Unleash Your Inner Robot
Published on Nov 19, 2015
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MORE DECKS TO EXPLORE
PRESENTATION OUTLINE
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Prove it to me. If any politician or public official makes a claim, particularly one of success, I want to see the data. I never want to have to take anyone's word for it when I could see the numbers myself.
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START WITH A QUESTION
How do you start?
Well, like any story. I don't want to wirite about a topic. I want to answer a question. Start with a question and then find the data that will help you answer it.
How much?
How many?
How often?
Where?
How does it compare to elsewhere?
Rarely why
Be prepared that your question may not be answerable. You may have to pivot, or try a different question. Be flexible.
Places to start:
Folo old stories
Tips
Dispel rumor/myth
Steal ideas from other news orgs. (IRE)
Is x doing its job?
Well, like any story. I don't want to wirite about a topic. I want to answer a question. Start with a question and then find the data that will help you answer it.
How much?
How many?
How often?
Where?
How does it compare to elsewhere?
Rarely why
Be prepared that your question may not be answerable. You may have to pivot, or try a different question. Be flexible.
Places to start:
Folo old stories
Tips
Dispel rumor/myth
Steal ideas from other news orgs. (IRE)
Is x doing its job?
Photo by shaggy359
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Va backlogs
What are veterans returning from war dealing with to get care? How long do they have to wait? Is it getting better?
Depends.
What are veterans returning from war dealing with to get care? How long do they have to wait? Is it getting better?
Depends.
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Sec 8
Aside from the corruption, how well run is our local section 8 office? Is it helping better people's lives?
Aside from the corruption, how well run is our local section 8 office? Is it helping better people's lives?
HOW DO I QUANTIFY THIS?
WHO COLLECTS THIS DATA?
Has anyone else looked at this? Nonprofits or federal agencies or academics?
Who keeps this data?
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CHALLENGE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM
Photo by Jeffery Simpson
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ASK SOMEBODY
BE A REPORTER. PICK UP A PHONE.
Open data is amazing, but it's only one piece. Ask your sources about what data they look at or collect. Get the name and custodian.
Also, check IRE's resource center. Look at how other news orgs have covered this issue and steal their play book.
Also, check IRE's resource center. Look at how other news orgs have covered this issue and steal their play book.
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FIND A HELPFUL NERD
There are developers and data geeks toiling in obscurity who are desperate to talk about the ins and outs of the systems they build and maintain. Find them!
Photo by RLHyde
FOIA ALL THE THINGS
Early. Often. Always.
FOIA the FOIA logs. Train your custodian of records.
FOIA the FOIA logs. Train your custodian of records.
DATA IS EVERYWHERE
The govt is not the only group collecting data. Many nonprofits and orgs collect data about themselves and even put it on their websites. Use it.
Photo by Jacek Sniecikowski
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PREPARE NOW
Get the data before you need it. Be prepared. Learn what's on your beat. Stockpile it.
BE SKEPTICAL
- Is the data detailed enough?
- Does it cover your entire universe?
- Is anything formatted incorrectly?
- Do you have a dictionary?
- What's NOT in the data?
Be skeptical as you kick the tires. Explore it carefully from top to bottom.
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DATA IS JUST ANOTHER SOURCE
Beware of relying too much on your data. It should tip you to directions for inquiry, but it should be just one of many sources.
Sometimes it won't answer your questions, but it will give you the right questions to ask.
Sometimes it won't answer your questions, but it will give you the right questions to ask.
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ALWAYS HAVE A BACKUP PLAN
Is it worth your time?
What's your ROI?
What's the minimum story you can get from it?
What's the best? Shoot for the stars, but CYA. Editors want to see something for this investment of time.
If a story is too big, narrow the focus. Pick off one piece at a time.
What's your ROI?
What's the minimum story you can get from it?
What's the best? Shoot for the stars, but CYA. Editors want to see something for this investment of time.
If a story is too big, narrow the focus. Pick off one piece at a time.
Photo by Rob Swatski
BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF
- What do I believe to be true?
- What do I know to be true?
- What can I prove?
- What do I need to prove what I believe?
Take your time estimate and double it.
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LEAVE A TRAIL OF BREAD CRUMBS
ALWAYS SAVE AN ORIGINAL COPY
J. LaFleur throws it out and starts over at the end.
Like a scientist, can you replicate your work and findings?
Do you have a step by step log of what you did to the data?
Like a scientist, can you replicate your work and findings?
Do you have a step by step log of what you did to the data?
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IF NOT TODAY, TOMORROW
GOOD DATA STORIES ARE RARELY FIRST-DAY
Don't give up. Come back to it.
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York clerk had been talking about it.
Ydr had to fight for the records.
They got a PDF of thousands of pages. They kept asking.
Ydr had to fight for the records.
They got a PDF of thousands of pages. They kept asking.
CHOOSE WISELY
BE JUDICIOUS ABOUT THE NUMBERS YOU USE
One number in the nut.
Don't dump your whole notebook in. Use fair, telling numbers.
Don't overload.
Don't dump your whole notebook in. Use fair, telling numbers.
Don't overload.
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SHOW YOUR WORK!
Nerd box.
Explainer sidebar.
Blog.
Release the data itself.
Share.
Explainer sidebar.
Blog.
Release the data itself.
Share.
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DIGITALFIRSTDATA@GOOGLEGROUPS.COM
Brainstorm. Talk to me or MaryJo. Hit the list. Use your colleagues here and abroad as sounding boards.
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BIT.LY/DATATHINK
Photo by Adalberto Gonzaga
