| Welcome to the GovHack toolkit. This page provides all the information you need to prepare hackfest entries. | Welcome to the GovHack toolkit. This page provides all the information you need to prepare hackfest entries. |
| These tools can be used to make entries like: mobile apps, web apps, data visualisations/infographics | These tools can be used to make entries like: mobile apps, web apps, data visualisations/infographics |
| # How to register and submit your entry | |
| - govhack toolkit!!!! | ## registering your team |
| - key datasets, directory.gov.au gazetter/AEC electorates/suburbs/postcodes/LGAs | TODO how to use website "Hacker Space" to register and find teams etc. |
| - definitions, open licence reuse permissive hacker hack data journalism data bis UCX etc. | ## preparing your submission |
| - what do govhack entries look like? | |
| You should record a 3 minute speech and mix images/text to accompany. | |
| http://www.screenr.com/ and other screencasting tools allow you to demo apps. | |
| 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/ | |
| 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. | |
| 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. | |
| # General References {#general-data-hacking-and-programming-references} | |
| ## Who can be a hack day participant | |
| - roles; coder, designer UX/graphics | - roles; coder, designer UX/graphics |
| ## Definitions | |
| - definitions, open licence reuse permissive hacker hack data journalism data vis UX etc. | |
| geo | |
| - http://converter.mygeodata.eu/vector kml exporter for shp | ## The basics of being a data scientist |
| - http://bost.ocks.org/mike/map/ | |
| * 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. | |
| R | * Find the people and tools you need to prove/show/find. This rest of this page will help with the latter. |
| - http://blog.yhathq.com/posts/10-R-packages-I-wish-I-knew-about-earlier.html | * Analyse and present results - were they what you expected? Do they help explain to others what you have found out? |
| - excel -> R/rattle/ deducer? http://www.r-bloggers.com/updates-to-the-deducer-family-of-packages/ | Can present as a interactive data visualisation or a web/mobile application or just a infographic/motion graphics video that tells a story. |
| [](http://www.govhack.org/wp-content/uploads/How-to-participate-in-GovHack_html_m6a65720f.gif)</dt> | |
| - tools.disclo.gs - how to use data | Illustration from Data Journalism Handbook, CC BY-SA 3.0</dd> |
| - developer tools inc. linked data | |
| - gephi -> neo4j | |
| - neo4j lets you build on, do massive queries of who is friends with who | 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 |
| - don't use network viz if what you actually have is a tree/hierarchy with no interconnections http://www.randelshofer.ch/treeviz/ http://thejit.org/demos/ http://mbostock.github.com/protovis/ex/treemap.html http://blog.pixelingene.com/2011/07/building-a-tree-diagram-in-d3-js/ | |
| - http://mbostock.github.com/d3/ex/pack.html http://mbostock.github.com/d3/ex/tree.html | [datajournalismhandbook.org](http://datajournalismhandbook.org/) |
| - postgis/quantum gis | |
| - (google earth is alright but many limitations) NASA World Wind? | 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 |
| - ABS statistical areas | |
| - http://irs.gis-lab.info/ wms or http://www.gdal.org/frmt_wms_openstreetmap_tms.xml | practical advice check out Data Analysis with Open Source Tools by Philipp K. Janert |
| - can do nearest/isin/union queries - personal geocoder | |
| - cloudmade geocoder, google maps my maps | For further reading in this space |
| - base layers like agri or nearmap | |
| - scraperwiki with new pytemplate libraries | [http://flowingdata.com/2012/04/27/data-and-visualization-blogs-worth-following/](http://flowingdata.com/2012/04/27/data-and-visualization-blogs-worth-following/) |
| - makes an API for your data to get in sqlite/json/csv | |
| - three.js with cables vis? Overviewer from AP? | |
| - govhack library | **Statistics** |
| - http://hpneo.github.com/gmaps/examples.html | |
| - https://graphics.stanford.edu/wikis/cs448b-12-fall/ data viz theory | [http://greenteapress.com/thinkstats/html/index.html](http://greenteapress.com/thinkstats/html/index.html) |
| - https://mixpanel.com/education/understanding-the-first-five-minutes | |
| - http://drawingbynumbers.org/toolsandresources | **Programming** |
| - http://wmbriggs.com/blog/?p=6465 | |
| - http://ofps.oreilly.com/titles/9781449339739/k_00000002.html list of d3 alternatives | Programming is valuable skill for manipulating and displaying data. |
| - http://craigkerstiens.com/2012/10/01/understanding-postgres-performance/ | Basic tutorials for a variety of languages are available for free online or you can learn |
| - https://github.com/clips/pattern for easy NLP/network analysis/data mining | |
| - https://github.com/theodi/open-data-tech-review/wiki othr cleanup/linked data toola | 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/) |
| - http://selection.datavisualization.ch/ data viz tools catalog | |
| - manipulating data - grep/find replace/sed/regex | [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 |
| - d3 tools and tutorial http://enjalot.com/ http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4608440 | |
| - Why d3 is the way it is and how to make charts http://bost.ocks.org/mike/chart/ | **Accessibility/User Experience** |
| - how to make an xkcd chart http://bl.ocks.org/3914862 | |
| 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/) | |
| - data viz | |
| - http://k2company.com/blog/2012/09/06/toolbox-for-learning-machine-learning-and-data-science/ | |
| - http://williamparry.blogspot.com.au/2011/04/putting-data-into-google-fusion-tables.html google fusion tutorial | |
| - andrewharvey4.wordpress.com postgis/asgs tutorial | ## examples |
| - http://www.slideshare.net/maxdemarzi/etl-into-neo4j | |
| ## The Open Budget | |
| - http://www.twotorials.com/ for R | |
| - http://www.r-bloggers.com/gradient-word-clouds/ http://www.rstudio.com/shiny/ http://blog.ouseful.info/2012/11/28/quick-shiny-demo-exploring-nhs-winter-sit-rep-data/ https://github.com/timelyportfolio/shiny-d3-plot https://github.com/trestletech/shiny-sandbox/tree/master/grn | ## WeatherTree weather API |
| - http://is-r.tumblr.com/post/38240018815/making-prettier-network-graphs-with-sna-and-igraph | |
| - http://www.r-bloggers.com/video-simpler-tricks-and-tools-help-debugging-git-latex-and-workflow-with-r-by-prof-rob-hyndman/ | ## PlanningAlerts |
| - http://yihui.name/knitr/ makes reports including google widgets/charts/maps via http://www.r-bloggers.com/googlevis-0-3-2-is-released-better-integration-with-knitr/ | |
| - http://chartsnthings.tumblr.com/post/36978271916/r-tutorial-simple-charts http://flowingdata.com/2012/12/17/getting-started-with-charts-in-r/ | [](http://www.govhack.org/wp-content/uploads/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. |
| - http://dydra.com/ | Programming Language: Ruby |
| - http://selection.datavisualization.ch/ data viz tools list | |
| - http://nodexl.codeplex.com/ network graphs for excel | Source Control: [Git](https://github.com/openaustralia/planningalerts-app) |
| - http://sunfoundation.tumblr.com/ | |
| - analysing - linked data tools | Issue Tracking: [Atlassian JIRA](http://tickets.openaustraliafoundation.org.au/browse/PA/) |
| - http://govcampau.wikispaces.com/useful+tools | |
| - http://linkeddata.org/home | ## LobbyLens |
| [](http://www.govhack.org/wp-content/uploads/129-Screenshot-LobbyClue_-_Chromium.png) | |
| # Hosted Developer Tools {#hosted-developer-tools} | |
| Description: Displays connections between government contracts, business details, politician responsibilities, lobbyists, clients of lobbyists, political donors and the location of these entities. | |
| Programing Language: PHP | |
| Source Control: SVN (Subversion) | |
| Issue Tracking: A whiteboard | |
| ## bus.lambdacomplex.org | |
| [](http://www.govhack.org/wp-content/uploads/How-to-participate-in-GovHack_html_3789acae.jpg) | |
| Description: Online Canberra Bus Timetables and Trip Planner. | |
| Programing Language: PHP/Ruby | |
| Source Control: Git | |
| Issue Tracking: Github | |
| ## Developer Tools For Your Computer {#developer-tools-for-your-computer} | |
| server admin / technical tools | |
| many projects will require some kind of internet presence, webpage etc. | |
| - css framework like bootstrap or zurb foundation | |
| - css gauges http://www.larentis.eu/donuts/ | |
| - bootstrap themes, web fonts, css sprites, icon fonts | |
| - http://designmodo.com/flat-free/ http://designmodo.github.com/Flat-UI/ | |
| - http://ubuntu-tutorials.com/2008/11/11/relaying-postfix-smtp-via-smtpgmailcom/ | |
| - amon | |
| ### Source Control | |
| Git / Subversion | |
| [](http://progit.org/book/) | |
| [http://progit.org/book/](http://progit.org/book/) | |
| [http://svnbook.red-bean.com/](http://svnbook.red-bean.com/) | |
| [http://tortoisesvn.net/](http://tortoisesvn.net/) | |
| [http://code.google.com/p/tortoisegit/](http://code.google.com/p/tortoisegit/) | |
| ### Task Tracking - | |
| Issue/task trackers allow you to outline the tasks required for your project and assign them to people to do. | |
| [Trello](https://trello.com/) and [Workflowy](https://workflowy.com/) are free, lightweight project management tools suitable for a rapid project! | |
| ## Hosted Developer Tools {#hosted-developer-tools} | |
| Can get many tools (source control, issue tracking) combined into one service cloud hosted so no setup required. | |
| ### Github | |
| Git obviously but svn/hg interfaces are possible. Provide their own GUI for Windows/OSX or use the variety of Git capable tools | |
| ### Sourceforge | ### Sourceforge |
| Subversion, Git, Mercurial, Bazaar, CVS, issue tracker, wiki, release file downloads. Unlimited free use for open source projects. | Subversion, Git, Mercurial, Bazaar, CVS, issue tracker, wiki, release file downloads. Unlimited free use for open source projects. |
| You can create your own Sourceforge project at [http://sourceforge.net/](http://sourceforge.net/) | You can create your own Sourceforge project at [http://sourceforge.net/](http://sourceforge.net/) |
| ### Google Code Project Hosting | ### Google Code Project Hosting |
| Git, Mercurial, and Subversion code. Issue tracker, wiki, release file downloads. Unlimited free use for open source projects. | Git, Mercurial, and Subversion code. Issue tracker, wiki, release file downloads. Unlimited free use for open source projects. |
| 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/) | 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/) |
| # The basics of being a data scientist | |
| * 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. | |
| * Find the people and tools you need to prove/show/find. This rest of this page will help with the latter. | |
| * Analyse and present results � were they what you expected? Do they help explain to others what you have found out? Can present as a interactive data visualisation or a web/mobile application or just a infographic/motion graphics video that tells a story. | |
| Please note, there are a combination of Analysis and Visualisation tools in each of the major categories below. | |
| # API Development {#api-development} | # API Development {#api-development} |
| So an API isn’t just an XML file  | So an API isn't just an XML file  |
| A good web based data API: | A good web based data API: |
| * Is logically organised | * Is logically organised |
| * Can filter returned data | * Can filter returned data |
| * Can return results in different open formats (CSV/JSON etc.) | * Can return results in different open formats (CSV/JSON etc.) |
| * Is efficient and responsive by using caching and databases appropriately | * Is efficient and responsive by using caching and databases appropriately |
| * Handles errors gracefully | * Handles errors gracefully |
| * Monitors and controls access (to show benefit realised of API and prevent abuse) | * Monitors and controls access (to show benefit realised of API and prevent abuse) |
| * Provides appropriate documentation with examples | * Provides appropriate documentation with examples |
| 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. | 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. |
| Atlassian have a great page on what makes a good API [https](https://developer.atlassian.com/display/REST/Atlassian+REST+API+Design+Guidelines+version+1)[://](https://developer.atlassian.com/display/REST/Atlassian+REST+API+Design+Guidelines+version+1)[developer.atlassian.<wbr>com</wbr>](https://developer.atlassian.com/display/REST/Atlassian+REST+API+Design+Guidelines+version+1)[/display/REST/](https://developer.atlassian.com/display/REST/Atlassian+REST+API+Design+Guidelines+version+1)[Atlassian](https://developer.atlassian.com/display/REST/Atlassian+REST+API+Design+Guidelines+version+1)[+<wbr>REST+API+Design+Guidelines+<wbr>version+1</wbr></wbr>](https://developer.atlassian.com/display/REST/Atlassian+REST+API+Design+Guidelines+version+1) | Atlassian have a great page on what makes a good API https://developer.atlassian.com/display/REST/Atlassian+REST+API+Design+Guidelines+version+1) |
| API | API |
| - howto.gov api tutorial | - howto.gov api tutorial |
| - http://shancarter.com/data_converter/ | - http://shancarter.com/data_converter/ |
| - http://training.sunlightfoundation.com/module/data-visualizations-google-docs/ | - http://training.sunlightfoundation.com/module/data-visualizations-google-docs/ |
| - api documentation | - api documentation |
| - WSDL or http://swagger.wordnik.com/ or https://github.com/mashery/iodocs | - WSDL or http://swagger.wordnik.com/ or https://github.com/mashery/iodocs |
| - 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 | - 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 |
| - https://github.com/elc/rapi_doc https://github.com/Pajk/apipie-rails | - https://github.com/elc/rapi_doc https://github.com/Pajk/apipie-rails |
| - | - |
| http://amberonrails.com/building-stripes-api/ | |
| # Infographics and Data Visualisation {#data-visualisation} | # Infographics and Data Visualisation {#data-visualisation} |
| Infographics try to contextualise charts and graphs to tell a story. Data vis builds on this to find new ways to design insight. | Infographics try to contextualise charts and graphs to tell a story. Data vis builds on this to find new ways to design insight. |
| Most of the categories to follow have visualisation tools specific to their purpose. | Most of the categories to follow have visualisation tools specific to their purpose. |
| You can find some data visualisation “essential”\. tools below: | You can find some data visualisation tools below: |
| [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/) | [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/) |
| Also check out [http://thejit.org](http://thejit.org/) & [http://www.senchalabs.org/<wbr>philogl/</wbr>](http://www.senchalabs.org/philogl/) (contributed by Matt Adcock) | Also check out [http://thejit.org](http://thejit.org/) & [http://www.senchalabs.org/<wbr>philogl/</wbr>](http://www.senchalabs.org/philogl/) (contributed by Matt Adcock) |
| Have to use visual art concepts, good color schemes http://www.r-bloggers.com/the-paul-tol-21-color-salute/ | |
| - https://graphics.stanford.edu/wikis/cs448b-12-fall/ data viz theory | |
| - http://drawingbynumbers.org/toolsandresources | |
| examples - http://sunfoundation.tumblr.com/ | |
| tools - http://selection.datavisualization.ch/ data viz tools catalog | |
| # Mobile | # Mobile |
| bom water, nz gov budget | |
| html5 jquery mobile like directory.gov.au | html5 jquery mobile like directory.gov.au |
| - android datviz | - android datviz |
| - http://code.google.com/p/afreechart/ http://code.google.com/p/snowdon/ http://code.google.com/p/chartdroid/ http://androidplot.com/ http://code.google.com/p/achartengine/ | - http://code.google.com/p/afreechart/ http://code.google.com/p/snowdon/ http://code.google.com/p/chartdroid/ http://androidplot.com/ http://code.google.com/p/achartengine/ |
| # Geographical Data Tools {#geographical-data-tools} | # Geographical Data Tools {#geographical-data-tools} |
| Check out the[ GeoRabble Boundary Mapper’s Cookbook](http://georabble.org/2012/05/31/the-boundary-mappers-cookbook/) to see how you can tie all these things together! | Check out the[ GeoRabble Boundary Mapper's Cookbook](http://georabble.org/2012/05/31/the-boundary-mappers-cookbook/) to see how you can tie all these things together! |
| ## Key datasets | |
| - base layers like agri http://agri.openstreetmap.org/, http://irs.gis-lab.info/ wms or http://www.gdal.org/frmt_wms_openstreetmap_tms.xml | |
| ASGS including suburbs/postcodes | |
| - andrewharvey4.wordpress.com postgis/asgs tutorial | |
| ## Wrangling | |
| ### Converting | |
| There are many spatial data formats and often the one your tool requires is not the one the dataset is provided in | |
| Online | |
| - http://converter.mygeodata.eu/vector kml exporter for shp | |
| or locally using GDAL | |
| ### geocoding | |
| cloudmade, google (but you must display on a Google Map). | |
| Easiest way to do is with a Google Spreadsheet/Fusion Table http://williamparry.blogspot.com.au/2011/04/putting-data-into-google-fusion-tables.htm http://support.google.com/fusiontables/answer/1012281?hl=en&ref_topic=2592806 | |
| ## Analysis | ## Analysis |
| ### PostGIS | ### PostGIS |
| [](http://www.govhack.org/wp-content/uploads/postgisexample.jpg)PostGIS is an extension for the PostgreSQL database server that allows you to store and manipulate geospatial data on a large scale. For example finding which points are in an area or what points are closest . It is also very useful for storing geospatial data because it can convert between all major formats including ESRI Shape files and Google Earth/Maps KML. | [](http://www.govhack.org/wp-content/uploads/postgisexample.jpg)PostGIS is an extension for the PostgreSQL database server that allows you to store and manipulate geospatial data on a large scale. For example finding which points are in an area or what points are closest . It is also very useful for storing geospatial data because it can convert between all major formats including ESRI Shape files and Google Earth/Maps KML. |
| ### Quantum GIS | ### Quantum GIS |
| [](http://www.govhack.org/wp-content/uploads/How-to-participate-in-GovHack_html_m50afbe88.jpg)QGIS is a graphical desktop application that allows viewing and editing of geospatial data. Some good base maps are available by adding the WMS layer/server [http://irs.gis-lab.info/](http://irs.gis-lab.info/) | [](http://www.govhack.org/wp-content/uploads/How-to-participate-in-GovHack_html_m50afbe88.jpg)QGIS is a graphical desktop application that allows viewing and editing of geospatial data. Some good base maps are available by adding the WMS layer/server [http://irs.gis-lab.info/](http://irs.gis-lab.info/) |
| ## Visualisation | ## Visualisation |
| ### Layar and other augmented reality tools | ### Layar and other augmented reality tools |
| ### Google Fusion Tables/ChartsBin/[OpenHeatMap](http://www.openheatmap.com/) | ### Google Fusion Tables/ChartsBin/[OpenHeatMap](http://www.openheatmap.com/) |
| [](http://www.govhack.org/wp-content/uploads/fusiontablesscreenshot.jpg)Input a numerical values and areas to a spreadsheet and maps are produced | [](http://www.govhack.org/wp-content/uploads/fusiontablesscreenshot.jpg)Input numerical values and areas to a spreadsheet and maps are produced where the areas are colored on a scale of the values |
| http://www.peteraldhous.com/CAR/Making_maps_with_Google_Fusion_Tables.pdf tutorial or http://support.google.com/fusiontables/topic/2592754?hl=en&ref_topic=27020 for google help files | |
| ### [Cartographer.js](http://cartographer.visualmotive.com/) | ### [Cartographer.js](http://cartographer.visualmotive.com/) |
| [](http://www.govhack.org/wp-content/uploads/cartographerjs.png)Input data as JSON and maps are produced. | [](http://www.govhack.org/wp-content/uploads/cartographerjs.png)Input data as JSON and maps are produced. |
| See also d3 maps. | |
| - http://bost.ocks.org/mike/map/ | |
| ### OpenLayers/Google Maps/[Leaflet](http://leaflet.cloudmade.com/) | ### OpenLayers/Google Maps/[Leaflet](http://leaflet.cloudmade.com/) |
| [](http://www.govhack.org/wp-content/uploads/How-to-participate-in-GovHack_html_512fcbe1.jpg)Display points and different layers. Leaflet is the easiest to use if you just want to show points with popups when clicked on. | [](http://www.govhack.org/wp-content/uploads/How-to-participate-in-GovHack_html_512fcbe1.jpg)Display points and different layers. Leaflet is the easiest to use if you just want to show points with popups when clicked on. |
| There are wrappers for Google maps like http://hpneo.github.com/gmaps/examples.html and Mapstraction that can make it easier to use too. | |
| ### NASA World Wind/Google Earth | ### NASA World Wind/Google Earth |
| [](http://www.govhack.org/wp-content/uploads/How-to-participate-in-GovHack_html_4dda24a4.jpg)Google Earth provides 3\. viewing of KML/GML files which represent points and shapes, both through a desktop application and a web plugin. These can be extended with interactive features that allow you to view by timeline or have animated tours between different points. You can also develop and customise your own viewer with the open source [NASA World Wind toolkit.](http://goworldwind.org/demos/) | [](http://www.govhack.org/wp-content/uploads/How-to-participate-in-GovHack_html_4dda24a4.jpg)Google Earth provides 3\. viewing of KML/GML files which represent points and shapes, both through a desktop application and a web plugin. These can be extended with interactive features that allow you to view by timeline or have animated tou |