Code for Germamy is part of an international network. From the Caribbean to Mexico, Ireland to Australia, South Africa to Japan, there are many similar initiatives around the world with whom we collaborate regularly. This year we attended both the Code for All Summit and the Code for America Summit. We truly appreciate this network and are looking forward to many more partnerships in the future.

Code for All

Despite efforts of environmental organizations, the European limit for atmospheric particulates is regularly exceeded in Stuttgart. To tackle the problem, the OK Lab developed sensors that collect particulate matter data at several locations around the city. Self-made devices measure air quality and automatically upload it over the internet. This results in more diversity and transparency in data collection. The project is not only a great example of citizen science, but also draws attention to the environmental and health problems in the city. At Luftdaten.info you can now support the continued production and monitoring by donation.

The city of Munich has been publishing its data on its online council information system (CIS) for years now. While that is commendable, the CIS sadly lacks practical usability. That's why the OK Lab Munich developed a Transparency Portal earlier this year which makes data from the CIS more accessible. The site is useful for searching through official documents, and also offers a wide range of applications that promote civic participation. For example, one can subscribe via email to certain petitions, get to know local politicians on social media, and keep an eye on important sessions in the parliament. The site has become a popular transparency platform in Munich.

Members of the OK Lab Magdeburg were frustrated with the design of their local traffic app. The simple tram system really only calls for a listing of the next departures at the closest stop. Fortunately, the timetable information is openly available in Saxony-Anhalt. So they built an application that collects this data and makes it usable. The result is MagdeGo, a web and mobile app that only displays when the next bus or train arrives at the next stop - live. The design might be minimalist, but the benefits are great.