GovEx Data Points

Linking data from one place or system to another is often key to putting data to use. But few people understand what it takes to integrate and combine data in a useful way. Enter the integrated data system.

In this episode, Eric and Sharon chat with Amy Hawn Nelson, Director of Training and Technical Assistance at AISP, and Chris Kingsley, Senior Consultant to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, to talk about just how integrated data systems work.  Amy and Chris discuss a variety of examples in social and government policy that use integrated data systems to advance their goals. They also talk about the practical nuts and bolts of ensuring an integrated data system is doing what it's supposed to do.

To learn more about AISP's recent work, check out their recently published expert panel reports on governance, technology, and more. To learn more about the Annie E. Casey Foundation's work on integrated data systems, check out their short video introducing IDS, their resource on IDS and Family Services, and a case study on IDS in San Francisco.

Like Data? Listen and Get in Touch

You can find updates to the podcast in several ways.

* Look for us on iTunes as GovEx Data Points

* Find up-to-date episodes on our website at http://govex.jhu.edu/podcast

Get in touch with us and let us know what you want to hear, suggest potential episodes, and give us feedback on how the podcast is going. You can contact us on Twitter at Gov_Ex or reach out via our website at govex.jhu.edu/contact.

It's common knowledge that cities are made up of individual neighborhoods. But thinking about data at the neighborhood level is difficult. Often data is not granular enough to get to the neighborhood level and sometimes we can't even clearly define different neighborhoods. However, understanding data at the neighborhood level is important to accurately measuring the progress of programs and initiatives.

In this episode, Eric and Sharon chat with Kathy Pettit and Leah Hendey of the Urban Institute and National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership (NNIP). Kathy and Leah work with cities and community organizations across the country to focus on gathering, sharing, and using neighborhood level data. During our conversation, we discussed several use cases for neighborhood data from Baltimore and Oakland, how to train people to use data more effectively, and how local communities can get involved with NNIP.

To learn more about NNIP, check them out on Twitter @NNIPHQ and through their newsletter.

Like Data? Listen and Get in Touch

You can find updates to the podcast in several ways.

* Look for us on iTunes as GovEx Data Points

* Find up-to-date episodes on our website at http://govex.jhu.edu/podcast

Get in touch with us and let us know what you want to hear, suggest potential episodes, and give us feedback on how the podcast is going. You can contact us on Twitter at Gov_Ex or reach out via our website at govex.jhu.edu/contact.

Algorithms are complicated. Yet they are used all the time in our daily lives, including by governments, to perform basic functions. From determining what web page advertisements we see to timing traffic lights,

Algorithms are complicated. Yet they are used all the time in our daily lives, including by governments, to perform basic functions. From determining what web page advertisements we see to timing traffic lights,

Organizing a hackathon is common concept for the civic tech movement. Bringing people together to solve a problem in a short period of time creates urgency, community, and a sense of shared purpose using data. However,

Organizing a hackathon is common concept for the civic tech movement. Bringing people together to solve a problem in a short period of time creates urgency, community, and a sense of shared purpose using data. However, hackathons can seem exclusive to certain members of a community unless planned with accessibility and data literacy in mind.

In this episode, Eric chats with Michael Schnuerle and Ed Blayney of Louisville's Office of Performance Improvement and Innovation about how they used an analog hackthon to engage a variety of staff members across the city around data. Using printouts and transparencies to show map layers of a variety of data types, the team in Louisville brought together employees from across the city to brainstorm solutions for a Louisville neighborhood. This technique helped to engage staff and spur ideas in new ways than a traditional hackathon.

The team in Louisville is also working on a variety of data related projects including a housing redlining map that was the Harvard Ash Center's map of the month, a partnership with Waze to make more traffic data available to the city, and helping more people get access to data. If you want to learn more about the projects discussed on the podcast and other cool ideas the Louisville team is working on, get in touch with the GovEx team and we can connect you to the right people.

Like Data? Listen and Get in Touch

You can find updates to the podcast in several ways.

* Look for us on iTunes as GovEx Data Points

* Find up-to-date episodes on our website at http://govex.jhu.edu/podcast

Get in touch with us and let us know what you want to hear, suggest potential episodes, and give us feedback on how the podcast is going. You can contact us on Twitter at Gov_Ex or reach out via our website at govex.jhu.edu/contact.

Maps are everywhere throughout our lives. Whether using Google Maps, Yelp, riding the bus, or hiking at a national park, maps can turn data into easily consumable and useful information. However, making and using maps also comes with pitfalls that savv...

Maps are everywhere throughout our lives. Whether using Google Maps, Yelp, riding the bus, or hiking at a national park, maps can turn data into easily consumable and useful information. However, making and using maps also comes with pitfalls that savvy data users should be aware of.

In this episode Eric and Rebecca talk with Lyzi Diamond, an engineer at Mapbox on the API team, to talk maps and all things internet. Lyzi is an experienced map maker and user having spent time at the State of Oregon Department of Geology and as a Code for America fellow. Our discussion included how Lyzi got into maps, how the internet works for maps, and common pitfalls to keep in mind when using maps.

If you want to learn more about Lyzi’s projects, check out lyzidiamond.com and specifically check out her posts on How the Internet Works and on Geographic Data Assumptions. If you have additional resources on mapping we should check out, feel free to get in touch with the GovEx team via our contact page.

Like Data? Listen and Get in Touch

You can find updates to the podcast in several ways.

* Look for us on iTunes as GovEx Data Points

* Find up-to-date episodes on our website at http://govex.jhu.edu/podcast

Get in touch with us and let us know what you want to hear, suggest potential episodes, and give us feedback on how the podcast is going. You can contact us on Twitter at Gov_Ex or reach out via our website at govex.jhu.edu/contact.

Nothing is more critical to people’s lives than water. Local governments across the US usually do such a good job of providing safe, clean water that it’s often overlooked. However, recent high profile incidents in Flint, MI (lead),

Nothing is more critical to people's lives than water. Local governments across the US usually do such a good job of providing safe, clean water that it's often overlooked. However, recent high profile incidents in Flint, MI (lead), and in California (drought) have brought water and local government back into the conversation.

In this episode, Sharon and Eric sat down to talk with Patrick Atwater, a Civic Data Scientist with ARGO (Advanced Research in Government Operations) and the Project Manager for the California Data Collaborative. Patrick joined us to talk water data in California, using data science tools at the local government level, and building partnerships among governments to help tackle big problems.

If you want to learn more about Patrick's projects, check out the Github page on open source analytics developed with the California Data Collaborative and the street quality work that is currently scaling to more cities. Also feel free to get in touch with the GovEx team via our contact page and we can connect you to additional resources.

Like Data? Listen and Get in Touch

You can find updates to the podcast in several ways.

* Look for us on iTunes as GovEx Data Points

* Find up-to-date episodes on our website at http://govex.jhu.edu/podcast

Get in touch with us and let us know what you want to hear, suggest potential episodes, and give us feedback on how the podcast is going. You can contact us on Twitter at Gov_Ex or reach out via our website at govex.jhu.edu/contact.