[Imports] presenting the case for open data to local government?

Nicholas Doiron nickd at codeforamerica.org
Sat Oct 12 16:37:08 UTC 2013


Code for America has a bunch of resources advocating for open data, open
source software, and open practices in local government:
http://brigade.codeforamerica.org/pages/openimpact-government#section-learnTL;DR:
opening data is a quick way for the city to get involved with new
technology, transparency, and citizen engagement.

There's a greater awareness of OSM in the traditional government GIS world
now that ArcGIS 10 and ArcGIS Online offer it as a basemap.

In my own work with the City of Boston, I discovered that it helped to show
that cities like Chicago and Cambridge (Massachusetts) have opened their
GIS data on GitHub, and they're getting praised for it. Many more cities
are releasing data through paid platforms like Socrata (probable less of an
option for smaller cities and towns, but South Bend, Indiana recently did
this). Also show that many maps use OpenStreetMap data and that we could
improve the local map by making our data available.

-- Nick


On Sat, Oct 12, 2013 at 10:25 AM, Serge Wroclawski <emacsen at gmail.com>wrote:

> The reason I didn't bring up Dan's argument (though I love Dan's
> evidence) is that "cost recovery" is often a term used. So someone
> might ask "Where's our cost recovery?"
>
> So for the economic argument, you need to talk to the mayor or others,
> rather than the GIS department.
>
> - Serge
>
> On Sat, Oct 12, 2013 at 10:22 AM, Dan S <danstowell+osm at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > In addition to the angles that Serge mentions, I'd imagine that some
> > people would be most interested in an economic angle, showing that
> > open data improves the local economy.
> >
> > This UK report estimates that the OS OpenData initiative will deliver
> > a net £13.0 million - £28.5 million increase in GDP in 2016. The main
> > components of this increase are net productivity gains (£8.1 million –
> > £18.2 million) and additional real tax revenues (£4.4 million – £8.3
> > million):
> >
> https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ordnance-survey-open-data-economic-value-study
> >
> > This Danish report "documents that the free-of-charge agreement, as
> > anticipated, has been an important condition for realising
> > considerable social benefits of reusing public data on addresses":
> >
> http://www.adresse-info.dk/Portals/2/Benefit/Value_Assessment_Danish_Address_Data_UK_2010-07-07b.pdf
> >
> > The UK Open Data Institute has more info and links in this guide: "How
> > to make a business case for open data":
> > http://theodi.org/guide/how-make-business-case-open-data
> >
> > This presentation is about open-source not open-data, but shows that
> > openness can reduce costs over the lifetime of a service (stats quoted
> > include 10% saving in public sector, 44% in finance sector):
> >
> http://www.slideshare.net/cdaffara/economic-value-of-open-source-14861646
> >
> > Best
> > Dan
> >
> > 2013/10/12 Daniel Joseph <dan.b.joseph at gmail.com>:
> >> Hi everyone,
> >>
> >> I was wondering if anyone had experience conveying to local government
> all
> >> the reasons for opening up data. The city where I grew up has a clunky
> "GIS
> >> web portal" with which you can only view data. A neighboring city will
> >> provide data but their data release form includes the following: "The
> data
> >> is provided solely for the use of the requesting party and may not be
> made
> >> available to anyone else."
> >>
> >> I want to put together a succinct and well-documented argument that I
> can
> >> send along to a city council member/ mayor/ city manager/ etc.
> >>
> >> Anything you're willing to pass along (comments, suggestions, something
> >> you've written up, research, etc) would be much appreciated.
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >> Dan
> >>
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> >>
> >
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