[okfn-labs] Parliamentary Monitoring Software

Fri May 23 08:04:00 UTC 2014

Hey Tarek,

You're right, TheyWorkForYou IS open source BUT we don't recommend trying
to use it mainly because it's got a lot of very UK specific elements which
would make it extremely time consuming to reuse elsewhere in the world.
That's one of the reasons we created Pombola, though we quickly realised
that a one size fits all site doesn't work for parliamentary monitoring so
equally, pombola would need a lot of work to make sure the site is relevant
in your context. Adi I'm sure already knows this having seen some of the
work we've done with PMG on the http://pa.org.za/ site.

Poplus <http://poplus.org> is just starting out but is trying to fill in
the gaps, allowing people to pick and choose the things they need for their
country (read: really is just starting right now, we have a few components
available and there are more proposed so it could be that not everything
people are looking for is available right now. Hopefully this will change
over the years as the network matures).

Adi, I understand your concerns that only PopIt would be useful currently,
perhaps you could link data from an instance into a wider site you're
creating using the API. That's part of what the idea of Poplus is about.
Something that makes the process or part of the process of creating a
parliamentary monitoring website easier. Also, it would be good to get an
idea of what you're trying to present; do you want people to be able to
deliberate and make collective decisions (if so
Loomio<https://www.loomio.org/>or
DemocracyOS <http://democracyos.org/> might work for you), do you want
people to be able to write to politicians (If so we're hoping
WriteIt<http://writeit.ciudadanointeligente.org/en/>will be deployable
pretty soon) or could it be something around input on
bills or constitutions (if so then Tarik NeshNash from SimSim Morocco has
worked on some really interesting projects around collaborative
constitution drafting).

All the best

Jen

On Thu, May 22, 2014 at 11:28 PM, Tarek Amr <tarekamr at gmail.com> wrote:

> Also MySociety's They Work for You is Open Source
> https://github.com/mysociety/theyworkforyou
> http://www.theyworkforyou.com/
>
>
>
>
> On Fri, May 23, 2014 at 1:17 AM, Adi Eyal <adi at code4sa.org> wrote:
>
>> Actually, MySociety already implemented SayIt on a sister site called
>> the Peoples Assembly (http://pa.org.za/) - really nice work. I have
>> been thinking about DocumentCloud for document management - it would
>> be nice to outsource that component out.
>>
>> Adi
>>
>> On 22 May 2014 23:55, Sam Smith <s at msmith.net> wrote:
>> >
>> > I wonder if sayit and documentcloud might work.
>> >
>> >
>> > Sam
>> >
>> >
>> > On 22 May 02014, at 22:53, Adi Eyal <adi at code4sa.org> wrote:
>> >
>> >> Thanks Tim
>> >>
>> >> I love the poplus suite of tools but they don't quite fit in this case
>> >> (apart from popit). If you're interested, the site that I am looking
>> >> at re-building is http://pmg.org.za - it is very document heavy and
>> >> less focused on direct citizen engagement. There is an overwhelming
>> >> temptation to find a CMS (this one is written in Joomla) and build
>> >> from scratch. I'm trying to resist the urge and want to find an
>> >> existing tool that I can use and hopefully contribute to.
>> >>
>> >> Adi
>> >>
>> >> On 22 May 2014 19:48, Tim Davies <tim at practicalparticipation.co.uk>
>> wrote:
>> >>> Would http://sayit.mysociety.org/ and the other Poplus tools
>> >>> http://poplus.org/ but useful for what you're exploring?
>> >>>
>> >>> Tim
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> On Thu, May 22, 2014 at 4:50 AM, Adi Eyal <adi at code4sa.org> wrote:
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Hi All
>> >>>>
>> >>>> I was hoping for advice regarding parliamentary monitoring tools. I
>> >>>> have been asked to develop a CMS for parliamentary monitoring group
>> >>>> and I am loathe to start from scratch. I know about Pombola but are
>> >>>> there any others that I should be looking at.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Also, use cases of implementations of these tools would be useful.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Thanks in advance
>> >>>> Adi
>> >>>>
>> >>>> --
>> >>>> Adi Eyal
>> >>>> Director
>> >>>> Code for South Africa
>> >>>> Promoting informed decision-making
>> >>>>
>> >>>> phone: +27 78 014 2469
>> >>>> skype: adieyalcas
>> >>>> linkedin: http://za.linkedin.com/pub/dir/Adi/Eyal
>> >>>> web: http://www.code4sa.org
>> >>>> twitter: @soapsudtycoon
>> >>>>
>> >>>> For more information on how to participate in the open data community
>> >>>> in South Africa, go to: http://www.code4sa.org/#community
>> >>>> _______________________________________________
>> >>>> okfn-labs mailing list
>> >>>> okfn-labs at lists.okfn.org
>> >>>> https://lists.okfn.org/mailman/listinfo/okfn-labs
>> >>>> Unsubscribe: https://lists.okfn.org/mailman/options/okfn-labs
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> --
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> w: http://www.timdavies.org.uk | m: 07834 856 303 | twitter:
>> timdavies
>> >>>
>> >>> Co-director of Practical Participation:
>> >>> http://www.practicalparticipation.co.uk
>> >>> --------------------------
>> >>> Practical Participation Ltd is a registered company in England and
>> Wales -
>> >>> #5381958.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Adi Eyal
>> >> Director
>> >> Code for South Africa
>> >> Promoting informed decision-making
>> >>
>> >> phone: +27 78 014 2469
>> >> skype: adieyalcas
>> >> linkedin: http://za.linkedin.com/pub/dir/Adi/Eyal
>> >> web: http://www.code4sa.org
>> >> twitter: @soapsudtycoon
>> >>
>> >> For more information on how to participate in the open data community
>> >> in South Africa, go to: http://www.code4sa.org/#community
>> >> _______________________________________________
>> >> okfn-labs mailing list
>> >> okfn-labs at lists.okfn.org
>> >> https://lists.okfn.org/mailman/listinfo/okfn-labs
>> >> Unsubscribe: https://lists.okfn.org/mailman/options/okfn-labs
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Adi Eyal
>> Director
>> Code for South Africa
>> Promoting informed decision-making
>>
>> phone: +27 78 014 2469
>> skype: adieyalcas
>> linkedin: http://za.linkedin.com/pub/dir/Adi/Eyal
>> web: http://www.code4sa.org
>> twitter: @soapsudtycoon
>>
>> For more information on how to participate in the open data community
>> in South Africa, go to: http://www.code4sa.org/#community
>> _______________________________________________
>> okfn-labs mailing list
>> okfn-labs at lists.okfn.org
>> https://lists.okfn.org/mailman/listinfo/okfn-labs
>> Unsubscribe: https://lists.okfn.org/mailman/options/okfn-labs
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Best Regards
> Tarek Amr
>
> http://tarekamr.appspot.com/
>
>

-- 
Jen Bramley
*International Project Development Manager*
mySociety | mysociety.org/international/
Tel: 0044 (0) 7806 604 041
Skype: JenMySoc
@mySocietyIntl

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