Apps for the Environment Developer Webinar

8/6/2019 Apps for the Environment Developer Webinar

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Webinar: Developers and Federal Agencies:Can we talk?

August 11, 2011


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Agenda

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Introductions

Ethan McMahon, U.S. EPA (host)

Alex Howard, OReilly Media (moderator)

Jeremy Carbaugh, Sunlight Foundation (presenter)

Michaela Hackner, Forum One (presenter)

Kurt Voelker, Forum One (presenter)

Format

Speakers (25 minutes)

Lines are muted - submit questions as the speakers talk

Questions and Answers (25 minutes)

Technical issues? Send a message via webinar panel


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Apps for the Environment

Apps must use EPA data and address one of EPA

Administrator Lisa Jacksons Seven Priorities

Judged based on usefulness, innovativeness, andusability

Submissions are due by September 16

Winners and runners up for Best Overall App and Best

Student App, plus Peoples Choice

Recognition from EPA in Washington, D.C. in

November

Get more details at epa.gov/appsfortheenvironment 2

Background about the Challenge


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A long(itude) history of

contests and challenges

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Apps Contests and the

passage of the AmericaCOMPETES Act

A new movement forcollaborative innovation in open

government starts in 2008 in DC

Around the world, apps contests are unlocking

government innovation

In 2011, theAmerica COMPETES Act allows all

agencies to host challenges

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Build community, not just apps

Move from cool to useful

Address sustainability issues

Identify problems to solve

Key issue for App Contests 2.0

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2010 open data survey showed progress but a long

road still ahead

Developers say only 30% of data needed is available,

50% of that unusable

Issues: data timeliness, accuracy, usable formats,

metadata schemas, consistency, and incomplete

data sets

Key issues for open government data

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A portion of the challenges on Challenge.gov


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What is the purpose of a challenge?

Add more value to data by allowing them to

be used in new ways.

Jumpstart a community of developers with

interest in mission.

Allow citizens to invest in the public interest.

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A challenge is not a way to get free softwaredevelopment.

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Meaningful innovation cannot occur without

expertise in the subject matter.

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SELECT *

FROM hamp_20110617

WHERE

ln_mdfc_mode_nme = official modification

OR ln_mdfc_fout_rsn_nme !=

OR ln_trl_mdfc_dnal_rsn_nme !=


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Make data understandable.

Direct communication with experts in

government.

Provide step-by-step examples of going

from data to a working application.

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Make development easier.

Provide SQL table definitions for data.

Create client libraries for Web services in

popular programming languages.

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Foster a community.

Provide a forum for communication with

government and public.

Be proactive in reaching out to developer

communities.

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The success of a challenge can be judged by theself-sustaining applications and community it

creates.

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WHAT WE BUILT: DATAMASHER.ORG


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DOLLARS PER POINT ON THE SAT


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MOST REPRODUCTIVE STATES


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Finding the right data

Too many formats

Inconsistent data models

The data drove the solution,

not vice-versa

Incentive problem

THE BIGGEST HURDLES


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WHAT WOULD BE AWESOME

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Socratas Views Service

Googles DSPL

EASE DATA DISCOVERY BY MACHINES


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MAKE DEVELOPERS A PRIORITY AUDIENCE

Code

Recipes

Examples

API Documentation


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Anticipate Public Use: Become thePlatform

Ease Data Discovery by Machines

www.Myagency.gov/Developer:

Documentation, Code, APIs

ANTICIPATE PUBLIC USE

Its not just the API thats a big deal. Its the

discipline an API imposes... To build one, an

agency has to record and store data in a way

that anticipates public use. Data sharing is

no longer an afterthought. You begin with the

notion that youre going to share information.And youre going to make it easy for people.

- Greg Elin, 2009Former head, Sunlight Labs

Current head, open data, FCC.gov


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Potential topics:

Whats the most important thing federal agencies can

do to help developers?

How can the system be structured so apps can be

sustained (i.e., funding)?

How to make apps that are useful to users?

Questions and Answers


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Post this webinar on EPAs site

www.epa.gov/appsfortheenvironment/webinar.html

Continue the conversation on our blog athttp://blog.epa.gov/data/

Submit your apps by September 16

Next Steps


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For more information Alex Howard, OReilly Media

[email protected], @digiphile

Jeremy Carbaugh, Sunlight Foundation

[email protected], @jcarbaugh

Michaela Hackner, Forum One

[email protected], @KalaBird

Kurt Voelker, Forum One

[email protected], @KVoelker

Ethan McMahon, U.S. EPA

[email protected]

Apps for the Environment: epa.gov/appsfortheenvironment


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Apps for the Environment

Code-a-thon!

September 3, 2011 from 10 AM to 6 PM EST

Hosted by American University

Graduate Student Lounge adjoining the School of

International Service building

All developers are welcome!

Get details at blog.epa.gov/data

Apps for the Environment Developer Webinar

Documents

Transcript of Apps for the Environment Developer Webinar