And the public, in turn, is having a similar epiphany. Citizens now see open data as the key to better understanding the issues they care about the most, be it education, health care or housing.
The Rise of Open Data
The government sector is working to meet this demand for open data. Earlier this year, the White House even hosted an Open Data Innovation Summit to showcase cutting-edge uses of open data.The idea of open data isn’t entirely new; some aspects date back to Bill Clinton’s administration. But the issue has come to a head during the Obama years as innovations in data analytics have coincided with pressure from the public for transparency.
A 2013 White House memo on open data urged federal government agencies to “make information resources accessible, discoverable and usable by the public.” Doing so, said the memo, “can help fuel entrepreneurship, innovation and scientific discovery — all of which improve Americans’ lives and contribute significantly to job creation.”
Such statements didn’t arise from a vacuum; they were driven by technological advances, societal demands and positive examples in business. Just as many businesses have seen a sea change in their decision-making thanks to data analytics, governments are realizing the potential of data as a powerful resource. The two greatest assets of any organization, be it public or private, are its people and its data.
Unlike other resources, there’s no shortage of data. The challenge is to get the most out of that growing pool of information. The data signifies a potential to advance a well informed electorate; today’s citizens are equipped to have a better understanding of the facts that shape their country than ever before.
But with great power comes great responsibility. Open data requires some guidelines for the greater good. The following are three aspects of open data for governments to consider as they transform data into insights for citizens.
1. Empower people to access the right data.
Open data doesn’t mean everything gets shared with the public without consideration. Such a data dump would defeat the purpose of open data, creating further mystification. Rather, pertinent data should be selected and highlighted, based on the needs and wants of the public.
At each level of government, embracing open data involves helping people answer their questions using data. Are parents seeking further evidence for the effectiveness of testing in schools? Release data on test scores and their efficacy. Are commuters demanding better information on bus and train routes? Release data on current and potential transit maps. Are retirees panicking about their Social Security checks? Release budgetary information on projected funding for Social Security. Needs and demands should determine the forms open data take.
Curating data may sound contradictory to open data, but it’s essential. If you release everything, you reveal nothing. The importance of the human element in open-data sharing is emblematic of a larger truth: Despite fantastic advances in technology, data will never speak for itself. Data comes alive when citizens can access it and interact with it.
2. Enable interaction with the data.
Thanks to powerful data analytics tools, we’re past the days of static charts that allowed for no further questions. We can now share information in ways that are visually intuitive and highly interactive.
Just as businesses use data analytics to empower their management, employees and customers, governments can empower their citizens. Often this empowerment takes the form of data blending. Rarely does one data set tell a complete story on its own. But when blended with other sources — social media data, geographical data, economic data and so on — fresh insights and a fuller picture emerge.
Government can release pre-blended data of meaningful metrics while also enabling citizens to create their own blends. This kind of interactivity makes a static spreadsheet feel like a stone tablet.
This is a huge improvement over static charts of years past. People can now interact with the data, slicing and dicing as they see fit, and asking their own questions.
3. Build public trust with open data.
Open data is open, but it doesn’t mean it’s the Wild West. No one wants the government releasing personal information on citizens or data that would jeopardize national security.
Government agencies mustn’t reveal too little or too much. Strike and maintain the right balance and you’ll earn the public’s trust.
Explaining security protocols and the reasons why some data sets are not available should become habitual for governments. Transparency isn’t just about revealing data; it’s also about being up front about what can’t be revealed.
Put Data in the Hands of the People
From policymaking to business decisions, data is becoming an increasingly important part of our lives. And with the open-data movement growing, more and more citizens will be empowered to leverage data in their daily decision-making.As more people join the data-informed conversation, the goal of open data should be to build a healthy ecosystem that consists of data advocates, producers and users. And government agencies should implement platforms that not only allow citizens to consume the data, but also help them share their data-backed ideas and collaborate with the insights they uncover.
Rob Dolan is a market segment director for Tableau Software.
