The World Bank and OpenPlans would like to invite you to participate in an exciting and unique afternoon event, testing a new open-source mobile application that will help transport agencies in developing countries cheaply and easily collect and analyze real-time traffic data. Before we conduct our large scale pilot in the Phillipines this October, we invite you to preview the software through participation in a mapping party.

When: 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 23

Where: The National Building Museum (Auditorium): 401 F Street NW, Washington, DC. From there we will travel out into the city on foot, bike or car to collect test data.

Who: You! Colleagues interested in the relationship between open mobile technology and the improvement of urban planning and transport in developing countries. You (or at least one of your buddies) will need an Android-based mobile to join the data collection effort, but everyone is welcome to observe and discuss.

Why: Our goal is to create a simple open-source platform that can readily be adopted by cities throughout the developing world. At each stage of the program's development, we eagerly seek feedback from colleagues of different backgrounds, to ensure the final product is as useful and efficient as possible. At the same time, we hope that this feedback process is interactive, with participants learning and taking away as much as they give.

How: The event will kick-off with a workshop, where representatives from the World Bank and OpenPlans will present the program, provide basic training for the pilot test, and invite participants to share experiences and ask questions. Then, participants are invited to rove the city in teams, generating application data. Afterwards, participants will reconvene at the museum to discuss results and issues. From there we'll walk to the Green Turtle to continue the conversation over beers, sodas, and snacks.

Be sure to bring your (charged!) Android phone if you plan to participate in the data collection effort.

1:00 p.m. Workshop (introduce project, install app on phones)
2:00 p.m. Application test (bike, walk or drive around the city collecting data)
3:30 p.m. Reconvene at the museum to view data and discuss results!
4:00 p.m . Drinks and further discussion at the Green Turtle (601 F Street, NW)

RSVP: If you plan on attending, please RSVP at http://www.eventbrite.com/event/4326909904