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Sidekick Beta Strengths, Limitations, & Roadmap

Learn what Sidekick can and cannot do as it continues to evolve.

Sidekick is both new and a work in progress. Because of this, the list of Sidekick's capabilities will continue to grow, so please check back often.

Strengths

Sidekick is designed to understand and answer your questions about the communities you're interested in, using data from mySidewalk's library for accurate responses.

Data recommendations

Sidekick can recommend data for things such as:

  • Applying for grants (based on grant descriptions)
  • Conducting needs assessments
  • Understanding health disparities

Answering fact-based questions

Examples of questions Sidekick can handle:

  • “What’s the life expectancy for ZIP code 64131?”
  • “What’s the diabetes rate in Manhattan, KS?”
  • “How many vacant houses are for rent in Jackson County, MO?”

Creating interactive maps

Sidekick can create maps upon request, like:

  • “Create a map of homes without air conditioning by neighborhood in Memphis.”
  • “Create a life expectancy map for counties in Florida.”

Drafting data stories

Sidekick can draft copy, such as:

  • Describing map insights
  • Highlighting key takeaways
  • Drafting a memo on actionable insights

Show its work

  • Click “Show work” to see the steps Sidekick took to answer queries, including data sources and search terms.

Other capabilities

  • Comparing and ranking places. Sidekick can compare locations based on metrics or data topics.
  • Calculating proportions. Sidekick can normalize data to return proportions or percentages where applicable.
  • Refine responses. Sidekick can change its responses when given more information, like what you need and why you need it.

Limitations

As a beta tool, Sidekick has some limitations that we're working to improve:

  • Data availability. Sidekick currently only returns the latest data. We're working to add historical and projection data.

Tip: Use "Percent Change" data to explore trends.

Even though historical data points are not yet available in Sidekick, you can use "percent change" data such as "Percent Change in Housing Units" to explore some trends. Find a recommended list here.

  • Limited calculation abilities. Complex calculations, like correlations, are not supported at this time.
  • Data availability at different geographies. If Sidekick states data is unavailable, try a different level of geography or consult the data catalog.
  • Performance in longer conversations. For best results, start a new conversation when switching topics or geographies.
  • Occasional errors in data retrieval. If Sidekick doesn’t retrieve data that's relevant to your request, consider rephrasing your prompt or trying again.

Tip: Ask Sidekick to try again.

If Sidekick says it can't do something when you know it can, ask it to try again. Sometimes Sidekick needs a little encouragement - just like humans!

Roadmap

Sidekick’s future developments will be shaped by user feedback. Current priorities include:

  • Adding historic data values
  • Enabling time series visualizations

If you have ideas, share them with us here.