Open Data and Open Government at the local level: an example and thoughts from Italy

OGP-related Initiativesat the Local Level

Examples and thoughts from Italy

Marco Fiorettihttp://mfioretti.com

http://stop.zona-m.net/

Marco Fioretti ([email protected]) 2014/11/26 First National OGP Forum, Skopjehttp://mfioretti.comhttp://stop.zona-m.net/ Some Rights Reserved

OpenCoesione•Background:

the Italian Government and the EU Cohesion (aka.

Regional) Policy co-fund everything from large

infrastructures to small aids for local projects

The Italian Government released as Open Data

detailed information on all the 800k+ projects funded

in Italy (almost 80 billion Euros)


OpenCoesione (2)


Monithon: OpenCoesione for normal people

Monitoring Marathon fosters (group) civic use of Open Data

makes it easier for ordinary citizens to:

• work together on the raw data from OpenCoesione

• link to them status reports from the field

• connect everything into structured stories

• stimulate local administrators and entrepreneurs to work better


How does Monithon work?

Platform based on Ushahidi

• 10-page end-user manual

• Proposed as collective activity (Monithon Days)

Initially conceived by the OpenCoesione team

Later become an independent project by the Italian “civic hacking” community

Partners with local activist groups (e.g. Libera, a national anti-Mafia NGO)


The Monithon portal


The Monithon portal (2)


ASOC (A Scuola di Open Coesione)

“Monithon in and for schools”

Data-based storytelling on matters of civic interest by

high school students

Includs ad-hoc training course on OpenCoesione data

first cycle involved 7 schools across Italy in 2013/14

other schools should follow this year


Catramiamoci

Students in Palermo decided to compare bus stop positions, and bus transit times with planned performances of new light railway to be developed with POR-FESR funds found in OpenCoesione

The City of Palermo didn't release those data

The students went to get them by themselves, on the ground and online

Eventually, following that and other pressures, the City released the official version of the same dataset as Open Data

Proved to students feasibility and value of new ways to interact with local administrators for the common good


Catramiamoci (2)


What may we learn from these stories?

Never expect, or use as excuse for doing noting, that “everybody will, or should, use Open Data”

• That NEVER was (or should have been) the goal

• The goal is to give equal access opportunities to ALL who can effectively use the data

But widen support and usage of Open Data as early as possible


What may we learn from these stories? (2)

Never mind about “poor data quality”

• Otherwise you will never get anything done

• Of course data today suck! But...

• That's why we want them open: to improve them together

The point is never to make of data opening a witch hunt

• Make clear that you know that who has “ugly data” today is not “guilty”

• Explain that not releasing anything is very often worse that releasing “ugly data”


What may we learn from these stories? (3)

Use opening of Data as occasion to streamline procedures

• If it is too expensive or complicated to release your data, it often means you are not working well

Make citizens enter structured data (e.g. Company names in Monithon reports)

Extend the model to work without assistance or input (not even the initial raw data!) from the above

• E.G. Make schools produce and use Open Data in normal activities by themselves


Final notes

These slides will be available soon at http://mfioretti.com

Please read and send feedback about the “Open data in and from schools” proposal at mfioretti.com

Contact info: [email protected] and @mfioretti_en

Thanks!


http://mfioretti.com/

mailto:[email protected]

Education

Open Data and Open Government at the local level: an example and thoughts from Italy