[Open-data-census] The Open Data Census once again getting into gear!

Thu Sep 5 13:49:25 BST 2013

*(Apologies for the cross-posting, if you're a Country Editor you've
already received this message once)*

Dear Open Data Census Country Editors,

First and foremost we would like to send out a big thank you for all the
hard work you put into the Open Data Census push back in June leading up to
the G8 summit in Northern Ireland. The
results<http://blog.okfn.org/2013/06/14/g8-countries-must-work-harder-to-open-up-essential-data/>were
discussed
all around the world, and gained lots of media attention, not only stemming
from the G8-submissions, but from all the submissions made - that
truly visualized
the global community behind open knowledge in general - and the Open Data
Census in particular.

NOW we want to take this further!

As announced on the OKF blog
today<http://blog.okfn.org/2013/09/05/open-data-census-join-the-global-citizen-effort-to-assess-the-state-of-government-data/>,
we are getting ready to engage in a new and much bigger push, where we in
the next few weeks want to do with the rest of the world what we did with
the G8 countries back in June: We want to expand the Census to as many new
countries as possible, get all the data up to date and have them reviewed
to ensure accuracy. And then we want to present them at the monumental Open
Government Partnership Summit in London on October 30 - to show the world
the current state of open government data, as seen by the citizens of the
world.

So once again we need your help as Country Editor - to bring the data for
your country up to date and get it reviewed. And this time it will be
easier, too. Right now our developer team is working on implementing some
improvements to the Census website, which will make it easier to submit,
easier to review and easier to comment on submissions.

Additionally, while we wait for that - it shouldn’t take long - we would
like for us all to help each other expand the community of Country
Editorsto new corners of the world.

We are therefore asking you to help us with the following concrete tasks:

   1.

   Now: Help us reach new Country Editors. Take a look at the current list
   of Census countries with
editors<https://docs.google.com/a/okfn.org/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AjAcHTKULuf8dFBKbEJ5WlFkQkZ3MTd1WnJBUGozbWc#gid=0>.
   Do you have good contacts in your network in other countries, who might
   potentially want to join our Country Editor community? In that case, please
   let us know by either writing to the Census Discussion
List<http://lists.okfn.org/mailman/listinfo/open-data-census>(to which
you should all be subscribed, if not then please join - it’s
   open) or by writing to us directly <christian.villum at okfn.org>.
   2.

   Soon, starting September 15 - when the new tech updates on the Census
   have finished - go into the Census to check up on the submissions to see
   if the results are fully up-to-date and if any updates have been released
   for your country. If they have, then please resubmit.
   3.

   Later, starting October 1  - when the data collection has finished - find
   reviewers in your country to review the submissions. This will ensure
   accuracy and accountability and make the Open Data Census more reliable for
   governments to compare with and media to write about.

We really hope you will help us in this endeavor! And remember, you are
encouraged to share these tasks with your peers. The more engaged people
wanting to join the Census Editor team, the better.

The aim is to have a fully expanded, updated and reviewed Open Data
Censusto present to all the Open Government Partnerships govs in
London in
October, and a magnificent tool for communities all over the world to
useto start discussions with their governments and to drive the open
government data agenda forward in their local area.

NB: Should you feel that you do not have time for this, then please let us
know. In that case we hope that you can help us find a new (or several)
Country Editor(s) in your country.

Please get in touch to let us know you are still on board and feel free to
put forward any questions or comments you may have. We suggest posting them
on the Census Discussion
List<http://lists.okfn.org/mailman/listinfo/open-data-census>,
so that we can all engage around the same ideas, concerns and
opportunities. You can also check out the new Country Editor role
description<https://docs.google.com/a/okfn.org/document/d/1TmqNTQwrQA5gOUX_HUT5o7Z4tWZC3-q1Omw_CINrs4k/edit>and
the Open
Data Census FAQ<https://docs.google.com/a/okfn.org/document/d/14lrN0Ge4W6X_eRuzvFtUSv2TcUi5Zcmw0YTum37EKOQ/edit#>,
which may answer your query.

We’re looking forward to another great boost to the Census!

- Christian, Ira and the rest of the Census team

-- 

Christian Villum

Community Manager, Open Government Data + Local Groups Network
skype: christianvillum  |  @villum <http://www.twitter.com/villum>
The Open Knowledge Foundation <http://okfn.org/>
*Empowering through Open Knowledge
*http://okfn.org/  |  @okfn <http://twitter.com/OKFN>  |  OKF on
Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/OKFNetwork> |
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*Have you registered for OKCon 2013 <http://okcon.org/>?*
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