“Open terminals”, “load CSVs”, “start hacking”
csv,conf,v3 is the place to hear stories about data sharing and data analysis from science, journalism, government, and open source. In past events, attendees left with their heads buzzing full of new ideas, tools, and data domains to explore but had to wait until returning home to try them out. This time we thought: why wait?
Enter Data Tables.
Data Tables (data-tables.csv) is an open hacking space at csv,conf,v3 for hands-on, collaborative data work. The idea is to learn about a tool, hack on a problem, or explore a new dataset in a group setting. People will be on hand to help participants on issues, from setting up code, through to use cases for the data.
Here, a facilitator works with a group of five to fifteen people by using software that has been designed to solve problems working with data. These can be “introduction to X” type sessions, or or a more specific deep dive, but the common thread is learning element, led by a dedicated facilitator. This table will hold several sessions over the course of the conference.
| Time | Facilitator | Session |
|---|---|---|
| 10:30a-12p | @bmpvieira | Bionode How Bionode uses Node.JS Streams to process big genomic data http://www.bionode.io/ |
| 1:30p-3p | @nokome | Stencila A hands-on introduction to accessible, reproducible data analysis using Stencila: learn how to create interactive, data-driven documents using your choice of (or a mix of) Javascript, Python, R, SQL or Mini (a very simple, embedded, purely-functional language). Bring your own data! https://stenci.la/ |
| 3:30p-4:30p | @datadotworld | data.world Uploading datasets to data.world https://data.world/ |
| Time | Facilitator | Session |
|---|---|---|
| 11a-12:30p | @akariv | Data Package Pipelines An exploration of the messy world of ETLing public data, and a suite of tools designed expressly for the unique challenges therein. https://github.com/frictionlessdata/datapackage-pipelines |
| 2:30p-3:30p | @jasoncrawford | Fieldbook Fieldbook is a information tool which combines the best of a database and a spreadsheet. Like a spreadsheet, it has a simple, lightweight grid UI; like a database, it supports relational modeling and querying. Also, every book gets an automatic JSON-based REST API. https://fieldbook.com/ |
| 4p-5p | (@joehand TBD) | Dat Using Dat to Distribute Data Packages https://datproject.org/ |
The other two to three tables are loosely organised around data themes. The goal is to enable people to come and do some hacking on a real data problem, discover some new or novel tools for those problems, but do so in a way that does not require a hackathon-like commitment of producing some working thing after 2 days - we expect people to come and go.
There is no need to follow the themes. Themes are designed to help direct attention, and possibly enable some “quick wins” in terms of opening up data. Anyone can come and work on whatever they like.
Save some US open data before it is too late.
- Endangered US Open Data Theme
There are many interesting sources for agricultural data, and the data can potentially help us establish facts around a range of issues, including food security, environmental impact, human rights and more.
At a moment where it seems historical memory is in constant danger of being forgotten, misinterpreted, or dramatically reframed, we will select some datasets to help us explore history and culture by way of data analysis, visualization, and transformation tools.
The darling of the open data movement, yet there is still so much more to do. We’ll identify a range of important fiscal datasets for use.