An unexpected consequence of opening up data

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An unexpected consequence of opening up data

By Mark Pack | Fri 25th June 2010 - 12:20 pm

I blogged recently about the welcome moves being made to open up London’s transport data to wider use. A great example of what opening up data can produce is the map showing the locations of tube trains on the network in real time – available for free and produced thanks to the enthusiasm and civic-mindedness of volunteers.

But with the current tube strikes in mind, it also shows how opening up data can produce unexpected consequences. Because what is one of the standard parts of transport strikes? It’s conflicting claims from unions and management about how widespread the impact of the strike really is. Courtesy of the real time map, next time we hear such conflicting comments we can all look at evidence directly for ourselves.

Read more by Mark Pack or more about london underground.
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4 Comments

Ben Bale 25th Jun '10 - 12:40pm

So who is telling the truth? Has anyone checked this morning’s data yet?
Adrian Short 25th Jun '10 - 2:14pm

Bang on, Mark.

All we need now is a way of resolving the conflicting claims of the Met and the SWP regarding the size of their weekly strolls from Embankment to Trafalgar Square.

Live footfall data from CCTV? Perhaps we need face recognition too as I’m quite sure half the group peel off round the block and come in at the back of the march a couple of times.

Open data is 99% unintended consequences. That’s what makes it so much fun.
Dafydd 25th Jun '10 - 3:28pm

A friend also found this one during the (as I call it) volcano ash cloud of doom.
http://www.flightradar24.com/
You can even get details by clicking on the planes.
As you can imagine – it was rather sparce during the ash cloud.
Andrew Suffield 25th Jun '10 - 5:50pm

Perhaps we need face recognition too as I’m quite sure half the group peel off round the block and come in at the back of the march a couple of times.

A few guys with counters should be able to solve that one quite easily. All you need to do is to watch them, find all the routes they’re taking, and count somewhere along every path – then subtract all the paths that were moving in the opposite direction to the main march. The result is a close approximation of the number of unique people.