[foundation-board] CEO Update for August 2016
Pavel Richter
pavel.richter at okfn.org
Fri Aug 12 16:17:40 UTC 2016
Dear All,
Please find below and attached an update on important developments here at
Open Knowledge International. You can find the text as a Google Document
here
<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E4WG87JgcWCAo-Hgcg8SCGFFssrI3QTxEE2LOd1jRng/edit#>
Highlights from our Projects
-
In Frictionless Data, we have increased communications through
publishing and promoting blog posts regularly as part of Frictionless data
on http://okfnlabs.org/. This includes detailed walkthroughs and
tutorials. We have also produced a series of case studies designed to
highlight other groups and organisations who are using Frictionless Data
specs in interesting or unusual ways. We have made huge progress in
formalizing new formal working relationships with the following groups:
-
University of Pittsburgh
-
Pacific NorthWest National Laboratory
-
University of Bath
-
TEDDINET
-
UK Data Service
-
Government of Northern Ireland
-
Open Data Institute
-
CODATA
-
A substantial amount of work has been committed to revising the budget
of OpenTrials as we were underspent in year one (due to delays in
hiring). The Arnold foundation agreed for the underspend in Year 1 to be
carried over to Year 2 in full except for the events underspend (but we can
apply on a case by case budget for this). Pavel gave a pitch for Phase II
funding in Houston, Texas with the Arnold Foundation, pitch can be found
here
<https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1y-bUEFJiVrI-D2_QtdOeyJ91HdZaZQfTrRqHFb0Sy6M/edit#slide=id.p3>
.
The launch date for OpenTrials is set for 10th October, 2016 in Berlin
at the World Health Summit. Also, sessions has been accepted for IODC,
Madrid in October, and Cochrane Colloquium, Seoul also in October.
We have started work on OpenTrialsFDA prototype for the Open Science
Prize and have extracted the approval history for drugs from Drug at FDA
website (initial part of OpenTrialsFDA project)
Work on normalizing the trials locations’ names, so we can have a better
view on where they have been conducted in have started. Also, we have set
up a webapp (re:dash) where researchers can query our database directly.
This has been used extensively by the team in Oxford and they’re starting
to write a paper with what they’ve found. User testing has been set up to
start in mid-August with doctors and researchers. We are also in
conversation with AllTrials looking at ways we can work together.
-
We have received comments from the EC for the first FutureTDM project
review meeting, and we are happy to inform the board that the project thus
far has fully achieved its objectives and milestones for the period. The
project is in a very good shape and it already shows promising results of a
high quality. Furthermore, it seems realistic that the project through its
careful analysis and stakeholder engagement will contribute to the
reduction of legal and technological barriers resulting in increased uptake
of TDM in Europe.
-
Technical development and design work have begun on the new
platform for Global
Open Data Index (GODI). We are in discussions with the Web Foundation
(WF) regarding convergence of our methodologies. WF have begun data
collection for 2016 and will therefore not use our data. The plan is to be
better prepared to converge in 2017. Research on GODI’s methodology is
complete and dataset research and partnership building is starting (with
the National Democratic Institute and the Open Contracting Partnership on
board). Internal research has also begun. Community planning is starting
and will kick into high gear next week
-
Regarding AODC & Direct Support, one project, HeHe Labs has been
completed and submitted its outputs from the initial contract.
-
The network voted during the 2016 Summer Camp to explore several options
for School of Data (ScoDa) to become independent from Open Knowledge
International. We’re working with the Steering Committee and Open Knowledge
to explore in detail the process which will lead ScoDa to become its own
organisation, and the relationship with Open Knowledge International going
forward. More will be shared on this topic when information becomes
available.
We are working on a new branding and revamping ScoDa’s website with the
aim of professionalising ScoDa’s visual identity ahead of IODC. We have
been invited to take part in the Data Literacy Conference that will take
place in Aix, France, on September 23-24. Meg and Dirk will run a keynote,
while Cédric will run a workshop.
-
There is no update on OpenSpending at the moment. The main activity is a
handover process between Cecile LeGuen and Diana Krebs who is taking
over the management of OpenSpending.
Viderum
-
Business has picked up again with about £100k of work signed for the
next three months. This should allow us to accumulate some profits to
balance previous month's poor performance. We've reduced our fixed costs by
reducing team size. Also, we've created a 30 day free trial CKAN program
with 17 signups so far. We will work further to automate CKAN deployment
and provisioning to get to a fully self-serve offering. There has been
increasing interest in CKAN as tool for internal data management and
sharing inside organizations. The WWF will be one of the first customers
testing out that use case.
-
Viderum's financial situation remains tight due to the last few slow
months. I will prepare a financial report before the September in-person
meeting.
-
Regarding transition, all former OKI customers except for two have now
had their contracts novated to Viderum.
Operations
-
The reversal of unrestricted Grant allocations has given us a year end
saving of £150,000;
-
There is reduced profit level from £430,000 down to £40,000 giving
a corporation
Tax exposure of £8,000 as opposed to £86,000 (this is part of the
unrestricted grant reversal);
-
We are working with a new travel partner (agency) who is helping us to
identify better rates for NGO’s which will in effect, reduce our travel
costs;
-
We have developed and released an accurate Timekeeping and Staff
Forecasting Tool;
-
We delivered the Forecasting and Budgeting Tool and it is now been
utilised by project and line managers;
-
A new onboarding and offboarding process was also delivered;
-
We conducted an appraisal revenue and are also ready for next phase in
November;
-
The End of Year Accounts in progress;
-
The Month end accounts is delayed due to team illness. We should be back
on track next week.
Funding Omidyar Network
We have submitted a revised proposal for a renewal funding. We are seeking
£570K for 2017 which we think is a realistic number after conversations
with Andrew and Martin. Pavel will go before Investment Committee of
Omidyar and defend the proposal on 28th September, 2016.
Hewlett Foundation
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation has authorized a grant in the
amount of $500,000 for the Global Open Data Index ( GODI), Community
support and Organisational capacity building.
Arnold Foundation
We currently have funding from the Arnold Foundation for OpenTrials project
until March 2017. We are seeking for long term funding for OpenTrials and
possibly other projects. Pavel visited Houston to build a relationship with
the foundation.
Ford foundation
We have identified Ford as a key perspective funder for OKI. We are set to
approach them about funding the Tax Justice project as they are very
interested in such programs.
StaffCurrent live vacancies
The following may be found at https://okfn.org/about/jobs/:
-
Developer Advocate - Portfolios Team
-
Junior Designer - Technical Team
-
Project manager - Portfolio Team
New Staff
-
Anastasia Kalashnikova joined OKI on 1st July as Operations Assistant.
She is a versatile member of the Operations Team, working part time as
Personal Assistant for Mark Gibbs while dividing her remaining hours
between supporting the Finance and HR teams.
-
Yotam Manor joined OKI on 27th July as Web Developer for Frictionless
Data project on a contractual basis.
-
Sierra Williams started formally at OKI on 8th August as Communications
Manager. Sierra will help shape OKI’s strategy around community relations
and facilitate an ongoing exchange of ideas between volunteers, Network
partners, and the Open Knowledge International staff and management.
-
Diana Krebs will formally start on 22nd August as Project Manager
(General). She will take over the management of OpenSpending project with
Cecile’s resignation.
Departures
-
Cecile LeGuen has resigned from OKI. Cecile's last working day at Open
Knowledge was on 8th August, 2016.
Changes in Staff role
-
Paul Walsh has joined the Leadership team permanently as Head of
Technical Product. Paul’s addition was expedited due to Sander’s temporary
departure. His presence completes the Leadership Team and will ensure that
the technical elements of projects are included in planning. He will also
offer input around the future of this crucial area of the organisation.
-
Mor Rubinstein will be supporting Pavel in running the newly named
“Capacity Team” (formerly known as “Office of the CEO) by taking over line
management responsibilities for all current employees (Oscar, Lieke,
Danny, Sierra), as well as anyone who will hired in the future. She will
not only help with the more formal parts of line management (such as
granting holiday requests or signing off on sick leave), but also support
the Capacity Team in terms of reporting, budgeting and planning. In
addition, Mor will be managing the Community & Network work within the
Capacity Team.
Network
Sweden and Japan has signed OKI’s Chapter MOU and are own their way to
becoming OKI’s 10th & 11th chapter! Mor, Katelyn and Oscar are also working
on the Unconference for IODC in Madrid in October.
AOB
The next in person meeting of the Board is on 14th September, 2016; venue
is yet to be confirmed.
Autumn Summit is taking place on 21-23 November, 2016 in Thessaloniki.
I will send the next CEO Update in the middle of October. Please do give
feedback on these reports, so that I can provide you with the information
that you require.
What I have been thinking about / what’s concerning me this month
(I add this section to the CEO update based on a recommendation by Helen)
-
The negotiations with Omidyar were very central for me this month; not
only because Omidyar is an important funder, but also because it is the
second time I used our overall strategy and project approach with a funder
(the other one was Hewlett, of course). So it's been a very important
learning for me, and I will use them to tweak my presentation / delivery.
-
The handling of Cecile leaving the organisation was a useful experience;
I think every organisation needs to be able to let staff go in a regular
and constructive way, and I am happy that we have Mark on board to help
with this.
-
My major concern this month was the ongoing struggle to get the project
managers to a point where they are able to take over full planning and
execution responsibilities for their projects. That is something that will
be ongoing for a while, but currently, the resistance to change is bigger
than the willingness to learn new ways. So this is something we (Mark, Paul
and I) will need to work on a lot.
-
And I was planning for and looking forward to my trip to the Arnold
Foundation (I am in Texas while I write this - and it is HOT out there),
because they are the only of our funders I have not really been able to
build a relationship with. So this trip is not only about the future
funding for OpenTrials, but also to build a long-term relationship with the
Arnold Foundation.
- And I am looking forward to my upcoming holidays!!
--
Kind regards
Pavel Richter
CEO
Open Knowledge International
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