Track L Stott

A Public Sector Body’s Business Case for Opening Data

Andrew Stott UK Transparency Boardformerly Director, data.gov.uk

EPSIPlatform, Rotterdam16 March 2012

@dirdigengandrew.stott@dirdigeng.com

Framework Business Case for Opening Data

Increases accountability to our taxpayers/voters

Helps businesses innovate, so the economy grows and makes the country/city richer

Engages citizens in improving public services

Improves our own efficiency

Costs little or nothing

We’ll work better with other public agencies

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It’s a no brainer

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A Public Sector Body’s Business Case for NOT Opening Data

Andrew Stott UK Transparency Boardformerly Director, data.gov.uk

EPSIPlatform, Rotterdam16 March 2012

@dirdigengandrew.stott@dirdigeng.com

The less we say the more people

will trust us

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In public services, producers know what’s best

for consumers

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[Citizens should shut up and be grateful they get

anything]

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It’s not our job to help business and

civil society innovate and grow

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We have the money, skills and time to make all

the websites and mobile apps

citizens would ever need

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Indeed our website has won prizes*!

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Indeed our website has won prizes*!

*in a competition with other government websites

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We won’t share our data with other

public agencies unless they beg us

for it privately

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We won’t share our data with other

public agencies unless they beg us

for it privately

After all, we don’t need their data 13

So we have to release something?

And it benefits business?

So let’s charge for it

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A Public Sector Body’s Business Case for Charging for Data

Andrew Stott UK Transparency Boardformerly Director, data.gov.uk

EPSIPlatform, Rotterdam16 March 2012

@dirdigengandrew.stott@dirdigeng.com

Making money is our agency’s prime mission.

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Making money is our agency’s prime mission.

The good of the country/city and its people comes

second.

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(That’s why we joined the civil service rather than

becoming bankers)

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Intellectual Property Management is a higher priority to us than curing patients, teaching kids,

catching criminals, keeping the streets clean

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Much of the money we collect will be lost in the

costs of collecting it

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Much of the money we collect will be lost in the

costs of collecting it

But at least we’ll be providing jobs to lawyers

and accountants21

If only a few people buy our data, we might lose

money overall

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If only a few people buy our data, we might lose

money overall

But we can always sack some front line staff to

pay for the lawyers23

Eventually the Ministry of Finance will spot our “extra

income”, and subtract it from our central grant

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Eventually the Ministry of Finance will spot our “extra

income”, and subtract it from our central grant

We’ll be no better off, but we will have more lawyers

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We’re happy to charge other public agencies for

our data.

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We’re happy to charge other public agencies for

our data.

They would not dare to charge us for their data

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There’s no evidence that Open Data leads to economic growth

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the fact that all the economic studies are

against us just shows that they are all wrong

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and economists are all mad anyway

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and economists are all mad anyway

especially Rufus Pollock

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Anyway, the benefit would go to our country/city

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Anyway, the benefit would go to our country/city

Our business is not about helping them.

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Anyway, the benefit would go to our country/city

Our business is not about helping them.

Our business is about

helping ourselves34

Finally

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These business cases are fictional

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These business cases are fictional

No real public agency would ever use them

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