The new site is accessible at http://nyc.gov/data.
The cloud-based Socrata platform enables New York City to transform more than 750 datasets into interactively accessible resources that New Yorkers can visualize, share and socially enrich. At the same time, the Socrata Open Data API (SODA) provides uniform programmatic access to every dataset, via a standards-based, RESTful application programming interface.
Rachel Sterne, New York City's Chief Digital Officer, explains how the "city as a platform" vision is supported: "Open Data is crucial because it further unlocks the potential of New York City's rich data and transforms it into API-enabled, reusable resources necessary for fostering a successful innovation ecosystem. And for those without developer expertise there is easy-to-use search and data visualization."
Sterne adds, "This platform enables us to produce a more user-centric experience of government. It further democratizes the exchange of information and services. It empowers citizens to collaboratively create solutions. It's no longer about consumption only, but the co-creation of government services. If someone wants to build a better app, it's all out there. That is a core concept of the Open Data platform."
NYC Open Data features 750 datasets, of which 230 are new. Notable new resources include datasets for 19.7 million 311 requests from 2004 to 2011, showing the date, time, originating agency, location, status and contextually relevant details about each 311 request. Other new datasets include more than 160 interactive maps, which provide New Yorkers with a user-friendly online experience to explore geographic information such as the location of city parks, recreation facilities and other resources.
New York City is readying for NYC BigApps Hackathon and NYC BigApps Challenge 3.0, as part of its ongoing program to engage the tech community and rally developers to build applications and services for New Yorkers using the City's data. "With the introduction of developer-friendly APIs and new valuable datasets, we're investing in the enabling infrastructure that will reduce the barrier to entry for innovators," adds Girish Chhugani, Senior Advisor at the NYC Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications and the project lead for NYC Open Data.
For more information on NYC BigApps Challenge, visit nycbigapps.com.
About Socrata
Socrata is the leading developer and provider of Open Data Services, a category of cloud-based Web 2.0 solutions that enable federal, state, and local governments to dramatically improve the reach, usability and usefulness of their public information assets.
The Socrata Open Data Platform™ optimizes the management and timely dissemination of relevant information and data-driven services to citizen, professional and internal government audiences, in self-service mode and across multiple channels. Information assets include tabular data, geospatial data, unstructured content and real-time data from government transactional systems of record.
Socrata customers include cities such as Seattle, Edmonton, Chicago and Baltimore, states such as Oregon, Illinois and Oklahoma, and federal agencies such as Medicare, SAMHSA and GSA (Data.gov). Socrata is a private company, based in Seattle, Washington, with venture financing from Frazier Technology Ventures and Morgenthaler Ventures. To learn more about Socrata, visit http://www.socrata.com.
Add to Digg Bookmark with del.icio.us Add to Newsvine
Contacts: Socrata / The Open Data Company Saf Rabah VP, Marketing 206.340.8008 ext 151 www.socrata.com
