open data and crowdsourcing

Open Data & Crowdsourcing

a pragmatic approach

Michael Moser, MSc MichaelMoser.at.tf

Open Data creates value „New technologies are opening up new opportunities for businesses and social entrepreneurs to create billions of pounds of economic value by building innovative applications and services that make use of government data.“ „Dr Rufus Pollock of Cambridge University, the lead author of the HM Treasury report on the economic value of open data, has produced a new calculation that our plans to set government data free will create an estimated £6 billion in additional value for the UK.“ (UK Conservative Technology Manifesto, http://www.conservatives.com/News/News_stories/2010/03/Conservative_Technology_Manifesto_launched.aspx) Michael Moser, MSc MichaelMoser.at.tf

Open Data „exposes“ valuable assets

nondisclosure agreements are futile To get an a priori unknown audience to work your data you have to fully disclose these data: §  To whom it may concern §  In machine readable formats §  Without prior established trust §  On the internet §  to competitors §  To political rivals

And what about the hackers and Anonymous?


Hackers are not Anonymous … Hacking stands for: §  Altering a given funtionality of hard- or software §  to make the *ware work in a way §  not envisioned by its creator … Hacking does not mean §  Breaking into systems §  Stealing data §  Misappropriation of intellectual property §  Unlawful conduct in general §  … Unlawful conduct is called „Cracking“


Know your audience The Hacker Ethic*: §  Access to computers and anything which might teach you something about

the way the world works should be unlimited and total. Always yield to the Hands-On Imperative!

§  All information should be free. §  Mistrust Authority Promote Decentralization. §  Hackers should be judged by their hacking, not bogus criteria such as

degrees, age, race, or position. §  You can create art and beauty on a computer. §  Computers can change your life for the better. §  Like Aladdin's lamp, you could get it to do your bidding.

*as originated at the MIT Model Railroad Club in the 1950ies (Steven Levy, Hackers, New York, 1984)


Outsourcing vs Crowdsourcing – a comparison

Outsourcing §  A well known procedure §  Formulate use case and

product requirement specifications

§  Put project out to tender §  Collect bids §  Accept best offer §  Have contractor sign non-

disclosure agreement §  Accept results §  Pay contractor in €€

Crowdsourcing Uncharted waters §  Disclose data §  Engage communities to work your

data §  Have a look at results §  Be astonished? §  Accept results Unresolved issues §  How will you pay the contractor? §  How can you ascertain compliance

to tender regulations?


The good News

§  Most hacker communities work for social credits not cash

§  Interesting solutions draw attention in the community

§  Elegant solutions draw even more attention §  Community members create personal portfolios §  These portfolios lead to interesting job offers …


The bad News

§  All this does not secure compliance to tender regulations!

§  Nor will it guarantee results …


… and the ugly

Develop new workflows §  Traditional organizations are not fit to work with

communities §  Trust in communities needs time to build §  Only an extensive portfolio gives rock solid reputation §  One mistake can ruin this reputation §  Controllers and Executives only talk in currencies, Not in

social credits §  Value created does not necessarily benefit the people

having provided the data Michael Moser, MSc MichaelMoser.at.tf

Steps ahead part one

„To be successful over the long term, the foundation of all your strategies and tactics needs to come back to the customer. Why would they want to engage? What are their incentives, motivation, expectation and thought process?“* *Shih, Clara, the Facebook Era, USA 2009, p. 147


Steps ahead part two

Build a crowdsourcing team §  Define goals for your crowdsourcing effort §  Hire an experienced community manager §  Short circuit your CRM-, LAW- IT-, WEB-department

and the community manager §  Develop a long term strategy (3–5 years) §  Develop non-monetary incentives §  Start engaging, listening and motivating §  …
