This talk was given at the annual California Resource Recovery Association (CRRA) Conference on Monday, August 1 2011.

1. Regional Recycling
Database Collaboration
Building a Better Platform for
Recycling Information Services
Lawrence Grodeska
Internet Communications Coordinator
San Francisco Department of the Environment
Lawrence.Grodeska@sfgov.org | (415) 355-3791

2. What's On Tap
 Current State of Recycling
Information Services (RIS)
 The Regional Recyling Database
Collaboration (RRD)
 The “Recycle Where?” Tool
 How You Can Benefit
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Recycling
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17. RRD Collaboration Partners
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18. RRD Collaboration Partners
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19. RRD Collaboration Partners
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20. RRD Collaboration Partners
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21. Project Vision
 True regional collaboration
 Better tool for less $$
● Modern search technology
 More efficient
● Easier for staff to maintain
● Eliminate duplicate data
8/1/2011
CRRA 2011  Ignore geopolitical boundaries
Regional
Recycling  Empower other agencies
Database
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22. Project Start
 Fall 2010 – Chose vendor via RFP
● Common Knowledge (CommonKnow.com)
 January 2011 – Kick-off meeting
 Audience & Objectives
 Business Requirements
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 Data Model
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Recycling
Database
 Wireframes & Design
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23. Audiences for the Tool
 Resident, Single Family
 Resident, Multi Family
 Businesses (Construction & Demo.)
 Database Maintenance Staff
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 English-speaking, Age 22-65
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24. Priorities for Recycling Information
 Low cost/free
 Convenience
● Keyword search
● “Sniff” IP address
 Relevance
 Completeness
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 Accuracy
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25. Services & Notifications
 Pick-Up (free & not free)
 Drop Off (free & not free)
 Buyback Center
 Reuse
 Toxic/HHW
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 Bulky Item?
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26. Data Entry
Database
Agency
Websites

27. RRD Search Funnel
Search > {Refinement} > Results > Details
Search Widget
STEP 1: User enters search term
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(zip code is optional)
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30. RRD Search Funnel
Search > {Refinement} > Results > Details
Search Results Page
STEP 2: If exact match is not found, user is
prompted to select one item/material
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31. Persistent header with
option for new search
List of possible
items/materials for
which user could
be searching
Shortcuts to go directly
to audience-specific
discard information

32. RRD Search Funnel
Search > {Refinement} > Results > Details
Item/Material Detail Page
STEP 3: Discard options for selected
item/material are presented
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34. Prominent display
of location so
users see correct
information for
their location
Prominent tabs for Mechanisms for
different audiences collecting user
so users see feedback and
correct information allowing users to
for their needs share (social,
email, etc.)
Special alerts and
curbside collection
notices
List of vendors that
accept item, along
with service and Option to display
info necessary for map of drop-off
user to take action locations

35. RRD Search Funnel
Search > {Refinement} > Results > Details
Vendor Detail Page
STEP 4: If necessary, user may view
detailed information for a vendor
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36. Complete contact
information for
vendor
Mechanisms for NOTE: not all of
collecting user this info may be
feedback and maintained for a
allowing users to given vendor
share (social,
email, etc.)
List of all items
accepted by
vendor, including
notice if items are
collected curbside

37. A Different Approach to
Categories
We've separated:
 Items
 Material Type
 Roles (how something gets used)
We've added:
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 Related Items
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38. RRD Project Timeline Overview
Project Launch, Refinement &
Formulation Phase Development & Testing Deployment
Includes:
• Discussions with
potential partners
• Agreements between Includes:
Includes:
partners • Development
• Beta launch
• Contract vendor • Data
• Continued improvement
• Stakeholder • Testing
• Wider rollout
engagement & initial • Project governance and
meetings participation structure
• Tool formulation –
define functionality &
specifications
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We are
Regional
Recycling Fall 2011/Winter 2012
Database
Collaboration
here Tool Deployment
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39. How You Can Benefit
 Easier for your users to find info
 Easier for your staff to update data
 Cheaper than building your own
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40. How You Can Be Involved
 Check out RecycleWhere.org
 Consider switching to the new
platform for your RIS program
 Tell your co-workers about this
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project!
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41. RRD Steering Committee Info
City and County City of Palo Alto
of San Francisco Clay Reigel
Lawrence Grodeska clay.reigel@cityofpaloalto.org
lawrence.grodeska@sfgov.org
Wendy Hediger
wendy.hediger@CityofPaloAlto.org
Alameda County
Jeff Becera
jbecera@stopwaste.org City of San José
Emy Mendoza
emy.mendoza@sanjoseca.gov
Contra Costa County
Deidra Dingman Walter Lin
deidra.dingman@dcd.cccounty.us
8/1/2011 walter.lin@sanjoseca.gov
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Kristin McCleery
Regional
kristin.mccleery@dcd.cccounty.us
Recycling
Database
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