Third Municipal Open Data Barcamp: 100 data enthusiasts attend Frankfurt event

Reason to celebrate: The Municipal Open Data Barcamp brought together interested parties from the world of data for the third time – in Frankfurt am Main. During 16 sessions, some 100 participants discussed a range of topics, including data strategies, quality criteria and – of course – artificial intelligence.

The Municipal Open Data Barcamp, launched under difficult conditions in Bochum during the Covid pandemic, has now become an established institution for engaging with the topic of open data. After Bochum, a second barcamp was held last year in Cologne, followed by Frankfurt this year. Participants included representatives from local authorities, government ministries and civil society. In short, anyone who wanted to catch up on the latest developments, get to know experts on the issue or make new contacts came to re:mynd, the venue located in Frankfurt’s Osthafen neighborhood just a stone’s throw from the Main river. The free event was organized by the Bertelsmann Stiftung’s Data for Society project together with Difu, the German Institute for Urban Affairs. 

In the barcamp format, the program is not set in advance, but is determined by the participants themselves. In Frankfurt, they had the chance to suggest a topic for a breakout session which then took place, depending on the level of interest, in one of the venue’s four rooms. Ultimately, 16 sessions of 45 minutes each were held over the course of the day.

The participants could decide for themselves which of the sessions they wanted to attend. The session schedule included a diverse mix of topics: use of open data by and for municipal administrators and the local community, open data in rural areas, data for democracy, and mobility data from private providers, among other subjects. One session focused on how satellite images from the Copernicus observation program can help in addressing local challenges, such as water management, air quality control, and mobility and infrastructure. The trending topic of artificial intelligence also put in an appearance – during the presentation of GEOexplorer, an AI tool designed to make geo data accessible to a wider audience.

The open format proved popular with the participants. Louisa Heidrich from the German Red Cross traveled from Berlin to attend the barcamp, since her organization wants to improve its data availability in order to create more transparency both internally and externally. “So I’m here to gather input,” Heidrich said.

For many participants, the exchange of ideas that took place in the sessions, as well as during the breaks, and the networking were what made the event so appealing. The people who attend the barcamp are often the only public administrators in their community responsible for dealing with the topic of open data. At the gathering in Frankfurt, they had the opportunity to discuss their current challenges and receive helpful tips.  Luis Moßburger from byte, Bavaria’s open data agency, liked the “valuable discussions.” “I must have written down at least five names and sent e-mails that will result in contacts later,” he said.

The minutes from all sessions can be viewed on the digital pad. A sketchnoting artist was also present for the day, creating graphic recordings that serve as visual summaries of selected sessions.

Another Municipal Open Data Barcamp is planned for next year. The venue has yet to be determined. At the end of the Frankfurt barcamp, participants were able to make suggestions about where to meet next time by placing stickers on a map of Germany. Two of the most popular locations were Kiel and Erfurt.

Anyone who does not want to wait until then is also cordially invited to participate in the Open Data Network’s next digital meeting.