[open-development] Kenya Open Data Portal

Fri Jul 8 13:40:18 UTC 2011

Hi. Steve Davenport. Development Gateway.

FYI. This was the first launch for the Open Data work in Kenya and took
quite a bit of political/wrangling pushing to achieve. The developer focus
is due in part to the people and teams that build it.

There is also the fact that in Kenya you have a strong developer
community/civil society that wants to build apps and lacks data (Ushahidi,
SODNET, Huduma Poject, etc.) and this site is reflecting that need (rightly
so). Too often we build portals and transparency data tools for the "North
to watch the South" etc.

I am new to this mailing list so forgive me but "open data" is not enough.
Accessibility, packaging, and contextual info is critical. The people we
really need to use it can't if its a big data file.

Word is that 7-8 more countries will go in this direction in the next 12
months.

Steve

2011/7/8 Tim Davies <tim at practicalparticipation.co.uk>

> Hello all,
>
> I suspect many of you may have already seen this, but Keyna today launched
> it's own Open Data Portal at http://opendata.go.ke/ joining countries like
> UK and US, and institutions like the World Bank in running an open data
> programme.
>
> The site is running the US-based commercial 'Socrata.com' platform and has
> some interesting visualisations and mapping set-up by default. Personally
> I'm frustrated to see the 'data is for developers' framing all over it -
> with big '+Developers click here' buttons, and nothing inviting or
> encouraging other forms of use of data, but if a wider eco-system of data
> use can develop, aware that using data requires not just the data, but
> capacity building too - then this could be a really interesting and positive
> development.
>
> Lots of discussion and other analysis on twitter #opendatake and the
> blogosphere.
>
> Tim
>
>
>
> --
>
>
> http://www.timdavies.org.uk
> 07834 856 303.
> @timdavies
>
> Co-director of Practical Participation:
> http://www.practicalparticipation.co.uk
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