When Eric Boam gets on his bike, urban planning and design could benefit from thousands of bits of data streaming from his activity and thousands of others. The use to which we put data has changed. Instead of locating and inventing low tech solutions to our past problems, the research we often need is similar to masses of material already in circulation. Green projects in particular have used relevant data to prove their point

Despite the scientific source of much of our data, we are increasingly using it both personally and collectively for governance of our lives. With his Fitbit in his hand Eric starts his daily routine. The routine of the whole of New York’s Manhattan garment industry was altered in 2009. Data research enabled designers and manufacturers to prove that the density and value of activity in Manhattan would be negatively affected by a rezoning plan and the new city plan had to be dropped.

It’s called bottom-up change when the consumers decide what the admin. Should be doing, but your own bottom-up plan could help with your fitness! Planning activity is one of Eric’s big personal data events. He can tell what affects his sleep patterns more, a marathon or the birth of a child.

The same data is being used with reward points at the moment and will soon create personalised insurance schemes. How personal your data is will be down to the individual in many countries. But we already have interference with our phones and any other devices we carry, so that idea should probably be maintained as part of the future plan.

Good luck Eric as you’re obviously an IT person. Many others will be joining you as children grow up into a completely different world for every generation. Your ideas will be those that will be counted we hope. More from Eric’s blog in the Guardian can be found in - Technology and innovation hub.