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[tools.git] / index.md
Alex Sadleir 1 #GovHack Toolkit
2 Welcome to the GovHack toolkit. This page provides all the information you need to prepare hackfest entries.
3 These tools can be used to make entries like: mobile apps, web apps, data visualisations/infographics.
4 This toolkit is open source, licenced cc-by and improvements are encouraged ...
5
6 # How to register and submit your entry
7 ## Registering your team
8 Coming Soon: how to use the website "Hacker Space" to register and find teams.
9
10 ## Preparing your submission
11
12 You should record a 3 minute speech and mix images/text to accompany.
13 http://www.screenr.com/ and other screencasting tools allow you to demo apps.
14 To mix together clips, you can use youtube video editor http://www.youtube.com/editor or local software like http://www.videolan.org/vlmc/ or http://www.lwks.com/
15
16 You also need to submit your "source material". For an application this may be source code, for another work it might be your notes or prototypes.
17 The key thing here is that your source material demonstrates to the judges that some of the end result was your own work and that it is possible for another person to replicate that work.
18
19
20 # General References {#general-data-hacking-and-programming-references}
21
22 ## Who can be a hack day participant
23 - roles; coder, designer UX/graphics
24
25 ## Definitions
26 - definitions, open licence reuse permissive hacker hack data journalism data vis UX etc.
27
28 ## The basics of being a data scientist
29
30 * Have a hypothesis - even if you're making a tool/api that helps people with their questions too, remember what the objective of that is.
31 * Find the people and tools you need to prove/show/find. This rest of this page will help with the latter.
32 * Analyse and present results - were they what you expected? Do they help explain to others what you have found out?
33 Can present as a interactive data visualisation or a web/mobile application or just a infographic/motion graphics video that tells a story.
34
35 [![](img/How-to-participate-in-GovHack_html_m6a65720f-300x199.gif "Data Journalism Diagram")](img/How-to-participate-in-GovHack_html_m6a65720f.gif)</dt>
36 Illustration from Data Journalism Handbook, CC BY-SA 3.0</dd>
37
38 The best high level reference is the 'Understanding Data' and 'Delivering Data' chapters of the Data Journalism Handbook which is available online for free at
39 [datajournalismhandbook.org](http://datajournalismhandbook.org/)
40
41 You can learn the technical skills from scratch in Visualize This: The FlowingData Guide to Design, Visualization, and Statistics by Nathan Yau or for more advanced
42 practical advice check out Data Analysis with Open Source Tools by Philipp K. Janert
43 For further reading in this space
44 [http://flowingdata.com/2012/04/27/data-and-visualization-blogs-worth-following/](http://flowingdata.com/2012/04/27/data-and-visualization-blogs-worth-following/)
45
46
47 **Statistics**
48 [http://greenteapress.com/thinkstats/html/index.html](http://greenteapress.com/thinkstats/html/index.html)
49
50 **Programming**
51
52 Programming is valuable skill for manipulating and displaying data.
53 Basic tutorials for a variety of languages are available for free online or you can learn
54
55 interactively with websites like [http://www.codecademy.com/](http://www.codecademy.com/#!/exercises/0). for JavaScript or [http://www.learnpython.org/ ](http://www.learnpython.org/)or [http://tryruby.org](http://tryruby.org/)
56
57 [https://developer.mozilla.org/en/JavaScript](https://developer.mozilla.org/en/JavaScript) - especially for web applications and visualisations, you'll need a basic understanding of JS. Common libraries like prototype or jQuery can help
58
59 **Accessibility/User Experience**
60
61 WCAG guidelines not only make a web app accessible but make it a better experience for all users! Even if not making an app, good to consider these things to do and not do: [http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG/](http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG/)
62
63
Maxious 64
65 # Developer Tools For Your Computer {#developer-tools-for-your-computer}
66 No matter what kind of application you have for the data, there are many tools you can use to better collaborate and manage your project.
67
68 ### Source Control
69 Git / Subversion
70
Alex Sadleir 71 [![](img/Screenshot-at-2012-04-29-172132-300x235.png "Git Screenshot")](http://progit.org/book/)
Maxious 72
73 [http://progit.org/book/](http://progit.org/book/)
74
75 [http://svnbook.red-bean.com/](http://svnbook.red-bean.com/)
76
77 [http://tortoisesvn.net/](http://tortoisesvn.net/)
78
79 [http://code.google.com/p/tortoisegit/](http://code.google.com/p/tortoisegit/)
80
81 ### Task Tracking -
82
83 Issue/task trackers allow you to outline the tasks required for your project and assign them to people to do.
84
85 [Trello](https://trello.com/) and [Workflowy](https://workflowy.com/) are free, lightweight project management tools suitable for a rapid project!
86
87 ## Hosted Developer Tools {#hosted-developer-tools}
88
89 Can get many tools (source control, issue tracking) combined into one service cloud hosted so no setup required.
90
91 ### Github
92 Git obviously but svn/hg interfaces are possible. Provide their own GUI for Windows/OSX or use the variety of Git capable tools
93
Alex Sadleir 94 ### Sourceforge
95
96 Subversion, Git, Mercurial, Bazaar, CVS, issue tracker, wiki, release file downloads. Unlimited free use for open source projects.
97
98 You can create your own Sourceforge project at [http://sourceforge.net/](http://sourceforge.net/)
99
100 ### Google Code Project Hosting
101
102 Git, Mercurial, and Subversion code. Issue tracker, wiki, release file downloads. Unlimited free use for open source projects.
103
104 You can host your Google Code project and get access to developer tools, APIs and documentation at [http://code.google.com/](http://code.google.com/)
Maxious 105
Alex Sadleir 106 # Applications of data hacking
107
108 ## API Development {#api-development}
109
110
111 So an API isn't just an XML file ![;)](http://www.govhack.org/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
112
113 A good web based data API:
114
115 * Is logically organised
116 * Can filter returned data
117 * Can return results in different open formats (CSV/JSON etc.)
118 * Is efficient and responsive by using caching and databases appropriately
119 * Handles errors gracefully
120 * Monitors and controls access (to show benefit realised of API and prevent abuse)
121 * Provides appropriate documentation with examples
122
123 Some people like sensis [http://](http://developers.sensis.com.au/)[developers.sensis.com.<wbr>au</wbr>](http://developers.sensis.com.au/)[/](http://developers.sensis.com.au/) use a provider like[http://](http://mashery.com/)[mashery.com](http://mashery.com/)[/](http://mashery.com/) or [https](https://apigee.com/)[://](https://apigee.com/)[apigee.com](https://apigee.com/) or [http://](http://apiaxle.com/)[apiaxle.com](http://apiaxle.com/)[/](http://apiaxle.com/) or [http://www.3scale.net/](http://www.3scale.net/) which handles making a good API for them.
124
125 Atlassian have a great page on what makes a good API https://developer.atlassian.com/display/REST/Atlassian+REST+API+Design+Guidelines+version+1)
126
127 API
128 - howto.gov api tutorial
129 - http://shancarter.com/data_converter/
130 - http://training.sunlightfoundation.com/module/data-visualizations-google-docs/
131 - api documentation
132 - WSDL or http://swagger.wordnik.com/ or https://github.com/mashery/iodocs
133 - http://symfony.com/ https://github.com/FriendsOfSymfony/FOSRestBundle http://williamdurand.fr/2012/08/02/rest-apis-with-symfony2-the-right-way/ https://github.com/nelmio/NelmioApiDocBundle better apis https://github.com/liip/LiipHelloBundle
134 - https://github.com/elc/rapi_doc https://github.com/Pajk/apipie-rails
135 -
136 http://amberonrails.com/building-stripes-api/
137 example WeatherTree weather API
138
139
140 ## Infographics and Data Visualisation {#data-visualisation}
141
142 Infographics try to contextualise charts and graphs to tell a story. Data vis builds on this to find new ways to design insight.
143
144 Most of the categories to follow have visualisation tools specific to their purpose.
145
146 You can find some data visualisation tools below:
147
148 [http://www.visualisingdata.com/index.php/2011/07/part-6-the-essential-collection-of-visualisation-resources/](http://www.visualisingdata.com/index.php/2011/07/part-6-the-essential-collection-of-visualisation-resources/)
149
150 Also check out [http://thejit.org](http://thejit.org/) &amp; [http://www.senchalabs.org/<wbr>philogl/</wbr>](http://www.senchalabs.org/philogl/) (contributed by Matt Adcock)
151
152 Have to use visual art concepts, good color schemes http://www.r-bloggers.com/the-paul-tol-21-color-salute/
153
154
155 - https://graphics.stanford.edu/wikis/cs448b-12-fall/ data viz theory
156 - http://drawingbynumbers.org/toolsandresources
157
158 examples - http://sunfoundation.tumblr.com/
159 ## The Open Budget
160
161 tools - http://selection.datavisualization.ch/ data viz tools catalog
162
163 ## Web Applications
164 - css framework like bootstrap or zurb foundation
165 - css gauges http://www.larentis.eu/donuts/
166 - bootstrap themes, web fonts, css sprites, icon fonts
167 - http://designmodo.com/flat-free/ http://designmodo.github.com/Flat-UI/
168
169 ### Examples
170
171
172 ## PlanningAlerts
173
174 [![Planning Alerts Screenshot](img/How-to-participate-in-GovHack_html_2f0199ff1-300x221.png "Planning Alerts Screenshot")](img/How-to-participate-in-GovHack_html_2f0199ff1.png)Description: Planning Alerts takes data from local government development applications and sends alerts to users based on what applications are lodged in their area.
175
176 Programming Language: Ruby
177
178 Source Control: [Git](https://github.com/openaustralia/planningalerts-app)
179
180 Issue Tracking: [Atlassian JIRA](http://tickets.openaustraliafoundation.org.au/browse/PA/)
181
182 ## LobbyLens
183
184 [![](img/129-Screenshot-LobbyClue_-_Chromium-300x180.png "LobbyLens screenshot")](img/129-Screenshot-LobbyClue_-_Chromium.png)
185
186 Description: Displays connections between government contracts, business details, politician responsibilities, lobbyists, clients of lobbyists, political donors and the location of these entities.
187
188 Programing Language: PHP
189
190 Source Control: SVN (Subversion)
191
192 Issue Tracking: A whiteboard
193
194 ## bus.lambdacomplex.org
195
196 [![](img/How-to-participate-in-GovHack_html_3789acae-300x253.jpg "Bus.lambda screenshot")](img/How-to-participate-in-GovHack_html_3789acae.jpg)
197
198 Description: Online Canberra Bus Timetables and Trip Planner.
199
200 Programing Language: PHP/Ruby
201
202 Source Control: Git
203
204 Issue Tracking: Github
205
206 ## Mobile
207
208 FRameworks, http://www.sencha.com/products/touch http://phonegap.com/ http://cordova.apache.org/
209
210 bom water,
211 nz gov budget