Re: Potential project: Supporting the Linked Data Consumer

Hello Cory

I'm new to this list (currently researching end-uses of government open
data, with an interested in the linked data side of it), so hope the
following are a relevant reply to your write up - which I agree
wholeheartedly addresses a really important issue of increasing the
usability of open govt data.

In terms of *supporting technologies *a look at what the EnACKing project
has been doing with pulling together PSI might be useful (
http://www.enakting.org/enakting/home). Their mapping demonstration (
http://map.psi.enakting.org/) gives one demo for showing how geo-linked data
can be pulled back in useful forms. The PSI Catalogues aggregator may also
be of interest here (http://bagatelles.ecs.soton.ac.uk/psi/)

One small, possibly quick, win when looking at data catalogues from a
user-perspective would be adding a way for applications that consume and
re-present the data (such as the TWC Data.gov demo's) to ping-back to a
dataset record and thus get a link from the dataset to the application
set-up - facilitating end-user discovery of custom applications that might
provide a useful view on the data they are looking at. (There are some notes
on ideas of Semantic Ping Back here:
http://aksw.org/Projects/SemanticPingback - but not sure if this is directly
relevant)

In terms of *design methodologies* - a lot of what's been developed far is
very technology driven. Whilst in 'Communicating the LOD Vision' you address
a key use case from the point of view of proving the value of the technology
- I wonder what user-centred design methods could help with developing such
demonstrations, and ultimately tools of long-term value to non-technical
users. For example, from a technology demo side it is tempting to focus on
questions tools can answer given current data - but end users may have
questions/needs which can't be met with the existing data - and any cloud
being able to show people the gaps (and hopefully thus encourage their
filling) as well as showing people what is present *might* prove useful.

All the best

Tim Davies
@timdavies

http://www.practicalparticipation.co.uk/odi/

On Fri, Jun 4, 2010 at 7:33 PM, Cory Casanave <cory-c@modeldriven.com>wrote:

>  eGov IG,
>
> On the LD-Demo call today I suggested we should focus some effort on the
> consumer side of linked data.  As requested I have put together a rough
> draft project outline to expand the idea, please take a look here:
>
>
>
> http://www.w3.org/egov/wiki/Supporting_the_Linked_Data_Consumer
>
>
>
> Your comments are very welcome as well as suggestions as to existing
> resources that can help satisfy the needs expressed.
>
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Cory Casanave
>
>
>
>
>
>
>



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