Open data inpublic-private partnerships

How citizens can become true watchdogs

@wheresmyvillowww.wheresmyvillo.be

HackDemocracy.Org | 16th December 2010

The problem

Why it matters๏ Villo!‘s a great initiative but no staying

power unless done well

๏ Private partners in PPPs have a tendency to do just enough to stay out of trouble

๏ It’s a strategic asset for JCDecaux - legitimate to demand pristine service

๏ JCDecaux: “it’s the topography stupid, it’s normal and it ain’t so bad”

Let’s fix it: Where’s My Villo?

๏ Villo!’s data is “open” - let’s use it

๏ Scrape data from Villo!’s servers every 5 minutes - store it

๏ Rate Villo! stations - confirmed anecdotal evidence

๏ Straightforward goal: shed light on the problems for users, media & politicians

๏ Get sufficient traction & JCDecaux will move

Did JCDecaux move? *

* partial evaluation - more work still needs to be done

Open data & citizen-watchdogs๏ No denying the problems: empirical evidence

๏ Politicians relieved of being sole monitors [!]

๏ Obviously impossible without open data

๏ City2020 Project calls for “data publication [when] public transport is outsourced”- flip the burden

๏ From ex-post evaluation to ex-ante discouragement