[et_pb_section bb_built="1" admin_label="Section" fullwidth="on" specialty="off"][et_pb_fullwidth_image admin_label="Image" src="https://news.communitech.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/ODX-Cross-Canada-Trip-Report_Western-Canada.png" alt="Should Government Data Be Free?" title_text="Should Government Data Be Free?" show_in_lightbox="off" url_new_window="off" use_overlay="off" animation="left" use_border_color="off" border_color="#ffffff" border_style="solid" /][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built="1" admin_label="section"][et_pb_row admin_label="row"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Subheading" background_layout="light" text_orientation="left" use_border_color="off" border_color="#ffffff" border_style="solid"]
Open data champions needed, Western Canada says
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Interviews & Roundtables Convened
- Winnipeg, MB
- Edmonton, AB
- Strathcona County, AB
- Calgary, AB
- Vancouver, BC
Common Themes
- Prioritize data sets seen as "low-hanging fruit" for release
- Importance of open data champions
- Communication and outreach to local open data community
- Focus on data quality, not quantity
- Full-time staff dedicated to open data necessary
Overall Insights
A consistent theme across our tour has been the willingness and eagerness for companies to work with their municipal counterparts. What’s important is that companies do not expect governments to have all the answers nor do they expect perfection. Rather, they seek ways to work collaboratively to advance the open data agenda. Companies are similarly interested in participating in advisory panels and roundtable discussions which have an impact on government decision making related to open data. If governments are interested in leveraging open data to its fullest impact, leaning on the data users will be a key method of capitalizing on emerging opportunities.
In convening the roundtables, we also heard from municipalities that they want to hear from companies how open data is being used. Herein lies a key challenge – municipalities are having a difficult time connecting with companies that are successfully commercializing municipal open data. These success stories can then be used by municipal staff to demonstrate the economic impact of open data in their region, which can then make more resources available to open data projects. It cannot be understated how important establishing clear lines of communication between companies and municipalities is to advancing open data. The only question which hasn’t been addressed is which outreach/communication method is the simplest and most effective.
What we heard from companies
Key Issues
- What data sets are available and where to find them
- Importance of version and quality control of data sets
- Need for common data sets across Canada
The companies we heard from were very eager to work with governments releasing open data sets. Furthermore, they were eager to give back to government by helping to clean data sets and feed them back in. The challenge, however, is government’s ability and receptivity to ingesting data that has been manipulated by an outside source. The question becomes: is it easier for government to clean up data sets internally (slowly), or is it easier to review and approve altered data sets that have been cleaned by interested parties? This presents an opportunity for improved and expanded partnerships between businesses and municipalities no matter what the decision is.
There is also a large desire for consistency; among data sets, data quality, release dates, and contact points. For the most part, companies are unconcerned with the specifics, they simply want some consistency that they can plan for. Therefore, they suggest to municipalities to establish processes and stick with them, provide ample notification of impending changes, and only make changes when necessary. Companies already go through the process of manipulating open data sets for their own purposes, and any aberration from the norm represents a significant risk to their products or services.
What we heard from government
Key Issues
- Importance of champions at leadership levels (bureaucracy and council)
- An open data policy is a valuable starting point
- Begin with data that is easy to release
- Communicate value of open data to internal stakeholders
- Require better mechanisms to communicate with open data community
A commonality across all municipalities has been the challenge of pitching open data to internal stakeholders, many of whom are struggling with the cultural shift associated with greater transparency and openness. In response to this, a change of tone emerged in our discussions with some government open data stewards, who indicated they no longer pitch open data as an asset for the community. Instead, they focus on how open data can bring value to internal stakeholders by reducing paperwork, freeing staff time, and even cutting costs. Eventually the benefits of open data will flow to the wider community, but that is not a compelling value proposition for government stakeholders who are forced to change the way they work.
An interesting struggle also exists for municipalities between finding out who is using their data sets and the importance of removing all impediments to data access (ie. no login, no registration, no email/name required). Above all, privacy is front of mind. However, contrary to popular narrative, companies were very eager for a platform to share thoughts and ideas and were in fact encouraging governments to gather names and emails to establish ongoing conversations with open data users.
We heard from governments a simple approach to starting with open data – start with data sets that you already provide for free, and simply automate the process. By starting with these data sets, it becomes easy to quickly convert staff into internal champions. Other approaches to identifying data sets for release include those that are subject to frequent access to information requests, digitizing annual reports or quarterly updates, and talking with staff to identify "clean" data that is produced with little effort.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built="1" admin_label="Section" fullwidth="off" specialty="off"][et_pb_row admin_label="Row"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_divider admin_label="Divider" color="#9ea2a3" show_divider="on" height="3" divider_style="solid" divider_position="top" hide_on_mobile="on" /][et_pb_team_member admin_label="Person" name="John Chiappetta" position="Projects & Initiatives" image_url="https://news.communitech.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/John-2017-warm.jpg" animation="off" background_layout="light" twitter_url="https://twitter.com/Chiappetta__" linkedin_url="https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-chiappetta-1b80136a/" use_border_color="off" border_color="#ffffff" border_style="solid"]
John Chiappetta leads Projects & Initiatives at Canada’s Open Data Exchange (ODX). He works with companies and municipalities of all sizes to enhance their use of data and innovation to improve services, inform local decision-making and drive engagement. John believes that the most critical business questions are not answered with what data you could or should access, but by first working out what your business is looking to achieve.
John holds a Masters degree in Political Science and has completed undergraduate work in Political Science and Business.
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