I'm Tal Roded, a data scientist and economic researcher, and the writer behind NYCuriosity. Through NYCuriosity Studio, I take on a small number of custom projects for organizations that need reliable analysis and writing: turning messy data and hard questions into analysis, dashboards, reports, and writing that a board, a funder, a newsroom, or the public can actually act on.
What I do
Ways to work together
Interactive Dashboards & Tools
Custom, interactive dashboards and data explorers, like the ones on data.nycuriosity.com. Built to make your data legible to a board, a funder, or the public, with a clean pipeline and documentation behind it.
ExampleThe NYC Council Fiscal Impacts Tracker, a searchable database of every Council fiscal impact statement since 2014.
Data Analysis & Visualization
Rigorous analysis with publication-ready charts. Causal inference, forecasting, econometrics, and program evaluation, translated into visuals a non-specialist audience understands and trusts.
ExampleCharting NYC's subway construction costs against peer cities, PPP-adjusted, to show the Second Avenue Subway cost roughly 8x Copenhagen's.
Research Reports & White Papers
Full research: original analysis, sourced and designed for a specific audience, from a focused study to a flagship report.
ExampleA sourced analysis of how nearly all of NYC's post-pandemic job growth landed in a single lower-paying sector, published in Vital City.
Policy Memos & Briefs
One focused question, answered with data. A tight 2–5 page brief plus a chart or two. Fast, and often the start of something bigger.
ExampleA brief showing Clinton Street carries 4 to 6 times its neighbors' traffic, with a Low Traffic Neighborhood redesign to fix it.
Custom Writing & Ongoing Advisory
Data-backed writing of any length, a talk or deck, or ongoing analytics support on retainer. If it sits at the intersection of data, policy, and clear communication, let's scope it.
ExampleBuilding Block Party's searchable archive of 20+ years of NYC community board resolutions, with a School of Data talk on the work.
How I work
Independence first
I'm a policy journalist and an appointed member of Manhattan Community Board 3, so independent analysis is integral to my work, including commissioned pieces. I take on analytical work, not advocacy or lobbying. I decline engagements that conflict with my Community Board seat or with NYCuriosity's editorial coverage, and I'm transparent with you about methods and sources.
How it works
From inquiry to delivery
Tell me about it
Send your goal, rough scope, timeline, and budget range.
Fit call
A short call to confirm scope and that it's a mutual fit.
Proposal
A written proposal: deliverable, timeline, price, and terms.
Book it
A 50% deposit and a short agreement to get us started.
Build & deliver
I do the work with a check-in, then deliver the final product.
Proof of work
See the real thing
Everything I publish shows its methods and source data. The clearest sense of what a commission looks like is the published work itself:
Start a project
Tell me what you need
Share your goal, rough scope, budget range, and timeline. I'll review it for fit, including any conflicts of interest, and get back to you within a few days. If it's a match, we'll set up a short intro call.
Prefer email? [email protected]
Questions
Good to know
How long does a project take?
A memo is often about 1–2 weeks; data analysis and dashboards typically 2–5 weeks; full reports 4–8 weeks, depending on scope and data readiness. Rush timelines can sometimes be accommodated for an added fee.
Can you keep it confidential or sign an NDA?
Yes. By default I may reference finished, non-confidential work as portfolio, but fully confidential engagements are available and I'm happy to sign a reasonable NDA.
What won't you take on?
Advocacy or lobbying content, anything with a predetermined conclusion, and any engagement that conflicts with my Community Board seat or with NYCuriosity's coverage. When in doubt, I'll tell you up front.
Who owns the final work?
You own the final deliverable. Unless we agree otherwise, I retain the right to reference non-confidential work as portfolio, always in an analytical, nonpartisan framing.