(Open data) camping in the rain

Grey clouds, check. Two drawnalists, paper and pens, check. Two writers, laptops and phones, check. Lashing rain, check. The Victorian splendour of Cardiff’s Pierhead, lots of coffee, lots of Welsh cakes, lots of Women in Technology bobble hats, more than 100 open data experts and enthusiasts, 30 pitched sessions across two days… It must have been Open Data Camp 4.

Drawnalists Matthew Buck and Royston Roberston at ODCamp 4

For the second time, Drawnalism was delighted to take two drawnalists and two live-bloggers to cover Open Data Camp, a weekend-long event that unites people committed to opening-up their data with the developers who want to use it.

Photographic credits: N.W. Bishop and L.Whitfield

As ever, the sessions ranged from the basics (just what is open data, and what are these API things everybody is talking about?) to the deeply technical (once you know what an application program interface is, how do you build a good one?).

ODCamp 4 organiser Mark Braggins discusses sessions with liveblogger Lyn Whitfield (photo WN Bishop)

All of these were captured in real-time on posters and on the liveblog, and then displayed and Tweeted for further discussion and interaction. The response was amazing. We’re almost embarrassed to mention the special round of applause we got at the end; or the many Tweets saying we ‘made’ the event for the campers.

So: record of the event, check. Extending its reach and impact, check. Great collateral for follow-up, check. Promo material for Open Data Camp 5, check. Add umbrellas to pre-event check list… check…