Today at the Data Bootcamp I have learned:

• about Internet in 5 years (yes, we  will all be wearing computer goggles A la Google Glasses)
• what “extractive industries” really mean (oil, mining, timber and fish! that is resources you extract).
• that data is not all about technology, the good old 5w and H is data!
• to remember impact when choosing a project
• where to find data, for instance the Worldbank, UN, AFDB, Google Public Data but I believe they forgot Gapminder!
• That there is a Facebook for the extractive sector called GOXI.
• that even though government contracts are often not available to the public, some of that information can be found with stock exchanges, company websites and export credit and investment facilities, basically anywhere where companies communicate with their investors.
• that someone who knows nothing about programming can create interactive maps with the help of amazing program Fusion Tables.

On top of that I have also met some really cool folks – journalists, activists, developers and inbetweens –  and started thinking about two, maybe three apps/websites/data interfaces/crowdsourcing possibilities (ehm, yes as you can hear not exactly crystallized yet!) that can change Ghana!

All in all a great first day!