Go Code Colorado

and the evolution of the

Data Liaison

Margaret Spyker

Xentity Corporation

• 900 participants across all events • 5 locations for Challenge Weekend • 31 Challenge Weekend teams • 42 mentors during Mentor Weekend • $25,000 each to top 3 teams • 176 datasets published

GO CODE COLORADO - QUICK STATS

@elainemarino @GoCodeColorado @webmapacademy

APPS AND APPLICATIONS – ALL START WITH DATA

Infographic courtesy of DataSF

THE SECRET TO SUCCESSFUL USE OF DATA IS DATA COMBINATION

• Successful Open Data Apps, Strategic Planning, and Metrics Dashboards use Data *in Combination*

“GOOD” Data identified as being most useful and combining well with other data based on needs identified by the users

Mechanism for Feedback

Don’t wait for perfection to publish – utilize user input to stimulate positive improvements

Users are the best candidates for data improvement

Keeps data Accurate and Reliable via Data Curation and Maintenance Automation

Have analysts on-staff and available to help with Data Interpretation and Good Metadata – Data Liaisons!

DATA IS AWAYS IN BETA!

FEEDBACK LOOP

The Data Liaison

Government data stewards and

secondary end users of data

often live in very different worlds,

without common language or

context for each other’s needs

and desires.

Having staff that’s positioned

between the two worlds, that also

knows enough about each

party’s needs and desires, is

critical to bridging the gap.

• Metrics of a Quality Data Portal

The Experience of the Data User

Principals of a Quality Data Catalog:

• Centralized – one stop shop

• Predictable – automated updates

• Easily Discoverable – clear documentation

• No Redundancy – publish once, utilize keywords

• Quality not Quantity – measure in the value of the data not the overall

count or bytes

The Experience of the Data User

• What Happens When You Search a Cluttered Data Catalog

HOW TO COMBINE DATA – STEP 1: FIND DATA

• The Colorado Information Marketplace data.colorado.gov

• How you browse the data matters

The Experience of the Data User – STEP 2: FIND DATA (THIS IS INTENTIONAL FOR COMEDIC EFFECT)

Looking For Data You need to know:

• What is it? • What’s in it? • When is it

updated? • How was it made?

WHY METADATA DOESN’T SUCK: THE STUFF YOU WANT TO KNOW ON THE FLY – “WHAT IS IT?”

• Go Code Colorado Brand of Data = good metadata

WHY METADATA DOESN’T SUCK: THE STUFF YOU WANT TO KNOW ON THE FLY – “WHAT’S IN IT?”

• Go Code Colorado Brand of Data = good metadata

WHY METADATA DOESN’T SUCK: THE STUFF YOU WANT TO KNOW ON THE FLY – “WHEN IS IT UPDATED?”

• Go Code Colorado Brand of Data = good metadata

WHY METADATA DOESN’T SUCK: THE STUFF YOU WANT TO KNOW ON THE FLY – “HOW WAS IT MADE?”

• Go Code Colorado Brand of Data = good metadata

Data Provider Interviews

Create Useful Descriptions

WHY METADATA DOESN’T SUCK: THE README FOR APIS ON CIM • ‘I need the specs for my API – Stat!’

• Good thing it’s right there on the Colorado

Information Marketplace App Keys, Ruby Gems, Field

Descriptions… oh my!

Why Metadata Doesn’t Suck

Margaret Spyker

Xentity Corporation