A Year in Data

2016
July: 2016 Open Data for All Report published MODA released its first report detailing progress made on the Mayor’s Open Data for All initiative, which was announced in 2015.
September: Crowdsourced geospatial standards The Open Data Team used public feedback to create a data standard for publishing street addresses in a uniform way, making it easier for users to make maps with Open Data.
September: City Council holds oversight hearing on Open Data The New York City Council Committee on Technology held an oversight hearing on NYC Open Data where key stakeholders testified on its successes and areas for improvement.
November: Broadband Data Dig Local experts joined city officials to use newly-released local and federal broadband data to develop insights and recommendations on New York City’s broadband Internet infrastructure.
December: New Data Standards Take Effect The Open Data team published version 1.4 of the Technical Standards Manual, which now includes data retention, street address, and data dictionary standards.
December: Design charrette with new open data website stakeholders The Open Data team convened key community partners to collaborate on priorities and organization for a new Open Data Portal user experience.
2017
January: NYC Chief Analytics Officer testifies on ride-sharing data Amen Ra Mashariki, former NYC Chief Analytics Officer, testified before a Taxi & Limousine Commission Board of Commissioners hearing on how data regulations for ride-sharing companies can contribute to Open Data, increasing transparency for the fastest growing segment of for-hire transportation in New York City.
January: City Council Oversight hearing on MODA Examination and Verification Report MODA testified before City Council on its findings after releasing a report on the Department of Sanitation, the Department of Correction, and Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s compliance with the Open Data law.
March: Revamped Open Data website launches The Open Data team launched a new, user-friendly Open Data website at nyc.gov/opendata, featuring tutorials, a new dataset request tool, and an easy-to-use feedback page to reach the Open Data team.
March: First ever NYC Open Data Week To celebrate the five-year anniversary of the NYC Open Data Law, the Open Data Team organized a week of 12 events revolving around Open Data, attracting over 900 participants.
March: Open Data for All Workshop NYC Parks’ Computer Resource Centers led NYC’s first Open Data for All workshop, teaching users how to download, filter, and map open data from the 2015 TreesCount! street tree census.
May: Open Data spring update The Open Data Team and Reboot presented recent research about who’s using open data — including ways to draw new users into the mix. More than 50 people attended the event, which also included presentations by Councilmatic and TimeScaleDB.
June: Bronx Open Data for All Workshop Due to high demand, a second installment of NYC Parks’ Open Data for All workshop was organized, bringing 26 users to a training at the St. Mary’s Recreation Center in the Bronx. Interest was so high that participation was determined by lottery — over 110 people applied for a spot.

By the numbers