[okfn-coord] Aidinfo contract

Wed Apr 1 09:14:24 UTC 2009

Hi Jonathan

I'm really interested in open knowledge for development, you're right.
And I was inspired by what I heard from Simon at OKCon.

I didn't speak to Simon much (I spoke more with Sara from
PublishWhatYouFund), but it seemed to me that he faced a conflict - on
the one hand, he knew that the best next steps for him was to organise
some kind of BarCamp, where he could let coders loose on some of the
data sets he's identified. On the other hand, he was inured in a
political situation with the various NGOs he was working with and
didn't seem in a position to "steal" data in order to create a proof
of concept product (the "ask forgiveness not permission" model that
was so successful for MySociety). If OKF were to get involved, I would
want to know that we could do something that helps this situation,
rather than become inured in it ourselves.

I don't want to over-commit at this stage (I've spotted your long
email in response to my 4IP work, so I know there's quite a bit
already for me to follow up on there). I've got very little free time
before mid-May, thanks to a rather exciting contract I'm working on.
But after this, I would be interested in parts of the
community-building aspect of the project, if that meant reaching out
to renowned screen-scrapers such as Harry Metcalfe, Julian Todd and
Rob McKinnon (some/all of whom may be on this list - hello!) and
seeing if they were interested in playing around with some data and
encouraging others to do the same. That would be contingent on there
being the political space to undertake such an exercise with regards
to Simon's partner NGOs.

Perhaps it's best if you and Rufus proceed with the meeting in the
next couple of weeks (and raise this issue there?) and keep me in the
loop. Then, come mid-May, if there's an opportunity to organise a
BarCamp, I can get cracking with that.

Let me know what you think, and also if you think there's some other
skill I can offer to help with this partnership that I'm not yet
volunteering, all the best

Becky

2009/4/1 Jonathan Gray <jonathan.gray at okfn.org>:
> Hi all,
>
> Simon Parrish - who spoke at OKCon - is interesting in contracting the
> OKF to help with some of the things they are working on (data
> discovery, standards, legal options, community building, ...). We plan
> to meet up with him in the next couple of weeks. What do people think?
>
> Becky - it would be great if you were free at some point to come along
> with Rufus and I to meet Simon, as I understand you're particularly
> interested in open knowledge for development?
>
> Very best,
>
> Jonathan
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Simon Parrish <simon at devinit.org>
> Date: Tue, Mar 31, 2009 at 7:16 PM
> Subject: aidinfo - next steps
> To: rufus.pollock at okfn.org, Jonathan Gray <jonathan.gray at okfn.org>
>
>
> Rufus, Jonathan,
>
>
>
> Well done for organizing such an interesting and fun event on
> Saturday. It was good to engage with the OK crowd.
>
>
>
> We discussed the possibility of a role for OKF to provide some support
> to aidinfo. I would like to follow up with this.
>
>
>
> As agreed I have made a list of areas I think we need some support –
> I’m sure it is not exhaustive,  nor is it intended to be a list of
> things I am asking OKF for help with - there are other tech partners
> that will be involved with the IATI/aidinfo initiatives that I’m sure
> will also have a role to play here, but I have a feeling you guys
> could provide valuable expertise into some of these areas.
>
>
>
> Can we meet to discuss this further? I could  get to London any day
> this week, or mon/fri next week. (I could probably juggle things to be
> more flexible next week if necessary)
>
>
>
> For info,  I also attach the (rather long) IATI scoping paper (not yet
> available for consultation, so grateful if you could not circulate too
> widely at this stage)
>
>
>
> Cheers,
>
>
>
> Simon
>
> Simon Parrish | aidinfo @ Development Initiatives | * email:
> simon at devinit.org | : Web: http://www.aidinfo.org  | : Web:
> http://www.devinit.org  | : Web: http://www.commit4africa.org  | ( UK
> mobile: +44 (0) 7794 147 644| ( Skype: simon.parrish73
>
> Independent research on aid, development policy, NGOs and government relations
>
>
>
>
>
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> --
> Jonathan Gray
>
> Community Coordinator
> The Open Knowledge Foundation
> http://www.okfn.org
>