Open data and open decisions, Mark Frank-University of Southampton
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The document discusses the current state and challenges of open data within local authorities, highlighting low engagement levels and limited use among various stakeholders, including the local press and voluntary sector. It stresses the need for open data to be more accessible, useful, and integrated to truly benefit citizens and enhance transparency. Additionally, it outlines potential future directions for open data initiatives, emphasizing the importance of leadership and user-focused approaches to foster real community engagement.
Open data and open decisions, Mark Frank-University of Southampton
- 1. Open Data and Open Decisions Mark Frank University of Southampton
- 2. My Research • Local Authority open data • Case studies – over 30 interviews – Who is using it? – What impact is it having politically? • Organisations and people who have a job to do (and may not care that much about Open Data) – Officers e.g. commissioning – Councillors – in power and opposition – Voluntary sector – Local press – well one reporter!
- 3. Aims of Open Data 3 Aims Political Transparency Police.uk Citizen choice School Admissions Participation ? Economic Individual Transport Apps Business Energy Saving
- 4. What Open Data is Not Doing • Survey on use of “Pickles” list (Worthy 2013) – 60% described use as ‘low’ or ‘very low’ with (another 30% not knowing) – Highest use 6002 page views in a 28 month period • My experience confirms this: “There are people like the armchair auditor ... but they are pretty far and few between at the moment” “there are books in libraries that don’t get borrowed for years and years, but then someone will want it someday” Little or no use by local press • Why So Low? – Presentation – hard to find, hard to understand – Habits – not used to it – Motivation – who cares? – The press get stories from elsewhere, don’t have the skills
- 5. The Voluntary Sector view • Supplier/procurer relationship “We have to supply lots of data to them, but we don’t get much back” • What we would like to know – What’s the strategy – How can we help “Where are the dementia sufferers” – How can we make our case (right to challenge) Costs e.g. running a house Demand for services e.g. Deprivation • What we know and could tell you – What’s really happening!
- 6. What Open Data is doing – the internal effect 6 Terry Leahy “to run an enterprise without data is like driving by night with no headlights.” • “it is a bit like taking your desk ... so it is in full visibility of everyone walking past” • “energy data effects how staff use energy because it becomes transparent, it becomes open”
- 7. What Open Data is Doing – US Cities Baltimore, Chicago, New York, ….
- 8. What Open Data Could Be Doing 8 It’s not about your revealing your organisation. It’s about helping your residents. • Address all users to help with their problems • Combines data from many sources • Easy to find and understand • Easy to correct and contribute Data becomes a shared resource – a communication substrate Decisions become shared decisions Surely this is what localism really means?
- 9. Who is Doing It? • Selective • Combine Many Organisations • Visualise and support • In many cases lead from outside local government
- 10. How Do We Get There? • Leadership • Take Your Own Medicine – the internal story • Growing the Community – but don’t become a club for enthusiasts • Take the user’s point of view (and that is not the app developer!) – Open Data is one tool among many – It may (or may not) help to solve real problems in combination with other resources