Benefits of Open Government Data (Expanded)

VisibleGovernment.ca

Benefits of Open Government Data

Another Type of Social Media:
Publishing Structured Data

[2]

Graphic generated by Redkid.net

Web-oriented Architectures:
“have a much greater potential
effect on the ability to transform
government than anything else in
the Web 2.0 world.”
- Gartner, 2007
The E-Government Hype Cycle Meets Web 2.0

Publishing Structured Data Visualization
Feeds • Makes it easy to find new
• Ability to subscribe to patterns.
interesting data
• Data streams can be ‘mashed’
in new ways.

Collaborative Crowdsourcing
Organization • Combines skills and input of
• Tagging, Voting, Sharing large numbers of people

• Governments publish
Governments data streams
publish data
streams
• 3rd parties create tools for
analysis and oversight
3rd
Issues are
Party
Citizens
monitor data
• Citizens collaboratively
resolved
Tools streams monitor their
government
• Citizens detect issues,
Issues are
detected
give feedback
• Issues are resolved

Open Systems Allow
External Contribution.

Goldcorp
1999: Struggling
Vancouver company

Early test results showed
gold deposits

After years of searching:
no gold found

From Wikinomics,
by Dan Tapscott
[3]

Golden challenge unearths new ideas: Globe and Mail, April 2007.

[The Goldcorps President] realized that the
uniquely qualified minds to make new discoveries
were probably outside the boundaries of his
organization, and by sharing some intellectual
property he could harness the power of collective
genius and capability

[4]

What if governments
took the same
approach?

Vivek Kundra
Former CTO, District of Columbia

[20]

 Changecamp Ottawa
▪ Ottawa City Hall, May 16

 Changecamp Vancouver
▪ June 20 & 21st

Citizens can do more than
code websites...

structured govt. data
+ citizen expert groups
some examples...

1st Year Results:
•2000 Citizen Reviewers
• Avg. Time / Reviewer / Patent: 6hrs

Rewarding

•25,000 Problems reported
• 8,000 Fixed

A recent US
Congress bill

Groups for Groups
bill against bill

Publishing Structured Data Visualization
Feeds • MAPLight makes relationship
• MAPLight is a mashup of between money and votes
data streams from different visible.
sources.

Collaborative Crowdsourcing
Organization • Thousands of journalists,
• Advocacy group tags advocates, and citizens can
donating companies as browse data and flag issues.
belonging to interest groups.

Open Systems Make
Failure Free.
* paraphrasing Clay Shirky.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cobalt/1308955915/

It’s hard for
governments to
experiment.

There’s lots of people watching.

[5]

There’s lots of rules.

[6]

“An online compliance checklist for
designers of government websites identifies
no fewer than 24 different regulatory
regimes with which all public government
web sites must comply.”

-David Robinson, Princeton Center for Information Policy.
“Government Data and the Invisible Hand”

Let others
experiment
for you.
* Save tax money.

[7]

Regulations.gov
• Launched • Re-designed
• Limited Search • Re-launched
• Hard to Use • Added RSS Feeds

2003 2008
(+few months)

• Pared down interface
OpenRegulations.org • Easy to navigate

*From: Government Data and the Invisible Hand, David Robinson,
Princeton Center for Information Technology Policy.

Open Systems Create
New Markets.

[8]

Cisco:
127 Acquisitions in 15 Years

[9]

New Opportunities:

Visualization
Analysis
Community Mgmt.
Combining Data Sets
Data Mining
Niche Markets

[10]

Be like Cisco.

Buy the best solutions.

Open source them.

Create an expanding base
of re-usable software.

[11]

An Architecture for Open.

[12]

OLD NEW

*From: Power of Information Task Force blog, June 2008.

Access

Treasury
Board
Reporting
Department
Reporting
Auditor
General
Access

*From: Government Data and the Invisible Hand, David Robinson,
Princeton Center for Information Technology Policy.

An Architecture for Open

Access

External Treasury
Groups
Board
Reporting
Department
Reporting Auditor
General*

External
Groups
Access
* Save tax dollars.

Open System
Roadblocks.

[13]

Civil servants often feel
they live in a fishbowl.

“No one was ever promoted
for disclosing information.”
-US Government Employee.
OMBWatch, Towards a 21st Century Right To Know Agenda

Open systems can
make heroes.

Not just scapegoats.

[14]

Estonia: Government document repository
entirely open to public.
- Stephen Clift, DemocracyOnline*

* http://rebooting.personaldemocracy.com/node/52 [18]

Cost of Software Defect: Time Introduced vs. Time Detected
Time Detected

Require- Architec- Construc- System Post-
ments ture tion Test Release

Require-
1× 3× 5–10× 10× 10–100×
ments
Time
Architec-
Introduced - 1× 10× 15× 25–100×
ture
Construc-
- - 1× 10× 10–25×
tion
McConnell, Steve (2004). Code Complete (2nd edition ed.)
Microsoft Press. pp. 960. ISBN 0-7356-1967-0.
Also here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_testing

Let the public see
your successes as
they’re happening.

• Goals achieved

• Innovative services

• Efficiency improvements

Change the reporting cycle.

Something that everyone knows
about isn’t news.

Case Study #1
Canadian DMCA

(Social Media Against Government)

Members 90,284
Discussions 497
Wall Posts 3,654

Fair Copyright for Canada Facebook Members
(Thousands)
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

Source: Updates posted to FCC Facebook Group
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6315846683

 Include ordinary people in your feedback
process.

 Float trial balloons. Release drafts.

 Monitor social media channels.

 Have decision points. When will I do
something?

Case Study #2
School Information Finder

Province of Ontario
Ministry of Education

 Website to help parents
choose a school.
EQAO Test
Results
 Shows standardized test
scores in context with
demographics. Demographic
Internal Data
Ministry
Analysis from
 Shows the same data the StatsCan
Ministry uses to make
decisions.

 Pre-Launch Consultations:
 Talked to people in education.
 Talked to a group of principles.
 Let the school boards know.

 Small user test with 7-8 parents
 Survey: “Did you find what you were looking for?”

School Information Finder:

Site soft-launched.

Includes „School Bag‟ that lets parents select 3 schools to
compare by test & demographic information.

Features Up

Mar 29

Public launch by Kathleen Wynne, Minister of Education,
at a parent conference.

Features Up

Mar 29 Apr 4
Public Launch

New way to compare public schools in Ontario - using test
scores and immigration background - not everyone thinks it's
good.
- Headline, Globe and Mail, April 6

Features Up

Mar 29 Apr 4 Apr 6
Public Launch

Hearing concerns from stakeholders at a public meeting,
Minister agrees to:

- Remove „School Bag‟ comparison feature.
- Add more information.

Public Meeting:
Minister decides
Features Up to remove
„School Bag‟.

Mar 29 Apr 4 Apr 6
Public Launch

„People for Education‟ Launches Online Petition:

“We are concerned that this site will encourage further social
polarization. “

Public Meeting:
Minister decides
„School Bag‟

Mar 29 Apr 4 Apr 6 Apr 7
Public Launch Online Petition Launched

“Wynne deletes Web feature comparing schools, Minister
Backtracks”

- National Post, April 7, 2009

Public Meeting:
Minister decides
„School Bag‟.

Coverage in:
• Toronto Star
• Globe and Mail
• Ottawa Citizen

Removal of „School Bag‟ feature delayed by site traffic:
- 11,000 hits by 11am.

Feature removed that afternoon.

All test scores & demographic data still available on site.

Public Meeting:
Minister decides
Features Up to remove „School Bag‟
„School Bag‟. removed.

Coverage in:
• Toronto Star
• Globe and Mail
• Ottawa Citizen

Comments on School Finder Website Survey, April 7:
(loosely categorized)

1/3 – Take down the whole site.
1/3 – The site should provide more information.
1/3 – Governments should make all information available.

Public Meeting:
Minister decides
„School Bag‟. removed.

Coverage in:
• Toronto Star
• Globe and Mail
• Ottawa Citizen

“If you were to ask parents whether or not they want this
information, I know what their answer is.”

- Dalton McGuinty, Premier, April 8

Public Meeting: Statement by
Minister decides Premier.
shopping bag. removed.

Mar 29 Apr 4 Apr 6 Apr 7 Apr 8
Coverage in:
• Toronto Star
• Globe and Mail
• Ottawa Citizen

quot;Part of the disappointment today was
that it is a partnership table,quot;

quot;This was the first time that people
were blindsided and had no idea what
was going on.“
- Annie Kidder, People for Education

Wynne deletes Web feature comparing schools,
Minister Backtracks, National Post, April 7, 2009

May 5, 2009

The Ministry of Education is working
with stakeholders to add more
information to the website.

The School Information Finder site is
getting 300-800 hits per day.

What should
government
websites do?

Government websites
should do everything.

I’m still not happy.

[24]

 This is what start-ups do.

 Potential for negative press by people who
want to influence you.

Wynne deletes Web feature comparing schools,
Minister Backtracks

- National Post, April 7, 2009

 Don’t surprise anyone.

 Have a very visible consultation process.

 Have well documented feedback that
supports your decisions.

... Takes a long time.

 Make the data free.

 Let other people build the websites.

Requires: A Policy
1. What types of sites do I trust to
present my data accurately?

2. What types of sites do I trust to
provide me with accurate
feedback?

Make a badge.

This site is trusted by
the Government of
Ontario.

[23]

 Focus:
 US Congress
 California
Legislature

 Gives grants to
online
transparency
tools

 UK Non-Profit

 Simple,
Effective Tools

 High
Participation
Photo by memespring, Flickr.com, Creative Commons ASA2G

 Accelerate online transparency
Ideas  Raise Awareness
 With public
 With government
Skills  Raise Money

 Fund External Development:
Funds  Grants
 Contests

Prove
Concept

Get Publicity Direct Attention and
Money and to Online
Tools For Transparency
Raise
Awareness

Show What’s
Possible

Standardize Stream Visualize
• Scrape data into • Publish RSS • Provide basic
standard format feeds visualization app
• Hold contests

Records collected so far.
30,000
Volunteers.
4
Errors found.
155
Visualization company
1 engaged.
Lawyer making sure things
1 are on the up-and-up.

What you can do now.

[16]

“When you open up the data,
there’s no limit to what people can
do. It engages the imagination of
citizens in building the city.”
-David Miller, Mayor of Toronto.
Toronto 2.0: Data Sharing Source
The Globe and Mail, 09-01-31

Vivek Kundra
CIO, United States of America

data.gov
“... we need to make sure that all
that data that is not private, that is
not restricted for national security
reasons, can be made public. “

- Vivek Kundra, US CIO

Vivek Kundra, US CIO In His Own Words, O‟Reilly Radar
http://radar.oreilly.com/2009/03/vivek-kundra-federal-cio-in-hi.html

Government of Canada
Treasury Board
ITERation Project

• Generalized system for publishing data
• Implements IMF Code of Conduct for
Fiscal Transparency

1. Issue a high level statement in support of
transparency and openness.

Adapted from: OMBWatch: Towards a 21st Century Right to Know Agenda [19]

Government should be transparent.
Information maintained by the Federal Government is a
national asset.

My Administration will take appropriate action, consistent
with law and policy, to disclose information rapidly in
forms that the public can readily find and use.

Executive departments and agencies should harness
new technologies to put information about their
operations and decisions online and readily available to
the public.

Executive departments and agencies should also solicit
public feedback to identify information of greatest use to
the public.
Memo from the President of the United States
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/TransparencyandOpenGovernment/ [22]

1. Issue a high level statement in support of
transparency and openness.

2. Adopt a policy of disclosure by default, as
opposed to by exception.

3. Allocate money to implement a more
transparent government.

4. Create job-level incentives to promote
disclosure and transparency.

Adapted from: OMBWatch: Towards a 21st Century Right to Know Agenda [19]

TO DO: You
1. Get things online, internally. (Use Excel
less.)

2. Identify what information you collect and
use.

3. Identify who owns the information, and how
it‟s licensed.

[19]

 Anonymously report data sets and licensing.

 Users can tie use cases to the information.

 Site collects signups of people who would like
to see that information released.

TO DO: You
4. Come up with a good plan, so you look
fantastic.

[19]

Further Resources:

VisibleGovernment.ca Website: http://visiblegovernment.ca

GSA – Office of Citizen Services and Communication Intra-governmental
Newsletter : Transparency and Open Government
http://www.usaservices.gov/events_news/documents/Transparency.pdf

OMBWatch: Towards a 21st Century Right to Know Agenda
http://www.ombwatch.org/node/3840

Government Data and the Invisible Hand, David Robinson et. al.
Princeton Center for Information Technology Policy
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1138083

Hack, Mash and Peer: Crowdsourcing Government Transparency
Jerry Brito, George Mason University
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1023485

ChangeCamp: http://groups.google.com/group/changecamp

Sunlight Foundation: http://www.sunlightfoundation.com/

http://www.slideshare.net/jenniferbell

Photo Credits:

[1] 234 social media marketing examples, beingpeterkim
http://www.flickr.com/photos/beingpeterkim/2909140600/

[2] Printing Press, Thomas Hawk
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomashawk/172495285/

[3] Gold Bars, Curtis Perry http://www.flickr.com/photos/curtisperry/56998544

[4] Where’s Wally?, McGarry http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcgarry/111003432

[5] Eye see you!, dotbenjamin http://www.flickr.com/photos/dotbenjamin/2636942186

[6] Auntie P.'s ruler, John Edgar Park
http://www.flickr.com/photos/edgar/355067220

[7] Chemical Reaction, Neys http://www.flickr.com/photos/neys/2386865187

[8] Landmark Supermarket Trinoma, bredgur
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bredgur/2655954991

[9] Cisco 2950, Marco Wessel http://www.flickr.com/photos/mhw/91952572/

[10] Hanging Boken Bulb II, bitzcelt http://www.flickr.com/photos/bitzcelt/450640323/

[11] United Colors of Legotton, Guillermo http://www.flickr.com/photos/grdloizaga/817425185

[12] Rotterdam: abstract architecture, docman
http://www.flickr.com/photos/docman/2216568210

[13] Roadblock, iboy daniel http://www.flickr.com/photos/iboy_daniel/83671284

[14] just take my hand let's fly away, funkyah
http://www.flickr.com/photos/funkyah/2400889778/

[15] Amelia Earheart, missrougue, http://www.flickr.com/photos/missrogue/297606078/

[16] Dave Wants You, Chris Owens http://www.flickr.com/photos/shutter/105497713

[17] Robots Attack, Andy Wilson http://www.flickr.com/photos/by_andy/2646443630/

[18] Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaeru/1442362288/

[19] Notepad with Lines, net_effekt, http://www.flickr.com/photos/wheatfields/1803278949/

[20] Untitled, ckramer, http://www.flickr.com/photos/ckramer/3013249503/

[21] ChangeCamp at MaRS, Matthew Burpee
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mburpee/3223056900/

[22] Paper Lace, pareerica, http://www.flickr.com/photos/8078381@N03/2855146837/

[23] Employment Badge, Leo Reynolds, http://www.flickr.com/photos/49968232@N00/5238329/

[24] Me? Dave Parker, http://www.flickr.com/photos/daveparker/2758392869/

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