Sally Lait gave a presentation at WebExpo 2018 about how the web can be used to change the world. She discussed how open data and digital tools could help more people be physically active by making it easier to find local activities. She emphasized the importance of understanding different types of developers, providing documentation, and thinking about sustainability when building technologies aimed at social change. The goal is to create solutions that can work at a large scale and continue operating over the long term.

1. Changing the world with
the web
WebExpo Prague, September 2018
Sally Lait
@sallylait, sallylait.com, recordssoundthesame.com

2. Hello!Independent digital
transformation consultant
sallylait.com
recordssoundthesame.com
twitter: @sallylait
@sally@mastodon.social
Sally Lait
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

4. Solving harder challenges…
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

5. The challenge
18 million (39.4%) of adults in
England don’t exercise enough
to improve their health and
wellbeing
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

6. http://ec.europa.eu/assets/eac/sport/library/factsheets/czech-rep-factsheet_en.pdf
Czech Republic
physical activity
factsheet

7. Photo via OpenActive and Sport England @sallylait
Emotional & practical
barriers

8. Travel websites,
apps & services
🏨
✈
🚄
🚀
Travel providers
Travel industry
%
Browser icon by Pixel Buddha www.flaticon.com CC 3.0 BY
People
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

9. Websites, apps &
services
🎾
🎣
(
) Activity providers
Sport & physical
activity
%
Browser icon by Pixel Buddha www.flaticon.com CC 3.0 BY
People
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

10. Photo via OpenActive and Sport England

11. Finding a solution
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

12. *
🎣 (
)
⚽
🏀
⚾
🏒🏓
🥋
1
🤾3 🤼🏂
⛷ ⛸
🎽
9
:
🎾
;
<
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

13. Data that can be used, re-used,
and shared,
by anyone for any purpose
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

14. *
🎣 (
)
⚽
🏀
🏒🏓
🥋
1
🤾3 🤼
⛷ ⛸
🎽
9
:
🎾
; Activity
providers
Innovators,
software
developers
Members of
the public
Open
data
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

15. Websites, apps &
digital
Activity
providers
%
Browser icon by Pixel Buddha www.flaticon.com CC 3.0 BY
People
🎾
🎣
(
)Aggregation
Direct
API
Product
=>
Community
support
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

17. How development skills can be a
powerful tool within
transformation projects
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait
(and changing the world!)

18. Helping
developers
work with you
Using
development
skills for
transformation

19. 1
WebExpo, September 2018
Sally Lait
@sallylait
Don’t make assumptions about
your audiences

20. Theory of change
Understand the relationships
between key people within the
process
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

21. https://influitive.com/blog/brief-history-developer-relations-programs-developer-communities/
The hierarchy
of developer
success needs
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

22. https://creative.mailchimp.com/persona-
posters/
Your
developers
may not all be
like this!
Think beyond
personas
Mailchimp persona posters
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

23. https://influitive.com/blog/brief-history-developer-relations-programs-developer-communities/
The hierarchy
of developer
success needs
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

24. http://bradfrost.com/blog/post/just/
“So think twice
before
suggesting
someone “just”
[insert any
task here]. You
just might
make them feel
like an idiot.”
Brad Frost -
“Just”
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

25. https://www.divio.com/en/blog/
documentation/
What nobody tells you about
documentation - Divio
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

26. TODO

27. http://jlord.us/sheetsee.js/
sheetsee.js
by Jessica Lord
Sheetsee.js is a client-side library for connecting Google
Spreadsheets to a website and visualizing the information in tables
and maps.
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

29. Understand
differing needs
and situations
Present
information
appropriately
Think about your
content and
wording
People are all
different
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

30. 2
Make it exciting!
WebExpo, September 2018
Sally Lait
@sallylait

32. Use cases can help people to relate, or spark ideas

33. sallylait.com/blog/2017/11/24/starting-out-with-neural-networks/

34. I trained a
neural network
to generate new
activity names
Murr Sno
toes
Eoiing Patbook
Handart
Ting
Balding
Fuero™ Dance fites
BRITT™its Hottime
Sandmor milbury!
Ill Sprinton to Fallowfield loop Cham Lake Ride
Aquamate and Beyond
Brøn friendly
The Family Ride
Tuesday Breeze
sallylait.com/blog/2017/11/24/starting-
out-with-neural-networks/
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

36. 3
Discoverability & usability
WebExpo, September 2018
Sally Lait
@sallylait

37. • Information architecture & terminology used
• Journeys
• User interface elements
• Content
• ToolsThe importance
of on- and off-
site
discoverability
& usability
Photo via OpenActive and Sport England
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

39. Let people start playing as quickly as
possible
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait
Give them quick start support.
Playgrounds and sandboxes are great.
Give your audience what they want.
Format appropriately.
Progressively enhance!
Make it accessible.

40. Think about
people at
different stages
of their journey
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

41. Formalise your community where necessary
1. Online, regular meetings to discuss progress
2. Get input in a structured way
3. Create specifications for review
4. Define scope, set direction, prioritise
“A W3C Community Group is an open forum, without fees,
where Web developers and other stakeholders develop
specifications, hold discussions, develop test suites, and
connect with W3C’s international community of Web
experts.”
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

42. 4
Think about scale and sustainability
WebExpo, September 2018
Sally Lait
@sallylait

43. Trying to become the default
Photo via OpenActive and Sport England
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

44. Don’t burn out!
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

45. Use technology
to find ways to
get support
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

46. The role that developers can
play in transformation
WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

48. WebExpo 2018
Changing the world with the web
@sallylait

49. Thank you!
WebExpo, September 2018
Sally Lait
sallylait.com, recordssoundthesame.com
sally@recordssoundthesame.com
twitter.com/sallylait