Digital Co-Creation of Policyby

Governments in Partnership with Citizens

Open data is a concept that involves offering free access to data. Anyone can use

and republish the data in whatever manner they wish. There are no copyright

restrictions or patents. The concept behind the open data movement is like other

well-known movements such as open access or open source. This long-established

philosophy is gaining in popularity due to the Internet and the launch of

government based open data initiatives such as Data.Gov.

From Fiscal Austerity to Freedom of Information

Requests for smarter cities and governing bodies have brought the concept of the

open data movement to the forefront of people’s minds. Data is gaining in value;

the only issues that appear to need to be ironed out are the “how’s” and the

“what’s.”

Having a government-as-platform strategy is rapidly becoming a game-changer.

Plans are already in place to liberate data and make big government more open.

Citizens & Government Can Benefit from Open Data

Transparency

The government has always appeared to be mysterious to citizens. Many believe

the government is a separate entity and not a collective entity. With Gov 2.0

citizens will be able to see more of the process involved in governing.

Collaboration

Now citizens can offer instant input regarding government activities. Gov 2.0 can

open dialogue and facilitate conversations between citizens and their governing

entities.

Innovation

Increased collaboration and speed of communication will inevitably lead to better

innovation. Ideas can be easily and rapidly exchanged, and implementing change

can happen even faster than before. The results? A streamlined bureaucratic

process.

More Information is Necessary before Changes are Completed

Open data is relatively new. Government agencies, vendors, enterprises and

citizens aren’t in a position yet to completely understand the shift that is occurring

as government evolves into a platform. International and domestic policies must be

adjusted to compensate. Best practices and obstacles still need to be evaluated and

addressed. However, the verdict is already in; world government is changing.

The Road Ahead: Open Data Still a Work in Progress

There is more to the process than publishing data sets to websites and calling it a

day. There is no doubt that moving toward government-as-a-platform status will be

beneficial, but the obstacles are less technological and more cultural. Open data is

designed to be a means, not an end.

Open data should increase citizen trust in the governing process. Transparency

should be the prime goal. Information sharing and co-creation between

governments and citizens is paramount to building two-way participation that will

create an open government.

There’s still much to do before the dream becomes a reality. However,

conversations have already begun, and it appears that everyone is poised to move

in the right direction.