[open-development] Blog post: Some of my thoughts following OKCon in Geneva

[Duncan Edwards]

Hi Bill,

Thanks for this - I'm really hoping we do have increased debate about these issues and as a result increasingly test our assumptions, learn, and adapt the work we are doing to increase our impact.

I was interested to read some of the comments on the blog which seemed to suggest I was critical or opposed to "openness" - I am a huge advocate of "open" but I do feel we do need to challenge and test ourselves to both increase our impact but also be able to demonstrate impact.

I love your last couple of paragraphs below particularly the bit about potholes :) - the only thing we should add would be to flesh out a bit more on the "host of other priorities" to include elements around political economy which are potentially the biggest stumbling blocks to change.

Cheers,
Duncan
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Duncan Edwards
ICT Innovations Manager - Knowledge Services
Programme Manager - Research & Evidence Component, Making All Voices Count
Institute of Development Studies, Brighton BN1 9RE, UK
Charitable Company No. 877338
Global Knowledge for Global Change
email: d.edwards at ids.ac.uk<mailto:d.edwards at ids.ac.uk>  tel: +44 (0)1273 915797
fax: +44 (0)1273 621202
Skype: duncan_ed1
Twitter: @duncan_ids<http://twitter.com/duncan_ids>
Bio: http://www.ids.ac.uk/person/duncan-edwards
Knowledge Services at IDS:http://www.ids.ac.uk/go/knowledge-services
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From: Bill Anderson [mailto:Bill.Anderson at devinit.org]
Sent: 23 October 2013 10:24
To: Duncan Edwards; open-development at lists.okfn.org
Subject: RE: [open-development] Blog post: Some of my thoughts following OKCon in Geneva

Duncan, I hope this stimulates wide debate in the open data movement.

You are not alone in making the points that you do.

Here's Jay Naidoo at the Making All Voices Count event in Johannesburg two weeks ago:

"No country in the world is run by Facebook or Twitter. Don't fool yourself that social media is going to create the revolution of social values that we need. It's actually going down to the people and explaining to them what their rights are, equipping them with the right tools and making sure they fight their own battles." http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2013-10-11-mind-the-gap-using-technology-for-a-better-life/#.UmeFo_msiM4

Here's Ben Leo from the Centre for Global Development commenting on US aid transparency:

"Herein lies the problem with the USG's aid transparency efforts. It more often resembles a document and data dumping ground instead of a user-friendly interface for government officials, media and interested citizens in developing countries..."   http://international.cgdev.org/blog/it%E2%80%99s-high-time-usaid-join-user-defined-information-age?&co=f000000009816s-1158206718<http://international.cgdev.org/blog/it%E2%80%99s-high-time-usaid-join-user-defined-information-age?&co=f000000009816s-1158206718>

Very little data makes sense on its own. It needs joining up with other data to be contextualised. It needs curation, analysis and interpretation to turn it into meaningful, usable, accessible information. And after all this it becomes a useful component (not the driver) of socio-economic change.

Open Data is important, but so is joined-up data, interoperable data standards, access to information and a host of other priorities.
Open Data is important, but an app plotting potholes is just an app plotting potholes.
Open Data is important, but we shouldn't let our enthusiasm turn to tunnel-vision or arrogance.
This is where the current danger lies...

Best,
Bill Anderson
Data Standards Advisor @ Development Initiatives
IATI Technical Lead

From: open-development-bounces at lists.okfn.org<mailto:open-development-bounces at lists.okfn.org> [mailto:open-development-bounces at lists.okfn.org] On Behalf Of Duncan Edwards
Sent: 23 October 2013 07:54
To: open-development at lists.okfn.org<mailto:open-development at lists.okfn.org>
Subject: [open-development] Blog post: Some of my thoughts following OKCon in Geneva

Hello everyone,

I thought you may be interested in a blog post I posted to the OKFN blog which captures some of my thoughts on what was talked about at some of the Open Development sessions at OKCon in Geneva back a few(ish) weeks ago.

"The revolution will NOT be in Open Data"
http://blog.okfn.org/2013/10/21/the-revolution-will-not-be-in-open-data/

Interested to hear people's thoughts on this.

Best wishes,
Duncan
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Duncan Edwards
ICT Innovations Manager
Institute of Development Studies, Brighton BN1 9RE, UK
Charitable Company No. 877338
Global Knowledge for Global Change
email: d.edwards at ids.ac.uk<mailto:d.edwards at ids.ac.uk>  tel: +44 (0)1273 915797
fax: +44 (0)1273 621202
Skype: duncan_ed1
Twitter: @duncan_ids<http://twitter.com/duncan_ids>
Bio: http://www.ids.ac.uk/person/duncan-edwards
Knowledge Services at IDS:http://www.ids.ac.uk/go/knowledge-services
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