Thursday, 28th September 2017 (09:00 to 19:00) & Friday, 29th September 2017 (09:00 to 15:00)
Location: The AK Bell Library, 17 York Pl, Perth PH2 8EP
Tickets available on Eventbrite
[Update] – You can find an outline agenda of the two days here.
Introduction
In advance of the upcoming launch of the Famous Grouse Ideas Centre, and the launch of the Perth open data platform, Perth & Kinross Council and Code The City are running an event to bring together a diverse set of individuals and groups to examine one theme: how can we build a resilient, forward-facing and “Smart” Economy in Perth and Kinross?
Specifically, we’ll be looking at how we can build and cultivate the region’s budding industries and tackle issues specific to the area, making creative use of local and national open data, and building on the Perth and Kinross’ open data platform. Over the course of two days, participants from all backgrounds, including small businesses, Council representatives, and developers, will identify the economic challenges and opportunities facing the city and surrounding region, generate and develop ideas, and prototype data-driven solutions.
This event is a feeder session for VentureFest Scotland 2017
Who should attend?
Anyone – but particularly:
- Small businesses (especially in the creative and digital sectors), including potential users of the Ideas Centre, and laterCreative Exchange
- Staff from Council and Community partners
- Developers, designers, UX experts, data wranglers, coders, service designers
- Third sector representatives
- Students/Staff from Perth College UHI, other educational institutions
What will attendees gain from attending?
- A sense of achievement from contributing to the development of ideas
- Building skills and links (an open data eco-system) – for future events, future ad-hoc cooperation
- Potential to identify new markets/business opportunities through the prototype work over the course of the session.
- Opportunity for businesses and other attendees to network, possibly with organisations they wouldn’t normally interact with.
- Make use of and promote the use of Council and National open data to apply to challenges.
- Opportunity to pitch concept to “business angels” for early feedback during the event’s closing sessions.
What format will the event take?
It will follow the successful model created by Code The City and used in previous events:
- Define “Smart Economy” theme, break it down into relevant sub-groups
- Identification of sectoral needs of participants
- Identify potential opportunities or challenges in the delivery, operation or access to services in “Smart Economy”
- Breaking into groups, ideation sessions, to address these identified challenges in order to generate the best ideas possible
- Form teams and work through each idea: developing these to envision what future states might be
- Identification of existing open data sets (or creation/sourcing of new open data) which can be used to create new applications/services/products
- Iterative development of prototype solutions or models
- A final group session – including opportunity to present to panel of “business angels”
Topics and “data themes”
This digital, innovation-minded approach to Perth and Kinross’ economic challenges could involve a wide range of economy-related themes and corresponding datasets, including:
- Transport (public transport, parking, EV charging stations)
- Employment and Businesses (unemployment and wages, locations and types of businesses, employee and business support)
- Tourism (Including eco-tourism, culture & heritage tourism)
- Broadband and Mobile Network coverage and speeds
- Demographics (Population predictions, age groups)
However, this is by no means an exhaustive list, and we’re keen to engage with attendees on topics they think are relevant to the event’s theme.
What we’ll provide
- Facilitators to help coordinate the work
- Catering on both days
- A number of potential themes and ideas for further development
What should attendees bring?
A good sense of city and regional challenges on the day – engagement with theme/challenges is recommended prior to event.
In addition, if you are coder or developer, or need specific software or web access, bring laptops and potentially datasets related to their own area of expertise/interest.
If you are interested in photographing the event, creating video, or blogging about it, please being what you need to do that.
What good will they do?
- Building up a sense of what clients will make use of the Ideas Centre, how they might want to see it being used.
- Prototyping potential projects for further collaboration
- Promoting both the Perth Creative Exchange and the Open Data Project
What will happen with the event’s outcomes?
Initially: Survey
Longer-term: Contact attendees about advancing the prototypes/raised ideas from the event
Use as a springboard for future Open Data and Creative Exchange-related events, based on feedback and ideas raised Feed any generated data back into PKC’s Open Data infrastructure
Contact the organisers:
Email: ddyoung@pkc.gov.uk; ian@codethecity.org
More information
https://www.smartperthandkinross.co.uk/news/ (Article with details and links to Eventbrite page incoming)
Code The City 