/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/topics/crowdsourcing-and-citizen-science/ Recent content in Crowdsourcing and citizen science on Digital.gov Hugo en-us /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2024/06/06/case-study-increasing-access-to-required-bankruptcy-meetings/ Thu, 06 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2024/06/06/case-study-increasing-access-to-required-bankruptcy-meetings/ The Department of Justice’s U.S. Trustee Program (USTP) oversees the administration of bankruptcy cases and private trustees. During the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual Section 341 bankruptcy meetings lead to more participation from both consumers and creditors, minimized delays, and saved time and money for all. Learn about USTP’s human-centered design process for a pilot program in three states to increase public access to these virtual meetings. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2024/05/22/why-some-technologists-choose-public-service/ Wed, 22 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2024/05/22/why-some-technologists-choose-public-service/ The General Services Administration (GSA) employs nearly 12,000 people who provide services to federal agencies and the public, and has been recognized as one of the top federal agencies to work for, emphasizing a people-first culture. Through the Tech to Gov initiative, GSA’s Technology Transformation Services (TTS) has successfully recruited top tech talent to enhance digital government services. Get to know some of GSA’s newest technologists. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2024/04/25/risk-communications-crisis-communications-and-community-engagement-summit/ Thu, 25 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2024/04/25/risk-communications-crisis-communications-and-community-engagement-summit/ The Federal Emergency Management Agency Office of External Affairs is convening risk and crisis communicators and community leaders who are on the front-line of the climate and emerging hazard crises. Attend the free, June 10, 2024, summit virtually, or in Washington, DC. The agenda includes: the sharing invaluable tools and insights, how to implement culturally competent and accessible communications, how to integrate behavior change strategies, and more. An ASL interpreter will be provided. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2024/04/04/participation/ Thu, 04 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2024/04/04/participation/ The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) wants your thoughts on how federal agencies can more broadly and meaningfully engage with you and your communities. Share your ideas by May 17, 2024 to help build a more inclusive, responsive, transparent, and accountable government. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2023/04/20/the-art-of-storytelling-in-a-hybrid-world/ Thu, 20 Apr 2023 09:52:00 -0500 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2023/04/20/the-art-of-storytelling-in-a-hybrid-world/ Combined with technology and audience awareness, our increasingly digital, hybrid world can still leverage that in-person charm through the art of storytelling. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2022/08/03/white-house-and-gsa-celebrate-record-years-in-prize-competitions-citizen-science-efforts/ Wed, 03 Aug 2022 17:59:00 -0500 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2022/08/03/white-house-and-gsa-celebrate-record-years-in-prize-competitions-citizen-science-efforts/ none /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2022/01/05/new-epa-interactive-map-on-community-citizen-science/ Wed, 05 Jan 2022 17:55:00 -0500 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2022/01/05/new-epa-interactive-map-on-community-citizen-science/ /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2020/12/14/tts-bug-bounty-program-3-year-review/ Mon, 14 Dec 2020 10:56:00 -0500 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2020/12/14/tts-bug-bounty-program-3-year-review/ We’re reflecting on our Bug Bounty program for the last 3 years and highlighting some lessons learned. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/communities/crowdsourcing-citizen-science/ Tue, 29 Sep 2015 02:17:00 -0500 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/communities/crowdsourcing-citizen-science/ We work across government develop best practices for designing, implementing, and evaluating crowdsourcing and citizen science initiatives. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/communities/challenges-prizes/ Thu, 05 Dec 2013 10:46:00 -0500 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/communities/challenges-prizes/ We encourage public participation in crowdsourcing competitions to find innovative government solutions. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/services/service_citizen-science/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/services/service_citizen-science/ A catalog of federal crowdsourcing and citizen science projects. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2022/07/20/white-house-and-gsa-open-innovation-forum-building-equitable-partnerships/ Wed, 20 Jul 2022 14:00:00 -0500 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2022/07/20/white-house-and-gsa-open-innovation-forum-building-equitable-partnerships/ Celebrating OSTP’s biennial report to Congress on Implementation of Federal Prizes and Citizen Science Authority, Fiscal Years 2019 - 2020, and the role of community partnerships in the federal open innovation landscape. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2022/04/07/spotlight-chat-on-the-cdc-open-epidemic-forecasting-community/ Thu, 07 Apr 2022 13:00:00 -0500 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2022/04/07/spotlight-chat-on-the-cdc-open-epidemic-forecasting-community/ A discussion with members of the CDC’s Epidemic Prediction Initiative on best practices and considerations when organizing crowdsourcing initiatives. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2021/03/02/get-your-idea-funded-through-gsas-10x-program/ Tue, 02 Mar 2021 14:00:00 -0500 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2021/03/02/get-your-idea-funded-through-gsas-10x-program/ The purpose of the event is to raise awareness about 10x’s newest round of idea selections. We want attendees to learn about 10x, understand what it takes to submit, and feel empowered to submit. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2020/10/29/federal-crowdsourcing-webinar-series-episode-15-10x-transforming-technology-through-agile-investments/ Thu, 29 Oct 2020 14:00:00 -0500 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2020/10/29/federal-crowdsourcing-webinar-series-episode-15-10x-transforming-technology-through-agile-investments/ In this webinar, we will discuss GSA’s incremental investment program, 10x, which is modeled after modern venture capital best practices and start up studios. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2020/09/15/federal-crowdsourcing-webinar-series-episode-14/ Tue, 15 Sep 2020 15:00:00 -0500 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2020/09/15/federal-crowdsourcing-webinar-series-episode-14/ Learn how federal agencies can leverage The Opportunity Project’s adaptable toolkit to engage cross-sector collaborators and rapidly prototype digital products powered by federal open data. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2020/07/14/federal-crowdsourcing-webinar-series-episode-12/ Tue, 14 Jul 2020 14:00:00 -0500 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2020/07/14/federal-crowdsourcing-webinar-series-episode-12/ The Air Force is catalyzing innovation with a variety of partners. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2020/06/09/federal-crowdsourcing-webinar-series-episode-11/ Tue, 09 Jun 2020 16:00:00 -0500 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2020/06/09/federal-crowdsourcing-webinar-series-episode-11/ Agencies optimize mobile experiences with help from federal testers. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2020/05/12/federal-crowdsourcing-webinar-series-episode-10/ Tue, 12 May 2020 14:00:00 -0500 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2020/05/12/federal-crowdsourcing-webinar-series-episode-10/ See how the U.S. Food and Drug Administration crowdsources to identify potential health risks. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2020/04/27/federal-crowdsourcing-webinar-series-episode-9/ Mon, 27 Apr 2020 14:00:00 -0500 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2020/04/27/federal-crowdsourcing-webinar-series-episode-9/ History Hub is a crowdsourcing platform that helps the public find historical records. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2020/03/10/federal-crowdsourcing-webinar-series-episode-8/ Tue, 10 Mar 2020 15:00:00 -0500 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2020/03/10/federal-crowdsourcing-webinar-series-episode-8/ Learn how NASA’s workforce contributes inspiring ideas as part of internal idea competitions facilitated NASA@WORK program. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2020/02/11/federal-crowdsourcing-webinar-series-episode-7/ Tue, 11 Feb 2020 14:00:00 -0500 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2020/02/11/federal-crowdsourcing-webinar-series-episode-7/ Learn how the Code.gov team, and every day contributors, are helping the U.S. government to expand its repository—and application—of open-source code as part of Code.gov’s Open Tasks initiative. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2019/10/30/federal-crowdsourcing-webinar-series-episode-6-fedramp-ideation/ Wed, 30 Oct 2019 15:00:00 -0500 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2019/10/30/federal-crowdsourcing-webinar-series-episode-6-fedramp-ideation/ Betsy Steele, of the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) team, shares how a crowdsourcing initiative invited the larger cybersecurity community to help inform the next iteration of government’s cloud security authorization program. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2019/10/16/study-design-developing-a-citizen-science-project-that-delivers-results/ Wed, 16 Oct 2019 15:00:00 -0500 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2019/10/16/study-design-developing-a-citizen-science-project-that-delivers-results/ Prior to developing a community-based data collection program, it is essential to think through the scientific process and the steps necessary to create a program where the data collected match your monitoring objectives and data use goals. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2019/08/13/federal-crowdsourcing-webinar-series-episode-5-by-the-people/ Tue, 13 Aug 2019 15:00:00 -0500 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2019/08/13/federal-crowdsourcing-webinar-series-episode-5-by-the-people/ The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world. While often referred to as the research arm of Congress, it is hardly limited to lawmakers. It is open to the public who, in fact, are also helping to make their digital collections more accessible and available to all. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2019/07/09/federal-crowdsourcing-webinar-series-episode-4-open-opportunities/ Tue, 09 Jul 2019 15:00:00 -0500 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2019/07/09/federal-crowdsourcing-webinar-series-episode-4-open-opportunities/ The Open Opportunities program is a “win-win” for federal employees looking to refresh their skills and U.S. agencies seeking talent, energy, and enthusiasm from across a diverse cross-section of the federal workforce. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2019/06/14/us-government-open-innovation-summit-transformation-through-citizen-science-prize-competitions/ Fri, 14 Jun 2019 09:30:00 -0500 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2019/06/14/us-government-open-innovation-summit-transformation-through-citizen-science-prize-competitions/ Presentations that highligh the potential and impact of crowdsourcing through citizen science and prize competitions in the U.S. government /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2019/06/11/federal-crowdsourcing-webinar-series-episode-3-opportunity-project/ Tue, 11 Jun 2019 15:00:00 -0500 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2019/06/11/federal-crowdsourcing-webinar-series-episode-3-opportunity-project/ The Opportunity Project engages government, communities, and the technology industry to create digital tools that address our greatest challenges as a nation. Learn how this initiative is making government data more accessible through cross-sector collaboration. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2019/05/14/federal-crowdsourcing-webinar-series-episode-2-challengegov/ Tue, 14 May 2019 15:00:00 -0500 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2019/05/14/federal-crowdsourcing-webinar-series-episode-2-challengegov/ Need help solving a problem? Join Challenge.gov to learn how federal agencies can use prize competitions to reach innovators in novel ways. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2019/04/09/federal-crowdsourcing-mobilize-citizen-scientists/ Tue, 09 Apr 2019 15:00:00 -0500 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2019/04/09/federal-crowdsourcing-mobilize-citizen-scientists/ This is the first installment of GSA’s Federal Crowdsourcing Webinar Series, where we look at how to use crowdsourcing to reach beyond your walls and source talent and enthusiasm. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2018/05/15/federal-challenge-prize-community-practice-quarterly-meeting/ Tue, 15 May 2018 14:00:00 -0500 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2018/05/15/federal-challenge-prize-community-practice-quarterly-meeting/ Crowdsourcing experts from around the federal government come together to discuss trends, success stories and lessons learned in the use of competitions. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2018/02/27/federal-challenge-prize-community-practice-quarterly-meeting-february-2018/ Tue, 27 Feb 2018 09:00:00 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/event/2018/02/27/federal-challenge-prize-community-practice-quarterly-meeting-february-2018/ This quarterly meeting brings together federal employees from a range of agencies to discuss trends, success stories and lessons learned in the use of crowdsourcing competitions. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2017/05/24/want-to-expand-your-innovation-base-dive-in-run-a-challenge-and-listen-to-your-customers/ Wed, 24 May 2017 14:00:58 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2017/05/24/want-to-expand-your-innovation-base-dive-in-run-a-challenge-and-listen-to-your-customers/ The Office of the National Coordinator is a small agency in the Department of Health and Human Services whose mission is to increase the interoperability and use of electronic health records and health IT. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/10/21/gao-to-congress-federal-agencies-are-making-a-difference-through-open-innovation/ Fri, 21 Oct 2016 13:00:16 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/10/21/gao-to-congress-federal-agencies-are-making-a-difference-through-open-innovation/ Federal agencies confront tough problems every day. In searching for solutions, agencies will want to attract different perspectives, test new products, build capacity and communities, and increase public awareness. How do they do it? The answer: open innovation. Federal agencies need to engage and collaborate with all sectors of society, a task made easier by /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/10/07/crowdsourcing-at-the-law-library-of-congress/ Fri, 07 Oct 2016 10:00:42 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/10/07/crowdsourcing-at-the-law-library-of-congress/ The Law Library acquired a large collection from William S. Hein & Co., Inc. to make all volumes of several collections (like the Federal Register) available in open access to researchers. Preparing these files by adding metadata for easy searching takes a lot of work, so this summer we asked law students and library students from /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/09/29/nasa-open-gov-plan-2016-outline/ Thu, 29 Sep 2016 02:00:50 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/09/29/nasa-open-gov-plan-2016-outline/ Here is the outline for our 2016 Open Government Plan. Let us know what you think. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/08/25/citizen-science-is-sound-science-provided-by-you/ Thu, 25 Aug 2016 14:00:48 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/08/25/citizen-science-is-sound-science-provided-by-you/ Have you ever seen a cool bird in your backyard and wondered if there was some way to share what you saw with others? Better yet, have you thought about sharing your observations and having them used to help study and conserve those birds? These thoughts are an indicator that you might have the makings of a /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/08/23/what-is-citizen-science-a-recent-webinar-explores-how-the-federal-government-engages-the-public-via-crowdsourcing/ Tue, 23 Aug 2016 13:00:33 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/08/23/what-is-citizen-science-a-recent-webinar-explores-how-the-federal-government-engages-the-public-via-crowdsourcing/ From the National Park Service (NPS) to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the use of citizen science has become a prominent factor in the science community and a critical tool for the federal government. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/08/11/another-year-another-leap-forward-for-prize-competitions/ Thu, 11 Aug 2016 14:00:12 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/08/11/another-year-another-leap-forward-for-prize-competitions/ If federal agencies need an incentive to be more open and innovative in addressing critical issues, they need look no further than news this week from the White House. On August 10, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy issued its Implementation of Federal Prize Authority Progress Report for fiscal year 2015, and /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/07/25/darpa-a-case-study-in-open-innovation/ Mon, 25 Jul 2016 12:00:25 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/07/25/darpa-a-case-study-in-open-innovation/ You may not know it, but the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, has changed your life. There’s the Internet, for starters. And if that isn’t enough, the agency also has played a pivotal role in shaping GPS, stealth aircraft and drone technology. In fact, ever since its creation under President Eisenhower, DARPA has /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/07/11/how-to-leverage-user-generated-content-to-resonate-with-your-audience/ Mon, 11 Jul 2016 13:30:29 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/07/11/how-to-leverage-user-generated-content-to-resonate-with-your-audience/ User-Generated Content (UGC) is a buzzword as of late, popularized recently due to the ever increasing demand for new content. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/06/27/nasa-space-apps-challenge-2016-global-winners/ Mon, 27 Jun 2016 14:00:49 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/06/27/nasa-space-apps-challenge-2016-global-winners/ We’re thrilled to announce the Space Apps 2016 Global Award Winners!! These projects well represent the best of the best innovative thinking this year. Congratulations to all the teams. We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming NASA launch in Florida. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/06/24/white-house-challenges-citizen-science-among-top-innovation-efforts-of-past-8-years/ Fri, 24 Jun 2016 11:30:32 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/06/24/white-house-challenges-citizen-science-among-top-innovation-efforts-of-past-8-years/ The White House this week released a report detailing the impact of 100 initiatives that have expanded U.S. capacity in science, technology and innovation over the past eight years. Evident throughout the report is the influence of Challenge.gov and CitizenScience.gov, two open innovation programs managed by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). In fact, among /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/06/15/700-strong-challenge-gov-crosses-new-milestone-in-open-innovation/ Wed, 15 Jun 2016 11:00:04 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/06/15/700-strong-challenge-gov-crosses-new-milestone-in-open-innovation/ Challenge.gov, the official website for crowdsourcing and prize competitions across government, celebrated its five-year anniversary in October 2015. Now, not even one year later, the site has reached another milestone. On Monday, two agencies launched new challenges, bringing the total /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/06/02/open-data-democratizes-innovation/ Thu, 02 Jun 2016 14:15:24 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/06/02/open-data-democratizes-innovation/ Americans Use Public Data to Improve the Lives of Fellow Citizens Data is one of our most important national assets. It informs our policy and our national priorities. But as we have seen time and time again, the most effective way to govern is to engage with the public directly. Thanks to the President’s Executive Order requiring /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/05/25/the-data-briefing-better-crowdsourced-federal-government-projects-through-cognitive-computing/ Wed, 25 May 2016 10:00:26 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/05/25/the-data-briefing-better-crowdsourced-federal-government-projects-through-cognitive-computing/ Cognitive computing has been receiving a good deal of attention lately as more companies have been building intelligent agents. Ever since IBM Watson’s 2011 appearance on Jeopardy, cognitive computing has spread into healthcare, investing and even veterinary medicine. However, it is only recently that cognitive computing has spread into government applications. As the name implies, /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/05/04/the-data-briefing-engaging-citizens-through-citizenscience-gov/ Wed, 04 May 2016 10:00:01 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/05/04/the-data-briefing-engaging-citizens-through-citizenscience-gov/ Last month, I worked to create a “Citizen Science Passport” for the federal agencies participating in the USA Science and Engineering Festival. Seven federal agencies offered some form of crowdsourcing or citizen science activity at their booths such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s exhibit on food safety or Environmental Protection Agency’s build-your-own air monitoring /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/04/15/how-gamification-can-break-down-bureaucracy-and-address-real-world-problems/ Fri, 15 Apr 2016 10:00:06 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/04/15/how-gamification-can-break-down-bureaucracy-and-address-real-world-problems/ The world’s toughest challenges require out-of-the-box thinking. But how can agencies facilitate intentional, structured collaboration that leads to this thinking? Gamification. To address issues ranging from maritime piracy to Naval energy use to 3D printing, the Navy uses gamification via MMOWGLI, the Massive Multiplayer Online Wargame Leveraging the Internet. MMOWGLI is an online gaming platform that /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/04/14/gsa-unveils-new-hub-for-federal-citizen-science-crowdsourcing/ Thu, 14 Apr 2016 11:10:36 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/04/14/gsa-unveils-new-hub-for-federal-citizen-science-crowdsourcing/ Do you have a scientific issue to address? Wish you had dozens, hundreds, even thousands more people helping you out? There’s help out there, and now that help is easier than ever to find. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/01/28/how-fema-delivers-anytime-anywhere-information-during-disasters/ Thu, 28 Jan 2016 10:00:42 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/01/28/how-fema-delivers-anytime-anywhere-information-during-disasters/ No one wants to feel helpless in an emergency situation. To provide tips and assistance anytime, anywhere, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) stepped up their mobile game. FEMA developed an SMS service and an app to engage with users while they’re on the go. The app is available on Android, Apple and Blackberry. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/01/20/a-new-team-strives-to-coordinate-citizen-science-crowdsourcing-across-government/ Wed, 20 Jan 2016 10:00:29 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/01/20/a-new-team-strives-to-coordinate-citizen-science-crowdsourcing-across-government/ A government can accomplish nothing without the ingenuity of its people. This is why the federal government is committed to using online tools to make its problem-solving more open and collaborative. A growing number of agencies are testing the applications of crowdsourcing and citizen science to accomplish more, and in many cases, do things faster /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/01/04/a-sense-of-purpose-strong-communities-can-overcome-big-challenges/ Mon, 04 Jan 2016 13:00:44 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2016/01/04/a-sense-of-purpose-strong-communities-can-overcome-big-challenges/ Cook-offs, bike rides, parades and dance parties—these are not the traditional public hearing-style events for which government agencies are known. But these events helped to fuel the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Rebuild by Design Challenge (PDF, 484 KB, 1 page, January 2016), boosting the collective morale among a complex, multidisciplinary network of engaged /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/12/16/challenges-crowdsourcing-citizen-science-whats-the-dif/ Wed, 16 Dec 2015 11:10:18 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/12/16/challenges-crowdsourcing-citizen-science-whats-the-dif/ There’s more than one way to harness the wisdom of the crowd. In honor of December’s monthly theme, we’re diving into and defining the various ways that federal agencies use public contributions to meet real needs and fulfill important objectives. Crowdsourcing Two’s company, three’s a crowd—and getting input from many is crowdsourcing. A White House /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/12/08/challenges-crowdsourcing-a-quick-overview-and-look-ahead/ Tue, 08 Dec 2015 11:43:44 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/12/08/challenges-crowdsourcing-a-quick-overview-and-look-ahead/ This month we’re highlighting articles about challenge competitions and crowdsourcing across the federal government. Federal agencies can gain a wealth of ideas, services, solutions and products by asking a large, diverse crowd to contribute their talents and skills. Simply put, crowdsourcing means engaging the crowd. Often referred to as a form of open collaboration or /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/10/29/new-white-house-innovation-strategy-promotes-increase-in-challenges-and-prizes/ Thu, 29 Oct 2015 01:00:05 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/10/29/new-white-house-innovation-strategy-promotes-increase-in-challenges-and-prizes/ The White House released an updated Strategy for American Innovation last week, calling again on government to tap the American public’s brain trust /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/10/13/trends-on-tuesday-is-crowdsourcing-the-future-of-mobile-design-and-development-2/ Tue, 13 Oct 2015 14:18:42 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/10/13/trends-on-tuesday-is-crowdsourcing-the-future-of-mobile-design-and-development-2/ NASA recently announced the winners of a smartwatch app interface competition. A Canadian duo won the design competition, and NASA’s plan is to build the app with 2016 funding to have it available for astronauts to use when they are aboard the International Space Station. This is the first government smartwatch app development we’ve talked about /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/09/30/how-ostp-crowdsourced-a-crowdsourcing-toolkit/ Wed, 30 Sep 2015 10:18:38 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/09/30/how-ostp-crowdsourced-a-crowdsourcing-toolkit/ To promote crowdsourcing, one effective tool is, well, crowdsourcing. Today, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the Federal Community of Practice for Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science (CCS) unveiled the Citizen Science and Crowdsourcing Toolkit. The toolkit contains information, resources, and best practices federal agencies can use to harness the power /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/07/31/an-overview-of-digital-communities/ Fri, 31 Jul 2015 11:10:49 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/07/31/an-overview-of-digital-communities/ Digital communities of practice come in many stripes. DigitalGov communities span eight (and counting) focus areas and have thousands of members, but strong collaborations exist in all corners of government. In honor of this month’s communities theme, we are offering a list of communities that foster connections and strengthen the digital capabilities of federal agencies. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/06/18/noaas-crowdmag-app-citizen-science-on-the-go/ Thu, 18 Jun 2015 10:00:40 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/06/18/noaas-crowdmag-app-citizen-science-on-the-go/ The rise in mobile device usage has created a rise in expectations: the public wants new and innovative interactions with all organizations, including government. Incorporating social media in mobile websites and native apps is one way federal agencies have increased public interaction. Six agencies have leveraged native app functionality for crowdsourcing purposes. The National Oceanic /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/04/23/competitions-launch-start-ups-and-engage-entrepreneurs/ Thu, 23 Apr 2015 11:30:50 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/04/23/competitions-launch-start-ups-and-engage-entrepreneurs/ When people hear about challenge competitions, they most often ask about the results. What worked and why did it work? Two great examples are featured on the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy site, which include the “needle in the haystack” solvers for a space mass competition and eleven /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/04/22/the-api-briefing-making-a-difference-one-microtask-at-a-time/ Wed, 22 Apr 2015 10:00:44 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/04/22/the-api-briefing-making-a-difference-one-microtask-at-a-time/ I recently found an app that provides a great service through crowdsourcing. Be My Eyes connects visually-impaired people with volunteers. Using the smartphone’s camera, the volunteers can perform tasks such as reading an expiration date or helping someone navigate unfamiliar surroundings. This is not a federal app, but I wanted to highlight it to demonstrate how /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/04/09/new-usgs-app-helps-save-the-piping-plovers/ Thu, 09 Apr 2015 10:00:25 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/04/09/new-usgs-app-helps-save-the-piping-plovers/ iPlover is a new app from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for data collection about habitats on coastal beaches and the environment surrounding them. That sounds like a really difficult and important task, but luckily for us, the app is designed for trained and vetted professionals. It is an example of another federal crowdsourcing app, but for experts. The /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/01/29/how-government-will-accelerate-anytime-anywhere-services-and-information-in-2015/ Thu, 29 Jan 2015 03:19:04 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/01/29/how-government-will-accelerate-anytime-anywhere-services-and-information-in-2015/ Innovative wearables, stronger wifi and more 3D printing have been among the many projections for the future of mobile in 2015. Whatever comes to pass, we can be certain that the anytime, anywhere user will develop new habits and desires based on new trends. Government must accelerate its customer service approach with anytime, anywhere efforts to keep up. Here’s /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/01/20/usgs-where-citizen-science-is-for-the-birds/ Tue, 20 Jan 2015 12:10:26 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2015/01/20/usgs-where-citizen-science-is-for-the-birds/ “I tell the interns: In this lab, we’re all about failure. If you’re not failing, you’re not really doing anything.” –Sam Droege, USGS biologist, in Audubon magazine The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is actively working with citizen scientists to discover, collect, and organize a variety of scientific data that is /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/12/30/opening-government-through-federal-crowdsourcing/ Tue, 30 Dec 2014 10:00:45 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/12/30/opening-government-through-federal-crowdsourcing/ Crowdsourcing is a critical corner of the digital government landscape, and our December theme articles have covered the topic from a variety of angles. Before we head into January, where we will discuss upcoming trends on the digital horizon, we sat down to learn more about the evolution and future direction of federal crowdsourcing initiatives /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/12/29/crowdsourcing-for-accessibility/ Mon, 29 Dec 2014 10:00:11 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/12/29/crowdsourcing-for-accessibility/ While we’re anticipating the Section 508 refresh, many government digital media teams are facing the task of incorporating WCAG 2.0 standards (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) in their projects despite having limited staff resources and budget constraints. We can use creative solutions, such as crowdsourcing, to overcome those challenges and make our works accessible. Our teams /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/12/23/challenges-round-up/ Tue, 23 Dec 2014 10:00:54 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/12/23/challenges-round-up/ Recap of the 2014 Challenge and Prize competition events hosted by DigitalGov /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/12/22/how-six-agencies-are-crowdsourcing-with-mobile-apps/ Mon, 22 Dec 2014 11:05:01 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/12/22/how-six-agencies-are-crowdsourcing-with-mobile-apps/ Mobile devices allow the public to interact with government in new and game-changing ways and users expect those interactions. As a result, many agencies are taking advantage of native apps for crowdsourcing projects. The White House Open Government Initiative recently defined crowdsourcing “as a /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/12/19/reaching-out-to-deliver-within-crowdsourcing-internal-agency-projects/ Fri, 19 Dec 2014 01:53:33 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/12/19/reaching-out-to-deliver-within-crowdsourcing-internal-agency-projects/ Crowdsourcing has created new paths for public interaction with the government, as we’ve been highlighting on DigitalGov with this month’s theme. However, crowdsourcing can also be used to harness support for internal agency projects. The Department of State is using crowdsourcing to find talent within and outside of government to support agency activities. Through the /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/12/18/innovation-through-market-stimulation/ Thu, 18 Dec 2014 11:10:30 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/12/18/innovation-through-market-stimulation/ Crowdsourcing and prize competitions can take many forms, which makes them a great open innovation tool. A large group of federal agencies and other partners has launched a competition that also involves a secondary crowdsourcing element. The Nutrient Sensor Challenge is a market stimulation prize competition to accelerate /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/12/17/with-every-tool-possible-supporting-humanitarian-aid-efforts-through-crowdsourced-mapping/ Wed, 17 Dec 2014 12:00:15 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/12/17/with-every-tool-possible-supporting-humanitarian-aid-efforts-through-crowdsourced-mapping/ Fighting malaria in Botswana with a group of high school students in D.C. Contributing to the Ebola response from the West Bank. These scenarios may not fit the typical image of humanitarian aid efforts, but technology has transformed the possibilities for public participation in international development. Crowdsourced mapping projects have /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/12/15/crowdsourced-digital-citizen-services-summit/ Mon, 15 Dec 2014 10:00:57 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/12/15/crowdsourced-digital-citizen-services-summit/ In May 2015, we are hosting the second DigitalGov Citizen Services Summit. This round we are looking to you—federal innovators across government—to help build the agenda. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/12/09/can-you-crowdsource-your-user-experience-research/ Tue, 09 Dec 2014 12:00:34 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/12/09/can-you-crowdsource-your-user-experience-research/ In one sense, almost any type of user research is crowdsourced—you’re talking to people and using that information to improve your system. But in a true sense, crowdsourcing is more than just collecting information, it’s collaborating on it. We want to have real conversations, not one-time emailed suggestions without followups. So here’s a few tidbits /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/12/08/crowdsourcing-month-an-overview/ Mon, 08 Dec 2014 12:01:38 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/12/08/crowdsourcing-month-an-overview/ This month we’ll be highlighting articles about crowdsourcing. These are the programs that use a variety of online mechanisms to get ideas, services, solutions, and products by asking a large, diverse crowd to contribute their expertise, talents, and skills. Among the mechanisms are hackathons, data jams, code-a-thons, prize competitions, workplace surveys, open ideation, micro-tasks or /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/11/24/jumpstart-your-government-sponsored-initiative-in-a-tight-budget-climate-try-crowdfunding/ Mon, 24 Nov 2014 11:05:02 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/11/24/jumpstart-your-government-sponsored-initiative-in-a-tight-budget-climate-try-crowdfunding/ There are many ways to apply crowdfunding in the government space. This case study highlights the U.S. Department of State’s utilization of an online crowdfunding platform (CFP) to launch the Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund 2.0 (AEIF 2.0). Through this fundraising platform, exchange program alumni were able to work on innovative solutions to the world’s toughest /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/09/22/usgs-picture-puzzle-do-you-see-changes-to-the-coast/ Mon, 22 Sep 2014 10:00:21 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/09/22/usgs-picture-puzzle-do-you-see-changes-to-the-coast/ If you are a coastal resident, go to the beach, or are interested in digital volunteering, you can be a tremendous help in identifying and classifying changes that storms make to our coast after severe storms. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has launched iCoast, a Web application where you can view aerial photographs and help classify /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/09/15/helpful-hints-writing-rfps-so-real-businesses-can-respond/ Mon, 15 Sep 2014 10:00:25 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/09/15/helpful-hints-writing-rfps-so-real-businesses-can-respond/ If you have a hand in contracts for crowdsourcing initiatives and challenge and prize competitions, here are some helpful hints for you. We’ve gathered this list from the expert businesses that provide competition services. Haven’t heard about that? See GSA Schedule 541-4G. Background: Over the last two years, competition providers and consultants have become more /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/09/11/cheaters-thieves-saboteurs-other-nefarious-competitors/ Thu, 11 Sep 2014 12:00:59 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/09/11/cheaters-thieves-saboteurs-other-nefarious-competitors/ Challenge and prize competitions are competitive and not always squeaky clean. There are a few things we’ve noticed and noted in our experience over the last four years with challenge competitions run by federal agencies and studying others in the private sector. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/06/24/trends-on-tuesday-are-mobile-devices-the-center-of-social-universe/ Tue, 24 Jun 2014 15:28:59 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/06/24/trends-on-tuesday-are-mobile-devices-the-center-of-social-universe/ Mobile devices are moving closer to the center of the social universe, according to this Sproutsocial article. Platforms like Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter are overwhelmingly used on the go. Comscore predicts that there will be increasing monetization via social in the coming years. In the banking industry, where data shows many people have stopped going to /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/06/13/challenge-and-prize-practitioners-gather-at-gsa/ Fri, 13 Jun 2014 10:00:48 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/06/13/challenge-and-prize-practitioners-gather-at-gsa/ Got innovation? Well, we do! On Wednesday May 28, the Challenge.gov team gathered the Challenges and Prizes Community of Practice together for its quarterly meeting. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/06/12/three-ways-agencies-are-using-social-media-in-mobile-products/ Thu, 12 Jun 2014 14:29:54 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/06/12/three-ways-agencies-are-using-social-media-in-mobile-products/ As highlighted in this Trends on Tuesday post, time spent on mobile phones—about 3 hours per day—has surpassed that of daily PC usage. This yields a significant opportunity for consumer interaction with federal agencies’ mobile apps, not just websites, and social media outlets. To take advantage of new opportunities for consumer /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/04/28/in-crowdsourcing-competitions-defining-the-problem-is-half-the-battle/ Mon, 28 Apr 2014 10:00:31 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/04/28/in-crowdsourcing-competitions-defining-the-problem-is-half-the-battle/ After leading a complex effort to crowdsource ideas to solve a problem facing your agency, the last thing you want to hear is that the innovative solutions you received don’t actually help remedy the issue. More than 20 federal innovators recently took part in /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/04/18/defining-ideation-in-challenge-competitions/ Fri, 18 Apr 2014 10:00:29 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/04/18/defining-ideation-in-challenge-competitions/ There is some confusion about how “ideation” fits into challenge and prize competitions. Often, we hear from agencies that they would like to ask the public for ideas, to survey them on a specific question, or to request proposals in response to a /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/03/19/hhs-uses-crowdsourcing-in-booming-mhealth-industry/ Wed, 19 Mar 2014 10:07:39 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/03/19/hhs-uses-crowdsourcing-in-booming-mhealth-industry/ The mobile health (mHealth) market is projected to become a $50 billion industry by 2020, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has been actively contributing to the rise of the mHealth applications. The agency uses public prize competitions like the recent “Game On: HIV/STD Prevention Mobile Application Video Game Challenge” to crowdsource a /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/03/11/crowdsource-ideas-with-new-competition-platform/ Tue, 11 Mar 2014 12:26:37 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/03/11/crowdsource-ideas-with-new-competition-platform/ Federal agencies now have the ability to create a challenge competition website that accepts submissions and allows public voting with a new, no-cost tool. The Challenge.gov team unveiled and demonstrated the capabilities of GSA’s new crowdsourcing and prize competition platform, Challenge.sites.usa.gov on a DigitalGov University webinar. The platform is now available for any /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/resources/crowdsourcing-toolkit-for-federal-agencies/ Wed, 05 Mar 2014 12:01:06 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/resources/crowdsourcing-toolkit-for-federal-agencies/ What is a Challenge? In a challenge, a “seeker” challenges “solvers” to identify a solution to a particular problem, or rewards contestants for accomplishing a goal. /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/02/26/double-digit-crowdsourcing-competitions-launch-in-february/ Wed, 26 Feb 2014 13:25:05 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/02/26/double-digit-crowdsourcing-competitions-launch-in-february/ This is a phenomenal month for federal challenge and prize competitions with 12 new programs launched in February. The challenge.gov platform usually averages four to six new challenges a month, so we’re excited to see the year start off with a big push to engage citizens in creative /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/01/16/fema-app-adds-disaster-reporter-feature/ Thu, 16 Jan 2014 17:03:25 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/01/16/fema-app-adds-disaster-reporter-feature/ The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is taking the well-known slogan, “See something, say something,” to the crowd. Consider it more “See something, submit something.” Harnessing the power of citizen intelligence to understand and respond to disasters, FEMA in late 2013 launched a new feature in /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2013/12/20/results-posted-2012-challenge-report/ Fri, 20 Dec 2013 10:06:20 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2013/12/20/results-posted-2012-challenge-report/ This week the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy released its second comprehensive report detailing the use of federal challenge and prize competitions. Read it and you’ll find details about the fiscal benefits of more than 300 competitions implemented by 45 agencies. As the report /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2013/11/26/challenge-gov-named-as-top-5-finalist-harvard-innovation-award/ Tue, 26 Nov 2013 09:34:23 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2013/11/26/challenge-gov-named-as-top-5-finalist-harvard-innovation-award/ Thanks to the tremendous work of challenge managers across federal government and the support of the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy, the Challenge.gov program at GSA has been named one of the top 5 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2012/04/26/noaas-release-mako-app/ Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:26:08 -0400 /preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2012/04/26/noaas-release-mako-app/ Mobile Gov Experiences are agency stories about creating anytime, anywhere, any device government services and info. This entry is a story shared by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Release Mako App was created for fisherman to report their catch and releases of shortfin mako sharks in real time.