Civic Hacking

An introduction to Civic Hacking at Campus Party Europe.

Transcript

1. Civic Hacking Alper Cugun - Hack the Government
2. “Coders of the world unite!”
3. Workshop
9. Structure • Questions welcome • Reflections on the things we did: • The good • The not so good
10. “We, the Web kids; we, who have grown up with the Internet and on the Internet”
12. Goal • Build machines that do our politics for us • That make life better for ordinary citizens • In every country of the EU • Create systems that improve systems
13. Changing Things
14. “And it ought to be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. Because the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new.” —Machiavelli
15. Talk is the enemy.
19. Conditions • Internet based • Maker centric • Barbarian • Messy
20. 1. Find Cool People 2. Make Crazy Awesome Stuff 3. Organize yourself A Recipe
21. 1. Find Cool People
23. Messiness is a core value.
26. Lessons • Start tiny • Find allies • Hacker time is valuable • Give makers what they want • Expectations shape outcomes
27. Issues • High cost in time and effort • Bigger and better syndrome • Almost impossible to maintain quality • Bandwagon effect • What to do with non-makers?
28. Your turn • Think about who you would like to do his stuff with • E-mail them for a get together with beers • Get together • Repeat bigger
29. 2. Make Crazy Awesome Stuff
30. Make something that annoys you better.
31. “The cost of assessing risk is now often greater than the cost of failing.” —Joi Ito
37. Lessons • Just build • Easier to ask permission than forgiveness • Don’t be afraid to tackle serious problems • Translate itches of others who can’t build things • Keep it fun
38. Issues • Maker fatigue, been there done that • Other people’s problems • Prototype/mashup ceiling
39. Your turn • Write one scraper • Build a single serving web app • Make a screenshot mockup how a certain government process could be improved • and share it…
40. 3. Organize yourself
41. Premature optimization organization is the root of all evil.
42. Foundation • Hack de Overheid • Open State Foundation • Sunlight Foundation • Open Knowledge Foundation
44. Lessons • Keeping the attention focused • Don’t become what you hate (though this is cyclical) • Take corporate money without becoming lame • Growing pains
45. Task • Don’t do anything just right now.
46. General Takeaways • Stay true to your community • Use every advantage • Don’t be shy of money • Get close to politicians and media • Give people what they want • Live up to your image
47. 1. Find Cool People 2. Make Crazy Awesome Stuff 3. Formalize into an Organization Summarizing
48. Thanks! @alper or alper@hackdeoverheid.nl