LBLOD, a linked open data project for local authorities and citizens.

Since 2021, I have been working as a design consultant on a array of open-source Linked Open Data projects. I have led 3 of these products from conception to delivery, being responsible for wire-framing, mockups, developer and stakeholder handovers, and have also been the primary person to plan and conduct user testing.

A platform for a multitude of different internal governmental users which allows them to search, input, and correct contact data for organisations and their members. This platform aims to be the most up-to-date data platform, since this data flows over to other applications, in- and outside of the government agency.

Challenges

  • Having multiple users with different roles, and different needs, we had to make sure all of their tasks could be fulfilled easily

  • Some data is more sensitive then others, which forced us to create an additional flow to protect this data from users who did not need to see it, but at the same time keeping it accessible for users that do.

OrganisatiePortaal

Gelinkt Notuleren

To encourage the re-use of data, we have created a platform where local authorities can log decisions made during meetings. Gelinkt Notuleren has a smart-editor, that recognises data types (e.g. addresses), and also allows user to annotate data freely. Once a decision is published, this data then flows over to a central database, where other platforms, companies, and even citizens, can re-use it to further their communities.

Challenges

  • Annotating data is not an easy concept. We need to work together with local authorities to teach them the benefits of creating re-usable data, and in return learn from them, to ensure we don’t make their jobs harder in order to created well-annotated data.

  • Local authorities all have different patterns of work, and different layouts when it comes to their minutes and their decisions. We need to find a balance between creating a product thats easy to use, and allows user to freely change any piece of text, while also protecting the annotated data from user mistakes during manipulation.