A quick glimpse profile of an open data hacker, this presentation explores the mysterious nature of our self-organizing communities and attempts to provide insights into motivations, needs, and aspirations of individuals and groups that “hack” open data. We look at a few examples of community Open Data projects & discuss how web, mobile and social media bring forward the power of Open Data to create break-through innovation.
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Unlocking a Mystery: The Amazing Mind of an Open Data Hacker
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. hack·er noun ˈha-kər
1: one that hacks
2: a person who is inexperienced or unskilled at a
particular activity <e.g. a tennis hacker>
3: an expert at programming and solving problems
with a computer
4: a person who illegally gains access to and
sometimes tampers with information in a computer
system
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hacker
7. hacker
a person who enjoys exploring the limits of what is
possible, in a spirit of playful cleverness.
…
It includes building, rebuilding, modifying, and
creating software (software cracking, demo
scene), electronic hardware (hardware
hacking, modding), or anything else, eitherfaster or it
anything else, either to make it better or to make
better or faster orfeaturesitor to make it do to make
to give it added to give added features or
it do something it was never intended do.
something it was never intended to to do.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hacker_(hobbyist)
Hacker – terrifying and mysterious wordWhat’s the first visual that comes to your mind
Criminal hacking into a mainframe
Security hacker deciphering the latest batch of crypto, trying to catch the criminal hacker
A college kid hacking into a public WIFI
…kids learn to hack younger, get into trouble earlierOh Charlie Brown, why did you take up hacking!
Definition – of these 4, which 3 apply to open data hacker?
My favorite – particularly when applied to making data do something it was not intended to
Let’s look at what open data hackers do, what motivates them and how you can become one
Hi I’m NikGarkusha – twitter / linked in
A group responsible for Open Source strategy & Open Gov initiatives at Microsoft CanadaBy Night – I run a community organization OpenHalton, helping to bringOpen Data to the Halton Region
I’m a hacker at heart.
I go to work, I drink beer after work (sometimes)
Go on vacation, play with my kids
But then – also go to and organize these crazy sounding events -- Hackathons& CodeFests
Why spend evenings and nights hacking Open Data?
3 reasons:
3 reasons:
3 reasons:
Motivation? My city..
Lots of opportunity to change the way we consume the information & use the data from my city
Or region – the way I can help make the data more useful to my community.
How to stay relevant in the evolving world of how people connect?Today people are looking to connect to the Open Gov data with what they are used to and prefer.
Examples:
Crime as night lights - SFCrime as elevation - SF
Stop & Frisk NYC – visualized with CartoDBNY Bus – CartoDBMoscow traffic congestion visualization - CartoDB
Parks Finder projects – using SIMILE Exhibit framework
Like the LED heads-up display at JP Licks ice cream in Boston –Shows bus arrival / departure times to help customers time their purchases – and for the business to time their next batch of treats
Council Expense data – Vancouver example – different apps, different insights
Street crossing + accident data – Hamilton / OpenHamiltonSchoolZone app – insights into safer routes for kids
Emitter.ca – insights into industrial pollution around the cornerAs well as local MP/MPP information for those areas.
Add value
Milton splash – during the heat-wave, to help folks find splashpads nearby
Halton Flu – help folks find Flu clinics nearby
Skating Rink & Hocking Rink apps – OpenHamilton & Montreal Ouvert
The infamous VanTrash project that transformed into ReCollect – a service to remind you of your garbage & recycling days – across multiple devicesSends you SMS, email and even calls your phone
The cycle doesn’t stop here – as experiments offer insights, which turn into useful services for people……citizens, government & other hackers provide feedback/comments/suggestions…leading to further experiments, new features, new possibilities.
Example – from hacking recreation activity data(openHalton, openHamilton)Insights into a common Recreation Activity standard – GRAFInto a possible Service…
GRAF service that captures program information, facility & resource detail – within a framework that allows for easier discovery & decision making process for individualsWe’re working with early data from several pilots – do you see opportunities for your municipality?
Be a hacker?!
After all, we’re just one of you – and you’re one of us –We are hackers, fathers, students, government employees & we’re all Citizens
… and when your flight is landing in Toronto..… you’re probably looking out the window to see if you can spot your town … just like the rest of us