The Cutting Edge of Open Government – Notes from Personal Democracy Forum

At Personal Democracy Forum listening to a panel on “The Cutting Edge of Open Government”

Todd Park, White House CTO

Open data

-weather data

-GPS data
-health data – hundreds of companies

In a fleet of new initiatives, energy, education, safety, impact data initiatives.

Awesomeness + magic

Carol Post, former NYC CIO

Just 3 years for NYC from rich array of data but not in good formats to 3 years of Big Apps contest with local legislation that says forward progress can’t be undone

Bryan Sivak, Chief Innovation Officer, State of Maryland

Cities much more tangible than states – you interact with citizens in more day-to-day effect

States higher up on that chain

Job of states to move money around

2 main goals – 1) transparency

Florida – Governor Scott opens his top 12 staff emails to public – sounds good, but will people just move conversations into different channels

Sophie Raseman, Smart Disclosure

For U.S. Treasury, smart disclosure

Questions

-In 2004, D.C. opened the first data – with crime data and open 311. Mainly for internally use at beginning

-lost ton of momentum when Mayor Fenty lost

-NYC – bottom-up is the origins, top-down is important for ground cover. Cultural change within government that happens.

-Don’t throw data as hail-mary path. Have to engage innovators from beginning. Brought 36 people into room, brought data, what like/what dont

-Lots of costs to making data available. Whether costs to government or costs requirements for federal employees.

-Can’t fix government without fixing HR and procurement

-5 or 6 wise old sages that go-to for acquisition in agency that everything goes to…lots of rules, regulations, and red tape

-Need sustainability

-Build prototype process – RFP EZ – building at White House – for simplified acquisition under $150k