1. Open Data & Crowdsourcing
a pragmatic approach
Michael Moser, MSc
MichaelMoser.at.tf

2. Open Data creates value
„New technologies are opening up new opportunities for businesses and
social entrepreneurs to create billions of pounds of economic value by
building innovative applications and services that make use of
government data.“
„Dr Rufus Pollock of Cambridge University, the lead author of the HM
Treasury report on the economic value of open data, has produced a new
calculation that our plans to set government data free will create an
estimated £6 billion in additional value for the UK.“
(UK Conservative Technology Manifesto, http://
www.conservatives.com/News/News_stories/2010/03/
Conservative_Technology_Manifesto_launched.aspx)
Michael Moser, MSc
MichaelMoser.at.tf

3. Open Data „exposes“
valuable assets
nondisclosure agreements are futile
To get an a priori unknown audience to work your data you have to fully
disclose these data:
§ To whom it may concern
§ In machine readable formats
§ Without prior established trust
§ On the internet
§ to competitors
§ To political rivals
And what about the hackers and Anonymous?
Michael Moser, MSc
MichaelMoser.at.tf

4. Hackers are not Anonymous …
Hacking stands for:
§ Altering a given funtionality of hard- or software
§ to make the *ware work in a way
§ not envisioned by its creator …
Hacking does not mean
§ Breaking into systems
§ Stealing data
§ Misappropriation of intellectual property
§ Unlawful conduct in general
§ …
Unlawful conduct is called „Cracking“
Michael Moser, MSc
MichaelMoser.at.tf

5. Know your audience
The Hacker Ethic*:
§ Access to computers and anything which might teach you something about
the way the world works should be unlimited and total. Always yield to the
Hands-On Imperative!
§ All information should be free.
§ Mistrust Authority Promote Decentralization.
§ Hackers should be judged by their hacking, not bogus criteria such as
degrees, age, race, or position.
§ You can create art and beauty on a computer.
§ Computers can change your life for the better.
§ Like Aladdin's lamp, you could get it to do your bidding.
*as originated at the MIT Model Railroad Club in the 1950ies (Steven Levy, Hackers, New York, 1984)
Michael Moser, MSc
MichaelMoser.at.tf

6. Outsourcing vs Crowdsourcing –
a comparison
Outsourcing Crowdsourcing
§ A well known procedure Uncharted waters
§ Formulate use case and § Disclose data
product requirement § Engage communities to work your
specifications data
§ Put project out to tender § Have a look at results
§ Collect bids § Be astonished?
§ Accept best offer § Accept results
§ Have contractor sign non- Unresolved issues
disclosure agreement § How will you pay the contractor?
§ Accept results § How can you ascertain compliance
§ Pay contractor in €€ to tender regulations?
Michael Moser, MSc
MichaelMoser.at.tf

7. The good News
§ Most hacker communities work for social credits
not cash
§ Interesting solutions draw attention in the
community
§ Elegant solutions draw even more attention
§ Community members create personal portfolios
§ These portfolios lead to interesting job offers …
Michael Moser, MSc
MichaelMoser.at.tf

8. The bad News
§ All this does not secure compliance to tender
regulations!
§ Nor will it guarantee results …
Michael Moser, MSc
MichaelMoser.at.tf

9. … and the ugly
Develop new workflows
§ Traditional organizations are not fit to work with
communities
§ Trust in communities needs time to build
§ Only an extensive portfolio gives rock solid reputation
§ One mistake can ruin this reputation
§ Controllers and Executives only talk in currencies, Not in
social credits
§ Value created does not necessarily benefit the people
having provided the data
Michael Moser, MSc
MichaelMoser.at.tf

10. Steps ahead part one
„To be successful over the long term, the
foundation of all your strategies and tactics
needs to come back to the customer. Why
would they want to engage? What are their
incentives, motivation, expectation and
thought process?“*
*Shih, Clara, the Facebook Era, USA 2009, p. 147
Michael Moser, MSc
MichaelMoser.at.tf

11. Steps ahead part two
Build a crowdsourcing team
§ Define goals for your crowdsourcing effort
§ Hire an experienced community manager
§ Short circuit your CRM-, LAW- IT-, WEB-department
and the community manager
§ Develop a long term strategy (3–5 years)
§ Develop non-monetary incentives
§ Start engaging, listening and motivating
§ …
Michael Moser, MSc
MichaelMoser.at.tf