Chicago’s app contest aims to boost gov transparency

The city of Chicago is taking private-public app contests a step further - instead of simply offering up data, Chicago is also offering up help throughout the a...

The city of Chicago is taking private-public app contests a step further – instead of simply offering up data, Chicago is also offering up help throughout the app development process.

The Metro Chicago Information Center, which manages the competition, will help developers on the technical end to ensure they create “quality apps,” reports Government Technology.

According to the Apps for Metro Chicago website, available data will come from city, county and state departments. Among the data is geospatial files, Freedom of Information Act requests and reports on tax increment finance districts.

Virginia Carlson, president of the center, told Government Technology, “We’re coordinating matching meet-ups where community organizations who don’t speak the language of developers can meet with developers who don’t necessarily speak the language of community organizations — and try to do some real matchmaking around that so that the apps have use cases and context.”

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