The Apps4Gaps competition has been a great success this year. Thanks and congratulations to everyone who took part and made this competition possible. The submissions received were diverse and creative. They offered some very engaging and fascinating usage of the open linked data provided by the National Open Data Portal data.gov.ie
The best entries were those which achieved the aim of the competition by developing ideas and creating applications that provide innovative and fresh ways of exploiting the Open Data freely available from data.gov.ie and which could benefit society in such areas as transport, housing, planning, education, communications and health.
The final judging panel chaired by Fiona O’ Riordan consisted of:
Fiona O' Riordan
Assistant Principal
Quality Management, Support and Assurance
Central Statistics Office
Cork
Lorenzo Bruni
Assistant Principal
IT Web Development
Central Statistics Office
Cork
Ramesh KP
Software Engineer
IBM Product Distribution Limited
Galway
Soheila Dehghanzadeh
PhD student
NUIG
Galway
Arkadiusz Stasiewicz
Research Assistant
Insight Centre for Data Analytics
NUIG
Galway
The panel had the difficult task to assess the entries and pick the winners.
Feedback from the judges on the entries:
Entries must use at least one dataset from data.gov.ie. The competition exists to advance the use of the Open Data from data.gov.ie.
Ensure that the rules are read before submitting an entry.
Mention the data sources used.
Best Working App, 1st place:
€1,500 and also judged overall winner of the Alice Perry medal
“Luas Real Time Information”
Creators: Eoghan Craven-Grace, Liam Finnegan and Ethan Hammond, Dublin
App link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.thunkable.eoghan_cravengrace.luas
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=qhP_jqD2ofM
2nd Place Working App:
€1,000
“Population Projections”
Creators: Cian Dunne and Mohammed Eraghubi
The Apps4Gaps prizes will be presented at an award ceremony in the National Concert Hall, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin at 12 noon on Thursday 19th October 2017, during Maths Week.
Below are the itemised judging criteria, which could help entrants improve future apps and concept apps.
Data Use
Ensure that the app uses at least one dataset from data.gov.ie and it links this data to other data. Mention the data sources used.
Alignment with Project Goals
The judges are looking for apps which use the Open data from data.gov.ie in a fresh or innovative way as well as evidence that the group worked as a team to develop and present their app.
Functionality and Implementation
The app must be functional if it’s a working app, or it must be a good workable concept. It needs to be an appropriate use of the data. It must be user-friendly. It is helpful that the platform(s) the working app was tested/runs on is noted in the entry. In relation to the video they should not be too long (5 minutes max) and should demonstrate the audience, benefits, scalability and use case of the app.
Usefulness to students, teachers, schools and citizens of Ireland
The app should benefit society; it should benefit the target audience it was designed for. It should be useful. It should be of use to students, teachers, schools and citizens of Ireland.
Feasibility
Basically if it’s a working app: Does it work? Or if it’s a concept entry: could it work? Could the app be used on different platforms? (mobile, tablet, PC). Is the app viable? Could it be released? Would people use it?
Creativity / Originality
The app should be creative and appealing. It must be original. Preferably the app should answer an interesting question, highlight an issue or provide a solution.
Thank you
To all our entrants: congratulations on your involvement in the Apps4Gaps competition. Thank you to all the people who participated, assisted or were otherwise instrumental in making this competition such a great success.
Feedback welcome
Please send your feedback and comments on the Apps4Gaps competition to: apps4gaps@gmail.com
