Factual.com: Collaborative Data in Action

A while back, I mentioned Factual.com, which provides a free tool to create and share collaborative tables. Their goal is to make it easier for people to organize, collaborate on, and access data, as well as make it more transparent. The site is now out of private beta and is available to the public, and HRC has built 15 tables that might interest you.

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Factual is an excellent example of how data can be harnessed as a powerful collaborative tool. Users can share data and also embed interactive tables on their websites, blogs, etc. Moreover, public tables allow other users to comment on, correct, or debate specific data points. Especially for large datasets that need regular updating, Factual can help you harness the power of groups (or “crowds”) to keep the table comprehensive and fresh. For instance, vegetarian restaurants – in our next blog post, HRC’s Sharie Lesniak will share a great example.

In the meantime, here’s the current list of Factual tables created by HRC:

• Mammalian Carnivores Killed by USDA's Wildlife Services
• List of Endangered and Threatened Species (partial)
• NIH Report Database - Animal-Related Projects
• Estimates of Funding for Various Research, Condition, and Disease Categories
• Vegetarian Food Manufacturers, Retailers and Related Businesses
• HumaneSpot.org Database Items, as of August 15, 2009
• Farmed Animal Slaughter in the U.S., 1950-2008
• HSUS Humane Index Ranking of 25 Largest U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas
• U.S. Total and Per Capita Consumption of Dairy Products, 1909-2007
• U.S. Total and Per Capita Consumption of Eggs - Shell and Processed Eggs
• U.S. Per Capita Consumption of Red Meat, Poultry, and Fish, Pounds per Person
• Expenditures for Wildlife-Related Recreation by State
• Top 10 States for Wildlife Watching-Related Expenditures
• Days of Wildlife-Watching Activity in the U.S., Total and by State
• Number of Wildlife Watchers in the U.S., Total and by State

Go here to see HRC’s Factual.com profile and access links for each table.

Do you have suggestions for other tables we should create? If so, please click on the “add new comment” link below (you must be logged in to see this option).