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Working With Data and Humans
Daniel X. O’Neil@juggernautco
@juggernautco
Me
• Daniel X. O’Neil• Co-founder of EveryBlock• 2007 Knight News Challenge• Executive Director of Smart Chicago
Collaborative• 2012 Knight Community Information
Challenge
@juggernautco
The Data Revolution
• I know about some, but not all of it• Since about 2005• Working with the Mayor’s Office in Chicago• ChicagoWorksForYou.com• Then at EveryBlock, where I was responsible
for data acquisition
@juggernautco
The Data Revolution
• 8 Principles of Open Government Data• Independent Government Observers Task
Force• POTUS Executive Orders on Inauguration Day• Apps contests• Municipal ordinances• Socrata• Code for America
@juggernautco
There’s Data and There’s Humans
• Talk to me about your data and your humans in your projects
@juggernautco
Data
• Dense• Sits by itself• Not social• Not self-aware• Unable to contextualize itself• Does not have any problems, because it
doesn’t care about anything
@juggernautco
People
• Naturally social• Soft• Have problems• See everything in context• Prone to mistakes
People make data
@juggernautco
@juggernautco
@juggernautco
@juggernautco
@juggernautco
Value from data
• Know more than anyone • Surfacing from the hidden Web• Context, context, context• Even if it is just one data set mashed against
another data set• Did it rain * Did property crime go up or down• Foreclosures * Retail stores• Also: the simple act of aggregation + text
@juggernautco
@juggernautco
Ten Databases
• Building permits• Business licenses• Historic preservation list• Sanborn maps (1929 and 1950)• County assessor • County recorder of deeds• Original photography• Google search for news coverage• New York Times archive• Walgreens surplus property
@juggernautco
We need a machine.
• A generic context engine• To evenly distribute information• And tell me what the information
means• I know: that sounds like a “reporter”• But people used to think that
“search engine” sounded a lot like “librarian”, too
• We need humans and machines
@juggernautco
It’s easy.
• Find dataset• Review dataset• Describe what the data means• Find another dataset• Describe what the other dataset
means• Describe what the first dataset means
in the context of the second dataset• Repeat• Let’s do this thing.
@juggernautco
Dedicated databases work
@juggernautco
Call any time.
• @juggernautco• (773) 960-6045