Aim

Understand how releasing government open data

can be used to solve challenges, and not just to
meet targets.

Learning outcomes
By the end of the session you will be able to:

Identify different types of government open data sets

Categorise different government open data sets

(according whether they can be used to solve challenges,
or meet targets)

Recognise challenges where releasing government open

data could be beneficial

Hello
Who are you?
What do you do?
What was your first experience of
open data?
What do you hope to get out of
today?

What is open data?

Open data is data that is available
for anyone to access, use and share

What are some examples of

government open datasets?
Two minutes:

Divide into groups

Write down as many answers on
individual post-it notes
One person from each group to call back

Are the following examples of

government open datasets?
1.

Office of National Statistics

Regional household income

2. UK Government

Policy data

3. Department of Business, Innovation and Skills

VAT registered businesses

What are some

examples of
government open
datasets from around
the world?

Health: Statistics on obesity, physical activity and diet

Education: Apprenticeship completion

Transport: Active MOT vehicle testing

154 datasets released

Examples:

Permits for operators of waste data

Addresses of company communications services

From the examples of

government datasets that we
identified earlier:

What was covered?

What was not?
Why?

How can we categorise some government open data sets?

By-product of existing government services

Potential high value, high impact datasets

Targets and government

open data initiatives
Push and pull factors

International instruments

Open Government Partnership

Internal resistance and lack of understanding

Prioritisation of data

How can open data be

categorised?
How could we categorise the government open data sets
we identified earlier?
Either to solve challenges or to meet targets?
Five minutes:

In same groups
Divide paper into 2 sides, categorise datasets on
post-it notes
One person from each group to share

Water point mapping in

Kenya

Water point mapping in

Kenya
Problem

Ministry of Environment wanted to improve

evidence base to kickstart investments in
water pipelines in rural areas

Method

Mapping 8,000 datasets across 8 counties in

Kenya

Water point mapping in Kenya

Putting challenges first with

open data
10 minutes:

What challenges do the data sets you have listed

help solve?
Are there any challenges that you have that you
could be solved by data that hasnt been
mentioned?
What data would you need to be opened?

One person to call back from group

How can governments ensure

that data released helps to
solve challenges?

Ingredients for Open

Data Success (1)
1.

Articulate a clear and practical vision

2.

Develop and maintain support across

government

Political will

Senior officials on board

Individual frontline champions incentives and

rewarding success

3. Create cultural change champions

Who will be responsible for guiding through

cultural change?

Ingredients for Open

Data Success (2)
4. Create systems to encourage feedback: internal
and external

Who are you relying on to use your data? How can

you help develop those communities?

How will data users easily and regularly provide

feedback?

5. Embed quick wins in a long-term strategy

6. Know what success looks like, and how you will
measure it.

How will you measure progress as you go?

Ingredients for Open

Data Success (3)
7. Plan for change: be agile and respond to
shifting opportunities and needs

Does your plan have space for adjustments?

What are the right times to review the open

data strategy?

8. Give communities inside and outside

government opportunities to keep learning

Who will need avenues for training and

development as plans progress?

Learning outcomes
By the end of the session you will be able to:

Identify different types of government open data sets

Categorise different government open data sets

(according whether they can be used to solve challenges,
or meet targets)

Recognise challenges where releasing government open

data could be beneficial

Resources
Open data in government, How to bring about change:
https://theodi.org/open-data-in-government-how-to-bringabout-change
Open data in Macedonia, from legislation to engagement:
https://theodi.org/case-studies/case-study-a-profile-of-opendata-initiatives-in-macedonia
Kenya open data, water point mapping:
http://blog.opendata.go.ke/?p=39
Open Data Barometer:
http://www.opendatabarometer.org/report/analysis/index.html