, VIA LINK marketing committee, LouisianaRebuilds.info Steering Committee, and the New Orleans Master Plan “Future Vision” working group.

Before moving to New Orleans, she managed production of a distance learning program for physicians, coordinated the development of the Webby–nominated site The Biology Project, and co–edited an award–winning interactive CD–ROM that used digital image processing to teach biology. Denice earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Arizona.

Expertise

• Knowledge management
• User–centered design
• Usability testing
• Community resource mapping

Experience

• Web Producer, Fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona
• Coordinator of Web Development, The Biology Project at the University of Arizona
• Instructional Designer, Image Processing for Teaching Project

Education

• BS in Biology, University of Arizona

Select Publications

• Ross, Denice W. (2008). A scientific approach to the design and ongoing improvement of health department Web–based data query systems. Issues in Evaluating Health Department Web–Based Data Query Systems, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Page 46.
• Warren, Denice & Bonaguro, Joy (2003). Usability Testing of Community Data and Mapping Systems. URISA Public Participation GIS Conference Proceedings.
• Ross, Denice W. (2003). Ida B. Wells: Journalist, civil rights leader, mother of four (and savvy data–user). Greater New Orleans Community Data Center and the People’s Institute for Survival & Beyond.
• Warren, Denice (2000). The Art of Information Design, A List Apart: For People Who Make Websites.

Select Presentations

• Ross, Denice W. (Jan 2010) An app we can trust: Lessons from Katrina. CityCamp: Gov 2.0 Goes Local, Chicago, IL.
• Ross, Denice W. and Fee, James (2009) "Junk Mail" and the GeoWeb Shine Light on New Orleans Recovery. O’Reilly Where 2.0 Conference, San Jose, CA.
• J. Bonaguro, E. Ortiz, & D. Ross. (Oct 2008). Postal Data & Google Maps Shine Light on New Orleans Recovery. Urban & Regional Information Systems Association Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA.
• Ross, Denice W. & J. Bonaguro. (July 2003). Usability Testing of Community Data and Community Mapping Systems. Public Participation GIS Conference, Portland, OR.