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mySociety. mySociety builds websites that give people simple, tangible benefits in the civic and community aspects of their lives and teaches the public and voluntary sectors, through demonstration, how to use the internet most efficiently to improve lives
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mySociety mySociety builds websites that give people simple, tangible benefits in the civic and community aspects of their lives and teaches the public and voluntary sectors, through demonstration, how to use the internet most efficiently to improve lives Paul Lenz – Head of Finance and Operations
mySociety Projects • TheyWorkForYou.com – UK Parliamentary Monitoring • WriteToThem – UK website for contacted elected representatives • WhatDoTheyKnow.com – UK FOI Request website • Alaveteli – International FOI website used in Brazil, Kosovo and others • FixMyStreet.com – UK local fault reporting website, also launched in Norway • FixMyTransport.com – UK transport problem reporting and campaigning website • Mzalendo.com – working with Mzalendo in Kenya re-launched website in February 2012
Challenge for Governments - Data • Most government websites are usability failures. One way forward is to liberate data for sophisticated external usage, whilst concentrating scarce internal resources to improve the basics • Focus should be on making available accurate, timely and useful data in formats that can be reused by hackers, researchers, charities and social entrepreneurs • “Power station managers don't feel guilty about not producing iPhones” – Tom Steinberg
Less Can Be More • Attempting to get *all* data released can risk spreading resources too thinly • Use public interest to tell you where to invest in improving your datasets. • Solicit user views on data sets to be released, get feedback on practical value of data provided • 55% of visitors to TheyWorkForYou think *better* of their MP having used the site
The Bare Minimum • Names and contact details of elected representatives • Biographical information of elected representatives • Proceedings of national and local assemblies • Voting records of elected representatives • Attendance records of elected representatives • Registers of interests of elected representatives • National and local government contract details
Challenge for the Rest of Us: Data • Work to persuade government that releasing data is ultimately beneficial, not costly • Find a champion who will hope promote your cause within government • Demonstrate the value that can be unlocked from the data that has been released • If you can’t get what you want, try and use what you have – e.g. Kenyan Hansard PDFs • Build simple, effective tools that deliver tangible benefits – e.g. WriteToThem
Challenge for Governments – Service Delivery • Enable some form of electronic feedback channel – if only an email address • Internet access need not be barrier e.g. FixMyBarangay
Challenge for The Rest of Us – Service Delivery • Focus on simple approaches that deliver benefits – build use confidence by seeing positive results from their actions • If good solutions already exist – government or non-government, don’t try to replicate • If a channel exists already, use it – don’t necessarily ask for permission • If poor solutions exist – do seek to replace to them – see FixMyTransport vs. First Great Western
FixMyTransport vs. First Great Western NB – only part of the FGW form, and it doesn’t ask which train you were on
