Just because data is available doesn't mean that it's accessible.
Since 2010, the City of Chicago has made the majority of the data that it collects available via its Data Portal, an impressive compilation of over 500 datasets ranging from 'Government Salaries' to 'Food Inspections' to 'Building Permits.' And though civic technologists have leveraged this data over the past five years to create countless apps and maps, it hasn't been packaged in a way that would cater to the average, "non-techie" resident.
That's why, today, the City has introduced OpenGrid, a new website and app that allows the public to easily navigate, use, and consume open date. OpenGrid lets users tailor and filter searches based on their location, like looking for new buildings in their neighborhood or spotting nearby road closures. The platform also makes it easier for residents to identify and filter data that's relevant to them, like being able to see which city services are delivered directly to their block. Check it out in action:"Chicago is a leader in using open data to better serve its residents," said Mayor Rahm Emanuel in a statement. "OpenGrid is the next step in making open data accessible to Chicagoans, and it is part of our ongoing commitment to transparency and innovation in city government."
Outside of making the data easier to use for residents, the City also hopes that corporations and non-profits are able to harness it as a business intelligent tool. For example, OpenGrid can be used to enable "real-time situational awareness," putting terabytes of data and analytics into the hands of employees at no cost.
OpenGrid is also completely open source, enabling developers to continuously add to the platform and enhance and expand its capabilities. It's built atop of Plenario, a web platform that was designed by the Chicago-based Urban Center for Computation and Data (UrbanCCD). Plenario was architected specifically to help governments create user-friendly applications.
Added UrbanCCD Director Charlie Catlett in a release, "The majority of cities do not have the resources to support their own data analytics team, and they are eager to use their data to make better decisions. This is a reusable platform that builds a proper foundation for all of the spatially-enabled data that cities possess, but have yet to start using to their fullest."
The entire platform is hosted by Smart Chicago, a civic organization committed to improving the city through technology.
Summarized Brenna Berman, the city's Chief Information Officer, "We will continue to make more data available to the public and enhance tools that make that data usable, and in doing so, put the power of data into the hands of Chicago’s communities."
(Image via the City of Chicago)
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