Mark Braggins

A look back at Open Data Camp 3: After the Watershed

This post was first published on the Open Data Camp blog. It’s several weeks since the third UK Open Data Camp. In case that means nothing to you: Camp ‘Camp’ is a term commonly used to refer to an ‘unconference’, which basically means it’s an event with no predefined agenda – instead, attendees ‘pitch’ session ideas…… Continue reading A look back at Open Data Camp 3: After the Watershed

Open Data Camp: Hitting the road again

This post was originally published on the Open Data Camp blog. We’re back First, there was Open Data Camp, in Winchester (Feb 2015). Then, came Open Data Camp 2, in Manchester (Oct 2015). Guess what’s coming next…. Correct! Back on the road again We’re absolutely thrilled to announce that the Open Data Camp unconference charabanc…… Continue reading Open Data Camp: Hitting the road again

Using Data as a policy maker – Pt1

This is the first in a series of posts about an event: Using Data as a policy maker, which was held in Winchester, in November 2015. This post first appeared on the Open Data Aha! blog. Using data for policy – Aha! Wearing my ‘Open Data Aha!’ hat*, I teamed up with Southern Policy Centre…… Continue reading Using Data as a policy maker – Pt1

Demonstrating the value of open data – GP Pressure Map

I was really pleased to see GP Pressure Map featured on the BBC’s South Today programme on 31st March. GP Pressure Map – part of the Open City Data Platform – was one of the “highs” I mentioned in my final post on the Hampshire Hub: Leaving on a high. The utility, created by Leo Valberg…… Continue reading Demonstrating the value of open data – GP Pressure Map

Leaving on a high

This post was originally published on the Hampshire Hub on 30th March 2015. Deep breath I’m leaving Hampshire County Council, and am stepping down as lead for the Hampshire Hub. There, I’ve said it. Looking back I wrote my first post Hampshire Hub (Thoughts on What a Hampshire Hub might be) in February 2012. In…… Continue reading Leaving on a high

If you open stuff up, good stuff happens

This is a slightly edited version of a post originally published on DATA.GOV.UK I rather like the phrase: “Engineering Serendipity” which – as I choose to interpret it – means something like ‘creating conditions which maximise the chances of good stuff happening’. If you’re interested in a fuller discussion of Engineering Serendipity, there’s the excellent…… Continue reading If you open stuff up, good stuff happens

Hampshire Hub taking shape

We’ve been working hard for the last few months to get the new Hampshire Hub data platform into shape. There are three main strands of work at present: adding new features to Swirrl’s PublishMyData platform preparing an initial collection of linked data datasets building the Area Profiles application Facelift and overhaul PublishMyData is getting both…… Continue reading Hampshire Hub taking shape

The Business Case for Open Data

Martin Tisné, UK Policy Director for Omidyar Network, and Nicholas Gruen, CEO of Lateral Economics have published a new report Open for Business: How Open Data Can Help Achieve the G20 Growth Target The report considers the potential for open data, and provides an economic estimate of its value. You can preview and download the report…… Continue reading The Business Case for Open Data

Data sharing between public bodies

In autumn of last year, the Law Commission launched its Consultation into data sharing between public bodies. If you haven’t read it before, you can preview and download the document at the end of this post. Scoping exercise Unlike other consultations, this one was a scoping exercise, aiming to investigate ‘the root causes of the…… Continue reading Data sharing between public bodies

Ghost writing, hubs, and autoawesome

I’ve been blogging off-and-on for a few years. My first post, in December 2011, was on WordPress.com. I then briefly tried Tumblr, before settling on this self-hosted WordPress site. It gave me the flexibility I wanted, and tied in quite nicely with projects like BlueLightCamp which also uses WordPress for its web site. The Day job…… Continue reading Ghost writing, hubs, and autoawesome