NBSPRN to Host Open Data Visualization Challenge
FREDERICTON–As part of their GovMaker 2016 Conference, the New Brunswick Social Policy Research Network (NBSPRN), along with University of New Brunswick’s Faculty of Business Administration, is hosting an Open Data Visualization Challenge.
The challenge aims to demonstrate the power of open data and open government by allowing participants from across the country to use creativity to build an infographic poster featuring data from municipal and provincial governments and other organizations. The challenge guidelines dictate that the posters can be used to communicate a story, recommendation or new idea.
“I’m so excited about this challenge because it demonstrates what can be achieved when governments invite the participation of citizens through open data,” executive director of NBSPRN Nick Scott said in a release. “The opportunities are infinite and can lead to improvements in services and beyond. This is how we will shift the tides in our region and transform New Brunswick.”
This is the first year of the Open Data Visualization Challenge, which was originally inspired by a class project UNB Faculty of Business Administration professor Martin Wielemaker did last spring. The infographic posters will be presented at the GovMaker Conference taking place Nov. 21 to Nov. 22 where the top four teams will pitch their ideas and a winner will be selected.
“The data can be anything, including multivariate environmental or population data, qualitative information or maybe geographic information survey data. We invite governments and businesses to consider challenges that exist within their organizations and to submit open data around these topics to our participants,” program officer at the UNB Faculty of Business Administration Andrew Lockhart said.
The competition officially begins Oct. 24 and the deadline for participants to submit an infographic is Nov. 7. The four finalists will be announced on Nov. 15.