An NYC Open Data Week Event, organized by The GovLab and Reboot, with support from Reaktor

Open data – when matched with real demands in society – has huge potential for improving people’s lives. Yet, despite the progress made in unlocking city data, much of the potential of open data remains untapped.

“If You Build It, Will They Come?” will be a unique conversation seeking to move beyond today’s dominant approach to Open Data which is mostly supply driven. How can we become more sophisticated about the actual and potential demand for data? How to identify and segment current and future users? What questions, when matched with data, could provide high impact? How to connect the data science expertise available in New York City with those constituencies that could benefit from greater insight from open data but lack the capacity?

A distinguished panel representing several disciplines, successful data initiatives and high impact sectors will reflect on how to identify demand for open data toward:

• Improving Governance

• Empowering Individuals

• Economic Opportunity

• Solving Public Problems

Through conversation and dialogue “If You Build It, Will They Come?” will focus on:

• Nurturing a Demand Driven Mindset -- Focusing on the users NOT the information product;

• Learning From our Peers -- Exploring methods other organizations have used to take a demand-driven approach to the generation and consumption of information goods;

• Identifying Who Will and Can Benefit -- Mapping current and potential open data user segments;

• Spotting High Impact Partnerships -- High capacity suppliers + high impact use cases = a good investment;

• Making It Happen -- Mapping next steps to make open data more demand driven.

Welcome to our beautiful office space above the roofs of the Flatiron District. Food and drinks will be provided, and interesting conversations expected. Looking forward to seeing you!

Panelists:

Andy Moss, NYU Entrepreneurship
Sarah Burd-Sharps, SSRC
Adrienne Schmoeker, New York City Mayor’s Office of Data Analytics
Stephen Larrick, Sunlight Foundation [Discussant]

Stefaan Verhulst, The GovLab / Zack Brisson, Reboot – [MODERATORS]