Can Open Data Save The Public Realm?

Eh.........No.......Silly

Lesson # 1 =
It’s not about data

Data is not just a technical issue of formats and freedoms

It’s this
for any
public
sector
organisation

“What if it’s wrong”
“What if we’re blamed”
“Why should we - why do they want to know”
“What if the Leader doesn’t like it”
“What if the local papers find out”
“What if they use the data -WRONGLY”
“What if we disagree”
“What if people want us to make different
decisions”

The State = Rational, Technical, Strategic, Closed, Broadcast,
Contextualized, Ordered

The State = Rational, Technical, Strategic, Closed, Broadcast,
Contextualized, Ordered
uman , Adap tive,
Peop le = H
ative, Gene rous,
Com munic
ntera ctive, Raw,
Open, I
Messy

Data release forces these worlds to collide
in a battleground for relevance and authenticity

Ask yourself - who has more standing in the
conversation?
Facebook vs ANY Government?

The State + People = ?
gmpolice GM Police
@TamiH68 yes, always happy
to receive feedback

Cathedral Bazaar
Lesson # 1 =
Data release is a way that you can begin to
have the conversations about how we (the
state) need to fundamentally change from
broadcast to engagement, from technical to
adaptive, from command and control
to collaboration and co-production

Lesson # 2 = the state won’t do it on its own

Email to TfL
24/10/10
“Am aware that
Chris is on leave
so just wanted to
give you a heads Digital
up for tomorrow The State Disrupters
on this Malcolm
Barclay has just
posted to his
blog in the last
hour. Its been The Media
significantly
ReTweeted and
expect traction
in the press
tomorrow”
Emer

200 people give up their saturday to discuss the public realm
GovCamp 2011

Colleagues and Collaborators

Lesson # 2 = the state won’t do it on its own
the open data movement offers a unique
opportunity to leverage innovation into
the public sector
it’s not them and us
it’s us and us

Lesson # 3 = Are we there yet?
the journey is only beginning

and developments are not linear
they are emergent and unpredictable

and not really measurable - yet

and likely to remain contested
A Public Data Corporation?

lesson 1# it’s not about data
lesson 2# leverage innovation
less 3# the journey is only beginning

oops....nearly forgot........what about stuff ?

join the conversation
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@emercoleman
@GLALisaPrice
@JanetHughes
@madwDATA