A Cook’s Tour of Open Data from a User’s Perspective (Deputy Ministers)

Presentation to the Deputy Ministers in the Government of Prince Edward Island at a meeting in Brackley, Prince Edward Island, on August 27, 2015, looking at open data not from a policy or regulatory perspective, but through the eyes of someone who has been consuming open data, and pointing to general principles that have been learned along the way.

Transcript

1. A Cook’s Tour of Open Data
   from a User’s Perspective
   Presentation to 

   Deputy Ministers, Government of Prince Edward Island

   Peter Rukavina, Hacker in Residence, Robertson Library, University of PEI
   August 27, 2015
   http://hacker.vre.upei.ca/
   

   View Slide

2. View Slide

3. JULY 7, 1994
   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
   PEI CRAFTS COUNCIL JOINS THE WORLD WIDE WEB
   CHARLOTTETOWN - The PEI Crafts Council today became the first organization
   on Prince Edward Island to join the Internet computer network's "World Wide
   Web."
   The "World Wide Web" (WWW) is an international collection of
   interconnected information providers founded at the European Laboratory for
   Particle Physics in Geneva, Switzerland. The World Wide Web uses hypertext
   and multimedia techniques to make "the web" -- collections of information on
   computers around the world -- easy to roam through, browse, search and
   contribute to.
   The PEI Crafts Council, the Prince Edward Island organization
   offering services and support to crafts producers, will use its WWW server
   to offer information on crafts and the crafts industry to crafts producers
   around the world. The project will centre on information from the Council's
   "Crafts Information Service," a comprehensive database of sources of
   materials, tools, equipment and services for crafts producers.
   

   View Slide

4. View Slide

5. View Slide

6. Open Data Principles
   

   View Slide

7. Open Data Principles
   (from a user’s perspective)
   

   View Slide

8. Windmill by Stephen Downes is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
   

   View Slide

9. Photo of Richard Brown from Liberal Party of Prince Edward Island
   

   View Slide

10. Photo of Ron Estabrooks taken at the open house to officially launch the Hermanville/Clearspring wind development from www.gov.pe.ca.
    

    View Slide

11. View Slide

12. View Slide

13. View Slide

14. Golf at 50BPM by user707748013
    50 MW
    50 BPM
    

    View Slide

15. W&W - Bigfoot (Uriel M Deephouse Remix) by urielm
    122 MW
    122 BPM
    

    View Slide

16. Clip of audio from CBC Spark interview with Peter Rukavina by Nora Young, recorded June 19, 2011.
    

    View Slide

17. View Slide

18. [
    {
    "data1":164.2,
    "data2":17.63,
    "data3":0,
    "updateDate":1437139741,
    "error":0
    }
    ]
    

    View Slide

19. [
    {
    "on-island-load":164.2,
    "on-island-wind":17.63,
    "on-island-fossil":0,
    "updateDate":1437139741,
    "error":0
    }
    ]
    

    View Slide

20. View Slide

21. View Slide

22. View Slide

23. View Slide

24. http://innovis.cpsc.ucalgary.ca/
    

    View Slide

25. “I have become slightly obsessed by
    your energy graph and am very
    grateful that you have found a way to
    record the load and wind power
    generated in PEI. Do you by any
    chance have a spread sheet of these
    values? I am looking at using storage to
    balance wind fluctuations and was
    hoping to try and using the real load
    and wind data to accomplish that.”
    

    View Slide

26. Open Data Principle № 1
    You have no idea (at all)
    what open data might be
    used for.
    

    View Slide

27. View Slide

28. Town of Stratford Building Permit Summary 7/1/2013 to 7/31/2013
    Applicant Estimated Development
    Date PermitID Applicant Name Phone # PID Lot# Address Permit Type Project Value Permit Fee
    JUL-15-2013 DP078-13 Robert Gaudet 902-367-6129 932111 171 6 Carrington Road Accessory Building - New $1,200.00 $30.00
    JUL-25-2013 DP056-13 Stratford Quickstop 1044494 1 Jubilee Drive Accessory Building - New $11,000.00 $100.00
    Sub Totals: $12,200.00 $130.00
    JUL-05-2013 DP072-13 Rosemary Scott 902-569-3021 728188 135 33 Celtic Lane Accessory Structure (Pool, Deck, etc) - $800.00 $30.00
    Addition
    JUL-16-2013 DP077-13 Kent Building Supply - 329375 154 Spinnaker Drive Accessory Structure (Pool, Deck, etc) - $5,000.00 $30.00
    Andrew Sanderson Addition
    Sub Totals: $5,800.00 $60.00
    JUL-26-2013 DP085-13 Richard E. Woodfield 902-367-3637 1010693 7 Picton Beete Cr Accessory Structure (Pool, Deck, etc) - $3,000.00 $30.00
    New
    JUL-12-2013 DP076-13 Jamie Doiron 902-629-0224 486118 14 Towerwood Drive Accessory Structure (Pool, Deck, etc) - $3,000.00 $30.00
    New
    JUL-03-2013 DP039-13 Chris and Jennifer 902-569-2114 471508 10 Aintree Drive Accessory Structure (Pool, Deck, etc) - $6,000.00 $30.00
    Whitlock New
    JUL-30-2013 DP016-13 Craig and Jennifer 902-566-1801 1014638 93 Bonavista Avenue Accessory Structure (Pool, Deck, etc) - $25,000.00 $30.00
    Lawlor New
    JUL-15-2013 DP062-13 Drew and Karen 902-894-3959 1029180 22 Saints Crescent Accessory Structure (Pool, Deck, etc) - $50,000.00 $30.00
    MacIntyre New
    Sub Totals: $87,000.00 $150.00
    JUL-31-2013 DP059-13 Craftsman 940650 11 Galway Court Single Family Dwelling - Addition $18,000.00 $56.80
    Construction
    JUL-05-2013 DP071-13 Roger Johnson 902-569-4882 709154 73 Rankin Drive Single Family Dwelling - Addition $40,000.00 $114.40
    JUL-10-2013 DP070-13 Greenleaf Construction 902-566-3358 603613 1 2 Battery Point Drive Single Family Dwelling - Addition $150,000.00 $43.68
    Sub Totals: $208,000.00 $214.88
    JUL-25-2013 DP081-13 D.C. McCardle 902-367-9200 398586 70 77 Southampton Drive Single Family Dwelling - New $180,000.00 $458.20
    JUL-18-2013 DP079-13 D.C. McCardle Ltd 902-367-9200 398586 72 85 Southampton Dr Single Family Dwelling - New $200,000.00 $469.40
    JUL-30-2013 DP084-13 Barry MacDonald 1045749 13 11 Donegal Lane Single Family Dwelling - New $300,000.00 $1,187.60
    Thursday, August 01, 2013 Town of Stratford Building Permit Summary 7/1/2013 to 7/31/2013 Page 1 of 2
    

    View Slide

29. View Slide

30. View Slide

31. pdftotext -raw

    Weekly_approvals_webpage_21_Oct_2011.pdf \
    Weekly_approvals_webpage_21_Oct_2011.txt
    

    View Slide

32. 10-533 335067 402-bld-10 20-Oct-10 3-Oct-11 18-22 Water Street...
    10-569 363556 439-BLD-10 17-Nov-10 3-Oct-11 20 Lapthorne Avenue...
    11-002 1018274 001-bld-11 4-Jan-11 6-Oct-11 375 Mount Edward Road...
    11-136 342436 326-bld-11 26-Aug-11 3-Oct-11 134 Kent Street...
    

    View Slide

33. -63.12688,46.23066,22 WATER ST,"10-533 335067 402-bld-10…
    -63.12606,46.24454,20 LAPTHORN AV,"10-569 363556 439-BLD-10..
    -63.14558,46.27834,375 MOUNT EDWARD RD,"11-002 1018274 001-bod-11…
    -63.12808,46.23572,134 KENT ST,"11-136 342436 326-bld-11…
    

    View Slide

34. View Slide

35. View Slide

36. View Slide

37. Open Data Principle № 2
    PDFs are where 

    data goes to die.
    

    View Slide

38. I walked thru some testing with the
    admin assistant in planning.
    She had some concerns with data
    entry -- she found it cumbersome and
    also identified a couple of scenarios
    that were not possible to enter
    properly, or were not represented
    clearly in the result.
    

    View Slide

39. Open Data Principle № 2B
    Bureaucrats really like
    File > Save as PDF…
    

    View Slide

40. View Slide

41. scale drawings drawn to Parking Design Standards and certified
    (stamped) by a qualified engineer, architect, or public land surveyor Shall
    be submitted where there are ten (10) or more Parking Spaces or for less
    than ten (10) spaces as required by the Development Officer with the
    application for the Building permit showing entrances and exits to such
    Parking facilities, all proposed and Existing Parking Spaces, aisles,
    lighting, and drainage of the Lot;
    

    View Slide

42. scale drawings drawn to Parking Design Standards and certified
    (stamped) by a qualified engineer, architect, or public land surveyor Shall
    be submitted where there are ten (10) or more Parking Spaces or for less
    than ten (10) spaces as required by the Development Officer with the
    application for the Building permit showing entrances and exits to such
    Parking facilities, all proposed and Existing Parking Spaces, aisles,
    lighting, and drainage of the Lot;
    scale drawings drawn to Parking Design Standards and certified
    (stamped) by a qualified engineer, architect, or public land surveyor Shall
    be submitted where there are ten (10) or more Parking Spaces or for less
    than ten (10) spaces as required by the Development Officer with the
    application for the Building permit showing entrances and exits to such
    Parking facilities, all proposed and Existing Parking Spaces, aisles,
    lighting, and drainage of the Lot;
    

    View Slide

43. GENERAL PROVISIONS FOR BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES ................................................ 26
    4.1 ACCESSORY BUILDINGS
    4.2 BUILDING HEIGHT
    4.3 DECKS, AND OTHER PROJECTIONS INTO YARDS
    4.4 EXISTING BUILDINGS OR STRUCTURES
    4.5 FENCES
    4.6 GROUPED DWELLINGS
    4.7 ONE MAIN BUILDING ON A LOT
    4.8 RESTORATION TO A SAFE CONDITION
    4.9 SATELLITE DISHES AND COMMUNICATION TOWERS
    4.10 WINDMILL TOWERS
    4.11 SUBDIVIDING OF ATTACHED DWELLINGS
    4.12 SWIMMING POOLS
    4.13 VEHICLE BODIES
    

    View Slide

44. GENERAL PROVISIONS FOR BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES ................................................ 26
    4.1 ACCESSORY BUILDINGS
    4.2 BUILDING HEIGHT
    4.3 DECKS, AND OTHER PROJECTIONS INTO YARDS
    4.4 EXISTING BUILDINGS OR STRUCTURES
    4.5 FENCES
    4.6 GROUPED DWELLINGS
    4.7 ONE MAIN BUILDING ON A LOT
    4.8 RESTORATION TO A SAFE CONDITION
    4.9 SATELLITE DISHES AND COMMUNICATION TOWERS
    4.10 WINDMILL TOWERS
    4.11 SUBDIVIDING OF ATTACHED DWELLINGS
    4.12 SWIMMING POOLS
    4.13 VEHICLE BODIES
    General Provision for Buildings and Structures ................................................................................. 26
    4.1 Accessory Buildings
    4.2 Building Height
    4.3 Decks, and Other Projections into Yards
    4.4 Existing Buildings or Structures
    4.5 Fences
    4.6 Groups Dwellings
    4.7 One Main Building on a Lot
    4.8 Restoration to a Safe Condition
    4.9 Satellite Dishes and Communication Towers
    4.10 Windmill Towers
    4.11 Subdividing of Attached Dwellings
    4.12 Swimming Pools
    4.13 Vehicle Bodies
    

    View Slide

45. View Slide

46. Open Data Principle № 3
    Sometimes “open” can simply
    mean following 

    basic rules of design.
    

    View Slide

47. View Slide

48. View Slide

49. View Slide

50. View Slide

51. Metadata Issues
    • Lot 50 was mislabelled as Lot 66.
    • Lot 66 was unlabelled.
    • Georgetown Royalty was mislabelled as Lot 73
    • Princetown Royalty was missing.
    

    View Slide

52. View Slide

53. View Slide

54. View Slide

55. View Slide

56. View Slide

57. View Slide

58. View Slide

59. The Confederation Trail passes 

    through 47 lots and 2 royalties.
    

    View Slide

60. Open Data Principle № 4
    Open data is a
    conversation.
    

    View Slide

61. View Slide

62. View Slide

63. View Slide

64. View Slide

65. (902) 367-3694
    

    View Slide

66. View Slide

67. Open Data Principle № 5
    Sometimes your users will
    create open data for you. 

    Follow their lead.
    

    View Slide

68. “By 2010, our investment in Islanders’
    health care had increased by 25 per
    cent or over $700 per capita – to
    $3,655, putting us above the national
    average of $3,500.”
    2011 Budget Address
    

    View Slide

69. I’m interested in obtaining a digital record
    of the transactions under what I would call,
    for lack of knowledge of the terminology, my
    “health care account” — in other words, all
    of the payments to doctors, specialists,
    hospitals, labs, etc. paid out by Health PEI
    attached to my Health Card account for as
    long as records are available.
    Email to Health PEI
    May 26, 2011 – Day 1
    

    View Slide

70. Our Information Co-ordinator has indicated
    to me that you should submit a FOIPP
    (Freedom of Information and Protection
    of Privacy) request. Attached is the Access
    to Information form which you can complete
    and submit to our co-ordinator.
    Reply from Health PEI
    May 26, 2011 – Day 1
    

    View Slide

71. FOIPP Request
    

    View Slide

72. Digital record of financial transactions
    related to my health care (PEI Health Card #
    XXXXXX). I’m interested in all financial
    transactions related to doctors visits,
    hospital care, emergency room visits, lab
    tests, etc. with as much detail as available
    (date, amount, description, account, etc.).
    I would prefer the information in an open
    digital format, such as CSV or XML format.
    FOIPP Request
    

    View Slide

73. 30 Days Later
    June 27, 2011 – Day 32
    

    View Slide

74. What I Received…
    Physician Date Code
    Location
    (Printed report, not digital data)
    

    View Slide

75. “However, a payment made to a physician
    is the physician’s personal information
    and is therefore not ours to disclose.
    General information related to payments for
    physicians can be found in the Master
    Agreement between the Medical Society of
    PEI and the Government of PEI.”
    But no financial data…
    

    View Slide

76. So I appealed to the
    Information and Privacy
    Commissioner
    She agreed to open
    a review.
    August 18, 2011 – Day 84
    

    View Slide

77. Clause 17(2)(c) of the Health Services Payments Act specifically
    authorizes the Minister to release the information I have requested:
    “the Minister may disclose information obtained in the
    administration of this Act, to the person who received the basic
    health services or to the legal representative or guardian of the
    person” and subsection 17(3) of the same act sets out the
    information that is authorized to be provided (emphasis mine):
    (a) basic health services provided;

    (b) the date on which the basic health services were provided;

    (c) the name and address of the person who provided the basic
    health services;
    (d) amounts paid under the plan; and

    (e) the person to whom payments were made from the plan.
    Sent more information…
    October 17, 2011 – Day 144
    

    View Slide

78. Waited…
    

    View Slide

79. Waited…
    Information and Privacy Commissioner informed
    me that her review would take longer than 90 days
    

    View Slide

80. Waited…
    Waited…
    Information and Privacy Commissioner informed
    me that her review would take longer than 90 days
    

    View Slide

81. Waited…
    Waited…
    Sent the Standing Committee on Legislative
    Management a letter asking for more resources
    for the Information and Privacy Commissioner
    Information and Privacy Commissioner informed
    me that her review would take longer than 90 days
    

    View Slide

82. Waited…
    Waited…
    Sent the Standing Committee on Legislative
    Management a letter asking for more resources
    for the Information and Privacy Commissioner
    Waited…
    Information and Privacy Commissioner informed
    me that her review would take longer than 90 days
    

    View Slide

83. “One more year…”
    Information and Privacy Commissioner sends a
    letter anticipating a ruling in February 2014
    January 24, 2013 – Day 609
    

    View Slide

84. “9 more months…”
    Information and Privacy Commissioner sends a
    letter anticipating a ruling in September 2014
    January 16, 2014 – Day 966
    

    View Slide

85. $879.37
    February 26, 2014 – Day 1007
    

    View Slide

86. Open Data Principle № 6
    Open data is a necessary
    precondition for 

    tenacious citizenship.
    

    View Slide

87. Open Data Principles
    1. You have no idea (at all) what open data
    might be used for.
    2. PDFs are where data goes to die.
    3. Sometimes “open” can simply mean
    following rules of design.
    4. Open data is a conversation.
    5. Sometimes your users will create open data
    for you.
    6. Open data is a necessary precondition for 

    tenacious citizenship.
    

    View Slide

88. View Slide

89. View Slide

90. View Slide

91. View Slide

92. View Slide

93. View Slide

94. View Slide

95. View Slide

96. View Slide

97. View Slide

98. View Slide

99. View Slide

100. View Slide

101. View Slide

102. View Slide

103. Open Data Principles
     1. You have no idea (at all) what open data
     might be used for.
     2. PDFs are where data goes to die.
     3. Sometimes “open” can simply mean
     following rules of design.
     4. Open data is a conversation.
     5. Sometimes your users will create open data
     for you.
     6. Open data is a necessary precondition for 

     tenacious citizenship.
     

     View Slide

104. Slides are online at
     http://l.ruk.ca/deputy-slides
     These slides are released under a Creative Commons license.
     You are encouraged to distribute them as far and as 

     wide as possible under the terms of the license.
     

     View Slide