ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS
~Do you think a geek squad could work in highly socially sensitive areas like policing or protective services for families and children? Why? Why not?
~What do you think of the idea—now being championed in some government units-of putting large data sets up for analysis by anyone (inside or outside the organization) and offering prizes for the best solution?
-Do you think governments should resort to prize incentives to find solutions for public problems? Why? Why not?
-Do you think this data should be made available to everyone? Why? Why not?
~Research your local government and find out if they have a similar program to MODA. Has it been effective in resolving public issues? Explain. If you can not find anything in your local government expand your research to include other local governments throughout the US.
Summary
and building ages, MODA has helped to identify existing buildings that have similarities with buildings that have suffered major fires in the past.
This work has helped to cut the NYFD’s inspection response time by two-thirds. Where might MODA turn next?
The answer appears to be to the treasure trove of social media data that is produced by New Yorkers every day. By merging data from places such as Facebook and Twitter with the existing mounds of information from the city’s own agencies, New York’s small team of data geeks may be able to bring together Tweets about dirty conditions at a restaurant with reports about the outbreak of food poisoning to pinpoint the source of threats to pubic health.
What seems certain is that as the “City that Never Sleeps” continues to grapple with providing 8 million New Yorkers with a safe and productive environment, NYC leaders know who they are going to call—the Geeks.
For Discussion:
Do you think a geek squad could work in highly socially sensitive areas like policing or protective services for families and children?
What do you think of the idea now being championed in some government units-of putting large data sets up for analysis by anyone (inside or outside the organizaton) and offering prizes for the best solution-
