What you should know about ‘The Really Useful Event 2011 – Data Discovery Workshop’

Register to ‘The Really Useful – Data Discovery Workshop’ NOW and vote for the open data challenges

Download the ‘Data Discovery Workshop’ Agenda

A. Its one of a kind

The LDG Community in conjunction with the Transparency team at DCLG and the LG group are planning a series of events and activities over a 6-month period to encourage use of open data sets and developments of some really useful apps.

We are holding a preparatory day themed the ‘Data Discovery’ workshop on 1^st July in London. At this event we are hoping to: –

1. Identify some really useful apps,
2. Learn about different types of data available
3. Learn and work together to source the data
4. Identify how we can publish data in different ways (not just PDFs and excel or csv formats)
5. Discover how we can use the data effectively and efficiently

THERE ARE KNOWLEDGE GAPS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ABOUT OPEN DATA!!!

B. It doesn’t end at the workshop

After discovering the potential, barriers and challenges of data, the will event continue offline to develop complete business cases, and high level specifications that can be subsequently developed at the main hack day in September. This will take place on the Open Data Cook Book wiki website to encourage local government participation and making the process as transparent as possible. In addition, we will be featuring ways to engage and get real feedback from citizens on the ground from experienced citizen engagement experts to pave the way forward for sustainable use of data.

C. Experts and experienced individuals in open data and citizen engagement will support you all the way
We will also be supporting attendees (online and offline) of the ‘Really Useful’ post-event to continue their apps development. This will be achieved via our online forum (Local Directgov CoP) and other online facilities via the hashtag #RU11.

We will also be inviting experts to answer open data related questions to break through any barriers and challenges that may arise in the business case and high specification development stage.

D. It is not a flash in the pan, we have done our research!

Recently me and Ingrid, who will be facilitating this event had a session at the recent #localgovcamp to ask what makes a good hacks and collaborative development days really useful. We learnt a lot of good lessons from that session and continued to talk to experts in open data to inform the ‘Data Discovery’ workshop.

So this is an event that already knows the problems with open data and the challenges that comes with it but will allow you to discover them within context of your own organization, while having fun!

E. It is a platform where you can develop your ‘Open Data Strategy’

We believe this ‘Data Discovery’ workshop and the continuation of conversations, discussions and development of apps post-event is a revolutionary approach that will inspire local government to think beyond hack days and really realize the potential of sustainable use of data. We believe it can also help you to develop your open data strategy too.

We are very keen to get local government partners involved in this first event. You don’t have to be a developer to make a real impact but you do need to be able to think innovatively and assess the potential and sustainability of ideas that are put forward.

Register to ‘The Really Useful – Data Discovery Workshop’ NOW and vote for the open data challenges

Download the ‘Data Discovery Workshop’ Agenda

We would like to encourage Head of Services to attend this event, so please forward this to your Head of Services. If you wish for us to invite them, kindly email [email protected] and she can invite them on your behalf.

Looking forward to seeing you there or online (using the hashtag #RU11).

Liz Azyan

Really Useful Enthusiast