Smart Chicago is a civic organization that works to improve lives in Chicago through increasing access to the Internet, improving digital skills, and developing data products. It focuses on infrastructure projects like hosting apps and providing co-working space. Key projects include Foodborne Chicago, Chicago Early Learning, and Chicago Works For You. The organization is funded primarily by the MacArthur Foundation and also receives support from the Chicago Community Trust, Sprague Foundation, and Knight Foundation.

1. US Department of
State’s International
Visitor Leadership
Program
Daniel X. O’Neil
Smart Chicago
July 1, 2015
1
@danxoneil @smartchicago

2. Our Principles
Technology
Open
Everyone
Chicago
July 1, 2015 2

3. Our Principles
Technology
Open
Everyone
Chicago
July 1, 2015 3

4. We’re all about technology
• Everything we do relates to technology
• We are of and about the Internet
• We believe in the transformative power of
the Internet to change lives and build the
economy for all
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@danxoneil @smartchicago

5. We are open
• Open source code
• More importantly: open processes, open
minds, open methods
• Allowing others “in”, wherever that may be
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@danxoneil @smartchicago

6. Target market: everyone
• We believe in the power of the network
• The network needs everyone in it in order
for it to be powerful
• We work on solutions that cover the entire
city
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@danxoneil @smartchicago

7. Chicago is our middle name
• All of our work is done here
• Unique and thriving ecosystem
• We serve as a model for others
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@danxoneil @smartchicago

8. The Strategy
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9. Access, Skills, and Data
Smart Chicago is a civic organization
devoted to improving lives in Chicago
through technology. We work on increasing
access to the Internet, improving skills for
using Internet, and developing meaningful
products from data that measurably
contribute to the quality of life of residents in
our region and beyond.
July 1, 2015 9
@danxoneil @smartchicago

10. Access
If you’re not connected
to the Internet, it is
difficult for technology to
be of much use to you.
July 1, 2015 10
@danxoneil @smartchicago

11. Skills
If you can’t use the
Internet, being
connected isn’t going to
be all that meaningful.
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@danxoneil @smartchicago

12. Data
We construe data as
content. Because there
has to be something
meaningful to look at
once you’re connected
and skilled.
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@danxoneil @smartchicago

13. The Founders:
2 Philanthropies, 1 Municipality
July 1, 2015 13

14. The John D. and Catherine T.
MacArthur Foundation
• A center for ideation and
conception
• Julia Stasch: 2007 report,
“The City that NETWorks”
• Our primary source of funding
July 1, 2015 14
@danxoneil @smartchicago

15. The Chicago Community Trust
• Provides housing for the
organization and is fiscal
agent
• At the center of funding and
knowledge for the region
• Critical financial, human
resources, and other support
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@danxoneil @smartchicago

16. The City of Chicago
• The most important policy
lever in the region
• Departmental relationships
• A critical partner for having
impact and getting things
done
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@danxoneil @smartchicago

17. The Funding
July 1, 2015 17

18. Sources of Capital
• MacArthur: primary; essential
• CCT: critical back-office support as well as grants
• Sprague: on-target programs centered on health
• Knight: an essential, growing partner focused on
civic engagement
• Cook County: to do open data work
July 1, 2015 18
@danxoneil @smartchicago

19. We function as a tech
development outfit.
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20. The Work
July 1, 2015 20

21. Focus on infrastructure
We make technology, programs,
and initiatives that allow others
to be more effective— to
provide clarity and impetus
July 1, 2015 21
@danxoneil @smartchicago

22. Amazon Web Services
• We host dozens of apps
for civic hackers
• At a moment’s notice & for
as long as they want
• This allows us to be helpful
at the moment of
inspiration
• Eliminating stoppers,
encouraging innovation
July 1, 2015 22
@danxoneil @smartchicago

23. Project Work and Office Space
• We have three employees at Smart
Chicago
• A deliberate strategy to spread
revenue, power, and growth across
the ecosystem
• We are founding tenants of 1871,
going back to May 2012
• We’ve helped jumpstart a half dozen
companies
• OpenGov Hack Night— an
institution. There because of our
seats
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@danxoneil @smartchicago

24. CUTGroup
• Civic User Testing Group as a new
model for UX testing, digital skills
development, and community
engagement in civic tech
• 800+ residents are available
• We’ve paid each of them a $5 VISA gift
card. When they participate in a test,
they get a $20 gift card
• We help the developers design and
implement UX testing and it allows us
to be deeply engaged with
communities while improving digital
skills
July 1, 2015 24
@danxoneil @smartchicago

25. Eliminate The Digital Divide
Advisory Committee
• I am the chair of this state-
based grant program
• They give grants to community
technology centers all over the
state of Illinois
• Allows me to be more plugged
in to the investments
happening outside of a
particular jurisdiction
July 1, 2015 25
@danxoneil @smartchicago

26. Cook County Open Data Work
• We have a contract with the
County to assist them with
their data portal
• Pure block-and-tackle
technical assistance
• Helping publish data that
grows the ecosystem
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@danxoneil @smartchicago

27. And we produce a lot of software.
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@danxoneil @smartchicago

28. Foodborne Chicago
• We use computers & code to search Twitter for
tweets related to food poisoning in Chicago
• We do as much as we can to automatically zero-in
on the tweets we think are really about a possible
food poisoning case and really coming from Chicago
• Then real humans review the tweets and @reply
back to people with a link back to our site, hoping to
generate legitimate service requests
July 1, 2015 28
@danxoneil @smartchicago

29. Chicago Early Learning
• Easily find early learning programs near your
home or work
• Compare programs side-by-side to select the
highest quality option for your child
• Kick off the enrollment process
July 1, 2015 29
@danxoneil @smartchicago

30. Chicago Works For You
• Citywide dashboard with ward-by-ward
views of service delivery in Chicago
• Slice, dice, view, review
• Sort by whatever interests you
• Automatic, running totals
July 1, 2015 30
@danxoneil @smartchicago

31. Chicago Health Atlas
• View citywide information about health
trends and take action near you to improve
your own health
• Our health programs are run by Kyla
Williams
• Also: Smart Health Centers
July 1, 2015 31
@danxoneil @smartchicago

32. Sometimes I wonder: where are
all the people?
@danxoneil @smartchicago

33. Big data can
be empty of
humans.
@danxoneil @smartchicago

34. Thing is:
Humans
have
immense
use.
@danxoneil @smartchicago

35. We have a chance to make
Chicago the most dynamic
digital city in the world.
July 1, 2015 35
@danxoneil @smartchicago

36. Tell me where you’re from.
@danxoneil
(773) 960-6045
doneil@cct.org
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@danxoneil @smartchicago