Open Government Case Study: Mogeo – growing a business using open data
About the company
Mogeo, an app development company based in Christchurch, creates mobile application
solutions to business delivery problems clients have identified.
Smartphones and
their uptake has
made apps a viable
channel to meet
mobile information
needs
Their focus on smartphone solutions has been enabled by technology (GPS sensor/offline
mapping) and the fact that 54% of adult New Zealanders now have a smartphone (IAB NZ
research, Aug 2013). This means that Mogeo can solve problems using a viable channel/
solution that was not possible three or four years ago.
Mogeo prefers to work closely with just a few clients in order to understand the client’s
environment. They initially start to identify their clients’ problems and then
collaboratively craft the solution. Generally, if the client pays for the development, they
then own the app.
Role of government open data in growing the business
Government is
“warming” to
releasing open data
but it could still be
made easier
Mogeo observes that there has definitely been a “warming of attitude from government
over the last few years toward making data available publicly”, but also notes that, “while
there's an open attitude at a higher level, this doesn't necessarily equate to the data
being easy to access at the coal face”.
They note that there is a reasonable amount of work involved in opening up a data
source publicly and that this requires more commitment than just being open to the idea.
Through raising awareness of the results, they believe we will continue to see growth in
this area.
Challenges of using open data
Variability across
multiple datasets of
similar data is a
challenge
Mogeo feels that the biggest challenge is the quality of some the data that is currently
available, particularly when it is managed by multiple entities. For example, many local
authorities manage data in different ways, which creates variation in the datasets used
for a single app: 53 local authorities for CamperMate and 16 regional councils for
MarineMate.
Reviewing each dataset requires individual attention, and logistically this can become a
challenge, particularly around updating this data when there is a change.
What other open data would be useful?
Geospatial data is
key for locationbased information
needs
“Location, location, location” says Mogeo. Any data that is going to help users make a
decision using their smartphone and based on their location is the most useful. This
geospatial focus is reflected in three of the applications described on the following page.
Mogeo recognises that there are opportunities in the health sector for data mashup.
However, as these are more web-based solutions, they are not Mogeo’s focus at present.
Future developments
Apps have potential in
many areas of
government data
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Analytics collected via the app provide insights on regions of use which inform future
development. A category function has been built within CamperMate app to ‘learn’ what
the user is searching for. These categories then move up or down the menu in order to
customise the experience for the user.
Two prototypes apps have been developed for the Ministry for Primary Industries:
·
Agricultural Chemical and Veterinary Medicine
·
Pest Identification
[email protected]
Apps built on government’s public data
MarineMate
Benefits to Waikato Regional
Council:
· lower costs by not printing
materials
· confidence that target
audience is being reached
· seen as engaging in a
positive way with water
users
·
Led by Waikato Regional Council, with funding from Maritime NZ, ACC, Land
Information NZ and regional council harbourmasters, with support from Water
Safety New Zealand.
·
The free app provides water users across New Zealand easy access to all the
information they need from a single and authoritative source to keep safe when
heading out on the water.
·
First time users complete five questions to provide data on the type of activities
for future enhancements.
NZ Fishing Rules
Users have access to a
single authoritative source
of information and
confidence it will be
maintained
·
Led by the Ministry for Primary Industries to provide fishing information to assist
recreational fishers in complying with regulations out on the water.
·
The free app includes information to identify fish species, advise minimum legal
size and area bag limits.
·
Fishers can access a video on how to release undersize fish correctly and how to
measure and determine the sex of crayfish.
Product Recalls NZ
·
A Mogeo initiative using the Ministry for Primary Industries’ food products recalls
data and data from http://www.consumer.org.nz/recalls website.
·
The free app allows the user to see what food products have been recalled.
CamperMate
Ensures all travellers in
NZ have access to the
information they need
wherever they travel
·
Developed by Mogeo to provide useful information to international and
domestic tourists travelling around New Zealand.
·
A case study on this free app is available at http://ict.govt.nz/programmes/
open-and-transparent-government/open-data-case-studies/.
Economic and social impacts
App development
provides economic
growth for specialist
companies
·
CamperMate, an app initiated by Mogeo and available for no charge, provided a
value-add service that responded to a need.
·
Access to open data has enabled Mogeo to extend its services and showcase the
potential of open data for economic growth.
·
Companies such as Mogeo enable central and local government agencies to get
public data out to their target audiences in useful formats and focus on their
core business.
·
CamperMate data supports environmental and sustainability objectives.
Transparency and efficiency outcomes
Public agencies can
concentrate on their
core business of getting
the information out
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·
Providing regulations via a mobile app rather than in hard copy or just on a
website increases access to the regulations that apply to recreational fishers, and
also offers updates in a very efficient real-time way.
[email protected]