GRAND RAPIDS – The “Open Government” movement has encouraged governments around the world to open up their data to the public to view, analyze, and utilize in ways that will benefit us all. It also will be the focus of an aimWest panel discussion Dec. 10 in Grand Rapids.
One recent local example of Open Government that will be explored is when “The Rapid: Transit Authority” released their transit feed data to integrate with Google Maps.
These technology advances can bring about more transparency and efficiency. However, their effectiveness is only as good as the data in the system. This is why the “Open Data” movement is so tightly integrated with “Open Government.”
In order to accomplish all this, there must be agreed upon ways to organize and sort this data so it is searchable and shareable across platforms. Therefore, Open Data Standards have been developed that specify how a dataset should be structured for better interoperability.
For citizens; this means access to better digital tools with timely information, as well as improving communication and relationships with public leaders.
For governments; the process of opening up data gives the organization a chance to analyze its entire data ecosystem, improve internal operations, track improvements & results, and make better informed data-driven decisions.
This event will give attendees an overview of Open Gov/Data, explore the benefits of Open Data Standards, and discover its impact both locally and nationally.
Panelists
Jonathan Pichot, Digital & Data Consultant, Downtown Grand Rapids Inc.
Mark Headd, Developer Evangelist, Accela, Inc.
Ryan Harris, CRM Coordinator, Technology and Change Management Department for the City of Grand Rapids
November 19
Networking Time: 5 pm
Panelists Take Stage: 6 pm
Location: The Rapid Central Station
