Stephen Goldsmith Harvard Kennedy School Stephen Goldsmith Harvard Kennedy School Realizing the Full Benefits of Open Data Stephen Goldsmith Professor of Government Harvard Kennedy School

Two Key Elements of Open Data Foundational Policy Implementation and Realizing Benefits datasmart.ash.harvard.edu

Crafting a Policy Supporting Transparency and Innovation 1. What data should be public 2. How to make data public 3. How to implement policy Source of some of this content and preeminent resource: Sunlight Foundation Guidelines Sunlight Foundation Guidelines

Open Data Policy Guidelines 1. What Data Should be Public Wield and build on precedent like public records laws Set the default to open Have departments review their datasets and report to an oversight authority Create a comprehensive data inventory Develop a plan for updating and maintaining datasets Appropriately safeguard sensitive info Require status reports and future review

2. How to Make Data Public Set technical standards Use open formats Allow for bulk download Publish guidance Create a data portal Remove barriers to access Sketch new frontiers Digitize archival material Open Data Policy Guidelines

Data Portals datasmart.ash.harvard.edu

3. How to Implement Policy Establish guidance and oversight e.g. Chief Data Officer Create data inventories to determine what data a city already has Set timelines Mandate future review Include public perspectives Open Data Policy Guidelines

Creating Data Inventories datasmart.ash.harvard.edu

Lessons Learned Don’t… Copy and paste Fixate on a data portal Hide behind vague language Do... Customize for your community Plan for the long term Create actionable guidance Lessons Learned

Provide access to quality data while protecting against liability Safeguard sensitive information while balance-testing in the public interest Provide sufficient funding and staffing for meeting timelines and providing quality data Engage the public to identify high-priority data Challenges

Why are we opening data? 1.Make Data Useful to Citizens 2.Engage Citizens in Creating and Using Data 3.Make Data Actionable Within Government 4.Encourage Third-Party Use datasmart.ash.harvard.edu

Making Data Useful to Citizens NYC 311 Moving from a "burden- on-citizen" approach to a "citizen-as-sensor" model New model: citizen as partner in fashioning or identifying a solution

datasmart.ash.harvard.edu Making Data Useful to Citizens Uruguay Open Data Portal Where do our taxes go? Visualize public spending data. On our way! Identify local service providers for given address. Catalogue of Public Procurement. Increase access to existing records. Make public-interest data readily available Third parties may develop new services based on open data Making Data Useful to Citizens

datasmart.ash.harvard.edu Making Data Useful to Citizens Merge websites of all government departments and other public bodies into Inside Government section of Gov.uk Faster, clearer, easier way for public to find out what government may be doing about a given issue Help public policy professionals understand wider context, increase collaboration and coherence. Gov.uk : Unifying Online Presence Making Data Useful to Citizens

datasmart.ash.harvard.edu Making Data Useful to Citizens Let’s Talk (Colombia) Direct contact with citizens receiving government benefits Empower the poor & vulnerable through information access Build a relationship of trust through service channel by providing timely and updated information Making Data Useful to Citizens

datasmart.ash.harvard.edu Make Data Useful: Visualization

datasmart.ash.harvard.edu Engage Citizens in Creating and Using Data

datasmart.ash.harvard.edu Engage Citizens in Creating and Using Data

datasmart.ash.harvard.edu Make Data Actionable Within Government

Integrating data across departments: HHS Connect Source: datasmart.ash.harvard.edu Make Data Actionable Within Government

datasmart.ash.harvard.edu Make Data Actionable Within Government Alternative Accountability: Boston City Worker Mobile app for City public works field workers Workers manage daily work list, access info on severity & location of work orders Discretion to manage own priorities, rather than returning to office for directions More accountable to citizens Integration with Citizens Connect app: resident reports problem, receives tracking updates and alert when solved Supervisors more effective Freed from constantly following crews to verify completion Can create & revise assignments from field, be more responsive to public

datasmart.ash.harvard.edu Make Data Actionable Within Government Alternative Accountability: Boston City Worker Improved efficiency: Potholes repaired within 2 days improved from 48% to 96% after adoption of City Worker (Feb 2011-Jan 2013)

datasmart.ash.harvard.edu Encourage Third Party Use

Responsive, Effective, Transparent Governance Performance measurement Calls to 311 Inputs via city apps Mined social media CitiStat Integrated data systems Ideation with citizens datasmart.ash.harvard.edu

More open data information datasmart.ash.harvard.edu