¿Dónde hay sombra?
Mapping shade in Delicias.
- Product and service design
- Data visualization
- AI-assisted prototyping
- Project
- Independent civic climate data concept
- Tools
- Claude Code, Codex, Leaflet, GSAP, OpenStreetMap basemap
- Status
- Interactive prototype using public-source data
A public climate-data map that helps residents explore tree cover, surface heat, and where older adults and young children live across Delicias, Chihuahua.
Heat is already an everyday concern in Delicias, Chihuahua. Climate projections point to further warming in northern Mexico. I built this prototype to make public data about shade, surface heat, and population patterns easier for residents to explore.
The map supports awareness and conversation. It helps people see how these patterns relate across the city; it does not measure the heat someone feels on a particular sidewalk or recommend where trees should be planted (yet).
TL;DR
Make public data about shade, surface heat and population patterns easier for residents to explore together.
A map built with AI coding assistants, with plain-language layers, a resident story and clear limits.
Interactive prototype using public-source data. Street walks and testing with residents come next.
Why this map
The map is a starting point for understanding the city. Delicias has intense summer heat, but information about tree cover, surface temperature, and who lives in each area can be difficult to explore together. I designed the map to make those patterns more visible to residents, including where older adults and young children live in relation to shade and surface heat.
Building with AI
I used Claude Code and Codex to build and iterate on the prototype, moving from a map concept to a working Leaflet experience. AI coding assistants supported implementation; I shaped the product purpose, data choices, interaction model, and how the map communicates uncertainty.
The AI-enabled work is in the prototyping process: using coding assistants to turn a climate-data concept into an interactive product.
Making the data relatable
A map full of indicators can be difficult to interpret without a human context. I added a short story about Rosa, a fictional 67-year-old resident walking to a bus stop at 2 p.m. Her story connects shade data to an everyday journey and invites residents to think about their own routes.
Direct language, simple entry points
Short walkthroughs introduce key interactions, with the live prototype available to explore.
Search for a neighborhood, or go straight to the map.
Switch between data layers.
Read what the information can and cannot show.
Share observations through “Report”.
Spanish and English navigation gives people a choice of language.
Exploring the map
Residents can:
- 1.Search for a neighborhood or select a zone on the map.
- 2.Switch between tree-cover, surface-heat, older-adult, and young-child layers.
- 3.Compare zones using their values and percentile positions.
- 4.Read plain-language explanations of the map’s limits.
- 5.Share an observation through “Report”.
Data and limitations
The prototype uses public-source data, including INEGI Census 2020, canopy datasets, and Landsat surface-temperature data. The Census 2020 file for urban AGEBs has been received; its join to the Delicias map zones and the derived figures are still being verified.
Surface temperature is not air temperature. Canopy data is approximate and may not reflect current street conditions.
INEGI Census 2020, urban AGEBs.
Canopy datasets.
Landsat surface-temperature data.
Next steps
Walk a neighborhood
Walk a neighborhood with residents and compare observations with the map.
Test with residents
Test whether residents can find their area and understand the layers and limitations.
Talk to the people involved
Speak with community groups and the municipality about water access and how shade improvements might be planned.
The map makes city-wide patterns easier to see. The next step is to connect those patterns with what residents experience on the street.
Try the prototype
Shown in English. Use the language switch to see the Spanish version.