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Social Actions Interactive Map (and location extractor)

Challenges: 

The goal of this project was to bring context to the user viewing data within the social actions API.   While the API has over 50 sources, it can be hard to figure out a query to pose to this "search engine."   Instead of taking a google-like text query approach, I've opted to try and appeal to the user by geography.

A person can immediately see actions going on near their location (and get excited and feel compelled to join the action! ...as I have even while building and testing this).   A person might also have interest in helping others abroad.   Seeing a real location+picture+action goes a long way!

Unfortunately at this point in time most of the data from the social actions API doesn't have location data.   This is understandable because the sources they are using might not require this.   To fix this problem I put together a process to obtain this location information.

Every hour, an automatic background process calls the social actions api, then runs the unstructured data through an entity extractor to pull out entities then through a geocoder to get the point associated with a location entity.

 At the end of the day.. I will consider this project a success if it gets even 1 person to act.

(Right now I haven't documented how to leverage the location info for other mashups, but I could.   Also, lots of things are customizable and I'm still trying to find the right balance in timing and refresh rates.   All suggestions are welcome.)  

Project Details
Project Assessment
Financial support: 
No
Sustainability Model: 
I have received numerous comments for add-on work already.   This application enriches the data itself while also provided a flexible interface that can be extended.   A couple ideas for sustainability and revenue:  Enriched data - most social actions data is now associated with location data.   this can be fed back into their api for others to use.Nonprofits get their time-critical message across to a specific location - based on user feedback the application feels empowering and makes people want to do something now.   increase user participation for your project or non profit. there is something to be said about seeing others create actions in near real time. when you couple that with the location you can see what people are doing in your area (and team up) or see what people are doing in an area that you care for (say Darfur or Ghana or India).Internal communication for projects - I've already been approached by a few people that said an application like this could facilitate the communication between project partners and collaborator.   This tool could be used internally to create awareness in a near real time way.   Perhaps a projects needs 1 more person in the next 24 hours (a twitter meets social actions meets location) Can be Extended - This can be transformed into a geospatial social actions search engine.   Right now we display all results based on creation date.   But it's fairly straightforward to give a user additional control to filter results based on location or topic of interest.   We could even set up alerts when new results meet their query.
Project goals: 
Apr 2: initial app releasedApr 5-15: Skype calls with several nonprofits and potential stakeholders (setup after seeing app release on twitter Apr 2)TBD: allow users to filter results based on location or topic/keywordTBD: tweak event load parameters as the amount of data grows.   right now there are a couple new actions per hour, but I could see that as the social actions api grows so does this app.   I would love to see new actions coming in with updates that say "created 5 minutes ago" rather than the current "created 2 hours ago".TBD: open the data for others to playTBD: open the front end UI so others can build on top of the map/list interface

Reading now the Internet, I

Reading now the Internet, I necessarily reflect that it would be quite good to enter censorship. On couple of months. Because conditions forcing obviously does not promote at least to visible stabilisation. And when people, not trying simply to think, I any more do not speak - to analyse - start something to do, then necessarily think of access restriction to the information or to communication media.

my site:tummy tuck

Useful & Needed!

This will allow GrowGhana's collaborators & partners to keep up with our projects and developments it will help everyone to stop asking "what do you do?" and "How is your project empowering your target?"  I think it has real potential, in many areas...

Comments welcome

I know there are only a couple days left... but I'm anxious for feedback!

 Would love to hear from you!

Valuable - Great Work!

A well-thought-out project - powerful capabilities; yet the user interface is simple, intuitive and invites action. Distinctive geo-functionality, unique features and an apparent underlying passion positions the site to bring in first-time volunteers and donors, rather than just cannibalize the current pool of activists.

An excellent demonstration of the potential of specially-abled web developers.

thank you!

@webstud:   i appreciate the feedback!   hopefully i can obtain a bit of funding so i can continue to work at this from several angles.   my next goal is probably better filtering of the data (since its so rich).   Then to attack this from both angles -- 1) how can i increase the rates that people actually get involved (because at the end of the day an app, widget or idea is only as good as the amount of people it can get to do something. And 2) how can i help empower NPOs.

i have some big ideas and always interested in brainstorming with ya if you'd like!

feedback

you already know this, but...map/timeline! =P

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