The Global Impact of Open Data: Key Findings from Detailed Case Studies Around the World

"[D]espite the evident potential of open data, and despite the growing amounts of information being released by governments and corporations, little is actually known about its use and impact. What kind of social and economic transformations has open data brought about, and what transformations might it effect in the future? How - and under what circumstances - has it been most effective? How have open-data practitioners mitigated risks (e.g., to privacy) while maximizing social good?"

This report, developed with support from Omidyar Network, presents 19 case studies of open data projects throughout the world, along with analysis of what works and what doesn't. (Open data is defined here as publicly available data that can be universally and readily accessed, used, and redistributed free of charge. It is structured for usability and computability.) Authors Andrew Young and Stefaan Verhulst, both with The GovLab at New York University, explain how these case studies have made governments more accountable and efficient, helped policymakers find solutions to previously intractable public problems (e.g., related to public health or global warming), created new economic opportunities, and empowered citizens through new forms of social mobilisation.

Selected for their sectoral and geographic representativeness and built in part from first-hand interviews, the case studies include open data projects for improving government in Brazil, Sweden, Slovakia, and other countries. They describe projects for empowering citizens in Tanzania, Kenya, Mexico, and Uruguay. They detail public problem-solving efforts built on open data for Ebola in Sierra Leone, dengue fever in Singapore, and earthquakes in New Zealand. They highlight new business opportunities enabled by open weather, geo-location, and market research data. Here are some examples:

• Brazil's Open Budget Transparency Portal is an example of the most "traditional" type of open-data project: a downloadable set of open government data accessible to the public.
• Mexico's Mejora Tu Escuela is the result of a non-governmental organisation compiling and presenting data (including open government data) in easily digestible forms.
• The United Kingdom Ordnance Survey offers a combination of free and paid spatial data, suggesting the possibilities (and limitations) of a mixed model of open and closed data.

The research identified 4 enabling conditions that allow the potential of open data to manifest. Overall, open data projects work best when they: are based on partnerships and collaborations among various (often intersectoral) organisations; emerge within an "open data public infrastructure" that enables the regular release of potentially impactful data; are accompanied by clear open data policies, including performance metrics; and address or attempt to solve a well-defined problem or issue that is an obvious priority to citizens and likely beneficiaries.

The e-book identifies the key challenges that open data projects face. These include: a lack of readiness, especially evident in the form of low technical and human capacity in societies or nations hosting open data initiatives; projects that are unresponsive - and thus inflexible - to user or citizen needs; projects that result in inadequate protections for privacy or security; and projects that suffer from a shortage of resources, financial and otherwise.

Part of the e-book outlines 10 recommendations and implementation steps for policymakers, entrepreneurs, and activists looking to leverage open data. In brief:

1. Focus on and define key problem areas for which open data can add value.
2. Encourage collaborations across sectors (especially between government, private sector, and civil society) to better match the supply and demand of open data.
3. Approach and treat data as a form of vital 21st-century public infrastructure.
4. Create clear open-data policies that are measurable and allow for agile evolution.
5. Take steps to increase the capacity of public and private actors to make meaningful use of open data.
6. Identify and manage risks associated with the release and use of open data. [E.g., "Involve all stakeholders (including citizen groups) in developing data quality and risk standards. A participatory, collaborative approach to mitigating risks can build trust and help achieve the right balance between social goods like innovation, on the one hand, and risks like privacy and security, on the other hand. Crowdsourcing can be a valuable tool here, giving policymakers a way to solicit a wide range of responses from diverse stakeholder groups."]
7. Be responsive to the needs, demands, and questions generated from the use of open data.
8. Allocate and identify adequate resources to sustain and expand the necessary open-data infrastructure in a participatory manner.
9. Develop a common research agenda to move toward evidence-based open data policies and practices.
10. Keep innovating - remain in question mode. Key remaining questions: What are the optimal value propositions (e.g., fighting corruption, spurring economic activity, citizens' right to government information) to highlight in order to spur open-data activity in different contexts based on local priorities and needs? What are the conditions to scale the effect of open data? How can open data initiatives be made sustainable? What comparative insights are transferable in a universal manner? What is the optimal internal data infrastructure for enabling impactful open-data initiatives?

Visit the Open Data Impact website for additional resources on this topic.