Four clues for untying the gordian knot of public sector information w notes

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Four clues for untying the Gordian knot of Public Sector Information

Alberto Ortiz de Zarate

Director of Citizen Services

Brussels, 2011/06/28

2011 Annual

Conference

‘Moving Forward’

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I am Alberto Ortiz de Zarate,

director of citizen services in the Basque Government, and the man in

charge of the open data policy in our region.

First, I want to thank the invitation of the PSI Alliance. For me and my

Government, is an honour to speak at a forum like this, which brings

together much of the European re-users. I want you to know that the

main objective of our policy of open data is to fulfil your needs.

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Cutting the knot: make it easy

Many models of opening public sector information can be raised by

applying the European Directive 2003/98/EC. But it is not always

good news that many models can coexist. Releasing public

information is a complex problem for Governments, perhaps so

tangled as the Gordian knot that Alexander the Great found in his

campaign of conquest of Persia.

The Basque Government has started up an open government data

strategy 18 months ago. Now we have got experience enough to

define our own model. It’s very important to discuss strong and weak

points of each model in order to approach some kind of agreement

between governments. The aim is to be more effective and more

useful for european society.

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PSI chronologyPSI chronologyPSI chronologyPSI chronologythe background

green

paperLAW

37/2007DIRECTIVE

2003/98/CE

PSI

First of all, let me explain the timeline of our project.

There is quite a long history since 1998, when the European

Commission drafted the Green Paper on public sector information in

the information society.

That was the foundation stone of the PSI movement.

In 2003, the European directive on this matter was approved. Spain

approved its own law at the end of 2007.

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PSI chronologyPSI chronologyPSI chronologyPSI chronology

the background

green

paper

data.govdata.govdata.govdata.gov:::: conducts the 8 principles of Open

Government Data.

USA:

data.govdata.govdata.govdata.gov

LAW

37/2007DIRECTIVE

2003/98/CE

oGov Data

Principles

PSI

OGD

In parallel to the PSI movement, we find an equivalent in USA, called

Open Government Data.

PSI and OGD are not exactly the same, but both seek compatible

goals, albeit from somewhat different ideological approaches .

In 2007 we have the oGov Data Principles manifesto. In 2009,

President Obama came to office and, in a short time, data.gov is

online.

It’s the first time that a national government conducts the eight

principles of open government data.

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PSI chronologyPSI chronologyPSI chronologyPSI chronology

the background

green

paperLAW

37/2007DIRECTIVE

2003/98/CE

oGov Data

PrinciplesOGD

data.gov.ukdata.gov.ukdata.gov.ukdata.gov.uk:::: first in Europe

UK (Brown):

data.gov.ukdata.gov.ukdata.gov.ukdata.gov.uk

data.gov

In 2009, we find the first case in Europe, with data.gov.uk, by the

Gordon Brown Government in the UK.

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PSI PSI PSI PSI ChronologyChronologyChronologyChronology

TheTheTheThe BasqueBasqueBasqueBasque Country Country Country Country

makesmakesmakesmakes historyhistoryhistoryhistory

07070707 08080808 09090909 10101010 121212121111111107070707 08080808 09090909 10101010 1212121211111111

Now we are going to focus in the very last years, in order to explain

the Basque history on open data.

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PSI chronology from a basque point of view

Decree 472/2009Decree 472/2009Decree 472/2009Decree 472/2009, gives responsibility on

openness of public information to the Office of

Citizen Service

data.gov

DECREE

472/2009

LAW

37/2007data.gov.uk

In 2009, August , we established that the Office of Citizen Service was

to be in charge of opening public information.

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07070707 08080808 09090909 10101010 121212121111111107070707 08080808 09090909 10101010 1212121211111111


Commitment 29/12/2009Commitment 29/12/2009Commitment 29/12/2009Commitment 29/12/2009: the Basque

Government ordered starting up the project

to open public data

data.gov

DECREE

472/2009

LAW

37/2007data.gov.uk

Government Government Government Government

CommitmentCommitmentCommitmentCommitment

Commitment 29/12/2009: the Basque Government ordered starting

up the project to open public data

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07070707 08080808 09090909 10101010 121212121111111107070707 08080808 09090909 10101010 1212121211111111


07/04/2010:07/04/2010:07/04/2010:07/04/2010: "Open Data Euskadi" starts,

with over 1,000 datasets

data.gov

Decree472/2009

LAW

37/2007data.gov.uk

Commitment29/12/2009 Open Data Open Data Open Data Open Data

EuskadiEuskadiEuskadiEuskadi

On 2010, April, we started up opendata.euskadi.net, our catalog of

open data. It was the first non-anglosaxon open data website in the

world.

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07070707 08080808 09090909 10101010 121212121111111107070707 08080808 09090909 10101010 1212121211111111


data.gov

Decree472/2009

LAW

37/2007data.gov.uk

Commitment29/12/2009

““““youyouyouyou are are are are herehereherehere””””

1.500 datasets1.500 datasets1.500 datasets1.500 datasets

Now we are in the middle of 2011. We have around 18 months of

experience by now, and around 1.500 datasets.

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opendata.euskadi.netopendata.euskadi.netopendata.euskadi.netopendata.euskadi.net

07070707 08080808 09090909 10101010 1212121211111111

This is how our portal looks like, with contents in 3 languages:

spanish, basque and english.

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Our modelmodelmodelmodel of Open Government Data

That was the history. I think it will be more interesting to talk about

our strategy and our model.

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Strategic framework:

Open GovernmentOpen GovernmentOpen GovernmentOpen Government

We are working under the umbrella of an Open Government

strategy.

The Basque government has expressed its commitment to the

principles of open government: transparency, participation and

collaboration.

At one hand, each department is launching initiatives for open

government, from a sectorial point of view. At the other hand, we are

launching some cross-cutting initiatives for the whole government.

One of them is Open Data Euskadi. Another one is Irekia, our Open

Government website, which I strongly recommend to visit and know.

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“In the Basque Country that I want, the citizen is an

adult one who is able to think, decide and take

responsibility by participating in the joint

construction of the country.

And I want to stress this: the times when citizens

were treated like children who are led by the hand,

who are told what to do are over. The days when

people look to the politic parties or public institutions

to know where to walk have come to an end.”

Patxi Lopez, January 14, 2010“A new social contract between Basques”

http://www.slideshare.net/Irekia/100114-contrato-social-kontratu-sozial

Our region’s President is giving a strong support to the Open

Government strategy, and to this project. I want to quote 2

paragraphs from a speech at the beginning of 2010.

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MainMainMainMain objectivesobjectivesobjectivesobjectives

(1) (1) (1) (1) Generating value and wealthGenerating value and wealthGenerating value and wealthGenerating value and wealth

Innovative products by companies, reusers and citizens in general.

(2)(2)(2)(2) Promoting government transparencyPromoting government transparencyPromoting government transparencyPromoting government transparency

Reuse of data to analyze and evaluate governance.

(3)(3)(3)(3) Interoperability between administrationsInteroperability between administrationsInteroperability between administrationsInteroperability between administrations

New public services using data from different public bodies.

Although we know that we can expect some more, we are focusing

the project on 3 main goals:

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CuttingCuttingCuttingCutting thethethethe GordianGordianGordianGordian knotknotknotknot

#1: No documents, but data#1: No documents, but data#1: No documents, but data#1: No documents, but data

#2: No authorizations, but free reuse#2: No authorizations, but free reuse#2: No authorizations, but free reuse#2: No authorizations, but free reuse

#3: No information#3: No information#3: No information#3: No information----onononon----demand, but ondemand, but ondemand, but ondemand, but on----offer offer offer offer

#4: No fees, but free#4: No fees, but free#4: No fees, but free#4: No fees, but free

OK, probably I am boring the audience with all of this, talking all the

time about ourselves. I apologize. Now I can offer you a piece of

debate.

The PSI Directive –and the Spanish Law- sets a flexible framework

which allows a number of choices.

As I said before, some Governments are finding difficult to make real

a project of open data.

I think there are 4 knots that must be cut in order to go ahead with

the releasing of data. The key is “keeping it simple”.

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do ityourself!

#1: No documents, but data#1: No documents, but data#1: No documents, but data#1: No documents, but data

Data

Documents

Information

Wisdom

European Directive defines PSI as “documents”. Problems:

It misleads. The information theory tells us that the nuclear unit is

the data, while the document is a collection of data assembled

temporarily for a particular purpose.

It is overwhelming. The number of documents possible from the data

approaches infinity, and the neccesary work incalculable.

It is unclear. PDF documents can not be considered open public

information!

Our choice: raw datasets, with a high level of disaggregation.

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#2: No authorizations, but free reuse#2: No authorizations, but free reuse#2: No authorizations, but free reuse#2: No authorizations, but free reuse

The term "administrative license" implies a request for use of public

information, an administrative proceeding and the issuance of a

license for a particular use for a given period. This is an absurd

bureaucratic complexity, because:

Information on the Internet is directly taken, not is requested.

If public, I have the right to make use of it. Why limit my access?

Our choice: CC-BY license where neccessary

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#3: No on#3: No on#3: No on#3: No on----demand, but ondemand, but ondemand, but ondemand, but on----offer offer offer offer

When we think of documents and administrative licenses, we are

thinking of a system of public information at the request of

stakeholders. This builds:

An unsustainable system. Each request would be an onerous

administrative burden.

Barriers to consumption. It's hard to ask for information we do not

know that there is.

Our choice: release the information without waiting until is

demanded, while listening to the demands to release more

information.

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#4: No fees, but free#4: No fees, but free#4: No fees, but free#4: No fees, but free

Australian Government: http://www.finance.gov.au/publications/gov20taskforcereport/chapter5.htm

The EU directive allows the setting of fees for the use of public

information. Again, we are in a paradigm of documents into a

demand system. However, when focusing on data in a offer system,

the fees are unnecessary and counterproductive.

The fees are a major barrier. Reuse decreases exponentially with the

price of fees. Even small amounts can be a barrier that discourages

most.

The data is cheap. If an Administration already offers information on

its website, the cost of offering data besides is minimal.

The collection costs. The recovery procedures are only sustainable

with high rates.

Our choice: spend a small budget, release lots of data and let them

free.

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Priority in the releasing of dataPriority in the releasing of dataPriority in the releasing of dataPriority in the releasing of data

1.500 datasets

tecnological model

4 stars on a scale of 5 (Berners-Lee)

with reasonable technological sophistication

The technological model has also to be considered.

Most of you will know the useful Berners-Lee’s scale of 5 stars.

We have focused our strategy on the releasing of data, not on the

technological sophistication. Nevertheless, we need to keep a

balance. Datasets rated in the first stars of the scale are too much

difficult to reuse. We feel comfortable with a 4 stars rate, and even 3

stars may be enough for reusers.

Of course, you can focus your strategy on the technological model.

Doing so, you can contribute to make bigger the cloud of linked data.

But the fact is that, unless you have unlimited resources, you will

have to choose between many datasets or few-but- beautiful

datasets.

In the present time, with so few data to reuse, it is the time of

focusing in the amount, with only a reasonable technological

sophistication.

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A model based on web contentA model based on web contentA model based on web contentA model based on web content

1st 1st 1st 1st stepstepstepstep::::

public information = online

transparency

Our model relies on the Government’s web platform: euskadi.net.

So, our first commitment is to publish the information on our

websites, so that my mother can easily find, read and understand it.

This is the real action for transparency: all the information for

everyone.

Hidden information, databases, PDF documents… have to be

transformed in web contents –HTML

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2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd stepstepstepstep::::

release of open datasets

transparency

collaboration

Once we show the information on the web, the next thing to do is to

release the raw data (xml, csv, wms…) and give access to it in Open

Data Euskadi.

Reusers can take datasets in order to create new information. This is

a relation of collaboration with the Government.

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3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd stepstepstepstep::::

reuse provides social value


transparency

collaboration

wealth

innovation

transparency

Reusers can make new information and new services, pursuing a new

business, some innovation or transparency and accountability to

control the Government’s actions.

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AreasAreasAreasAreas ofofofof valuevaluevaluevalue

ForForForFor GovernmentsGovernmentsGovernmentsGovernments andandandand civil civil civil civil societysocietysocietysociety (Ton Zijlstra):(Ton Zijlstra):(Ton Zijlstra):(Ton Zijlstra):

• Participation, self empowerment

• Transparency, democratic control

• Better (gov) products and services

• New (gov) products and services

• Policy impact analysis, data journalism

• Efficiency and effectivity of government bodies

• New knowledge

ForForForFor companiescompaniescompaniescompanies andandandand entrepeneursentrepeneursentrepeneursentrepeneurs::::• New businesses based on reuse of data

• Products and services enriched with data reuse

• Stimulation of local innovation

• More efficient and transparent markets

• Improving internal efficiency

Ton Zijlstra: http://www.slideshare.net/TonZijlstra/ogd-in-europe

Thinking a little more in this relation of collaboration with reusers, we

find a number of areas of value. Some of then are related to

Governments and civil society (I took them from Tom Zijlstra) and

some to companies and entrepeneurs.

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opendata.euskadi.netopendata.euskadi.netopendata.euskadi.netopendata.euskadi.net

If I had some time yet, we can take a glimpse to our website,

opendata.euskadi.net.

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““““oneoneoneone stop stop stop stop shopshopshopshop”””” forforforfor reusersreusersreusersreusers

1.500 datasets

Every department or body in the Basque Government is responsible

for their datasets. We provide a gate, an “one stop shop” which

makes easier to find and download all the stuff.

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TypesTypesTypesTypes ofofofof data data data data releasedreleasedreleasedreleased

• Official statistics

• Geographic data, maps, orthophoto ...

• Environmental information

• Meteorology

• Tourism resources

• Tenders

• Grants and subsidies

• Other procedures

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More datasetsMore datasetsMore datasetsMore datasets

• Data on management

• Data of common interest to many applications

• Data on human rights

• Translation memories into basquelanguage

• The incidence of real-time traffic

• Election results

• Location of health care resources

• Atlas of mortality

• …

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SomeSomeSomeSome extrasextrasextrasextras

As an example of reuse, some products have

been developed:

– Weather forecast widget

– Map of traffic incidences

– Search for grants and subsidies in real

time

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ParticipationParticipationParticipationParticipation andandandand learninglearninglearninglearning

We have a blog and a twitter profile to boost participation and to

share knowledge between reusers and government. If you develop a

new service with data from Open Data Euskadi, we will give publicity

here.

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A A A A successsuccesssuccesssuccess casecasecasecase

on top!

Modestly, but honestly, we think ours is a success case. I fell more

than happy every time I put “open data” in google.es and see that

“open data euskadi” is just on top.

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KeysKeysKeysKeys totototo successsuccesssuccesssuccess

1. Highest political leadership

2. Short-term releasing the maximum number of datasets.

3. First datasets of maximum utility and minimum difficulty

4. Making the project sustainable, with moderate levels of

investment and spending

5. Providing good web content, usable and

understandable, before making it available as open

data.

6. Structured formats and standards.

7. Listen and involve reusers in order to meet their needs.

8. Advance the technological model, without seeking the

leadership in this regard.

9. Permanent Beta: flexibility in response to the changing

environment.

Let me share with you which are the keys that explain our success.

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HatchingHatchingHatchingHatching a global a global a global a global movementmovementmovementmovement

CTIC Foundation: http://datos.fundacionctic.org/sandbox/catalog/faceted/

To finish, I have two conclusions: one positive and another one

negative.

The positive one is that Open Government Data is growing

quickly, and it is a global movement yet. And Europe can claim

some leadership in this issue.

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Lilacs out of the dead landLilacs out of the dead landLilacs out of the dead landLilacs out of the dead land

CTIC Foundation: http://datos.fundacionctic.org/sandbox/catalog/faceted/

The negative one is summarized in this verse form “The Waste Land”,

by TS Elliot: “lilacs out of the dead land”. In fact, we have only

isolated examples of open data policies, like lost islands all over an

empty ocean. And there is not any coordination between the islands.

So, reusers can’t do a good work out of europen data.

I think that nowaday priorities are:

- releasing much many datasets

- coordinate which data must be released everywere and with which

format

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mila esker | thank you

Alberto Ortiz de Zá[email protected]

http://eadminblog.net

linkedin.com/in/alorza

@alorza

Ready for your questions!

Four clues for untying the gordian knot of public sector information w notes

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Transcript of Four clues for untying the gordian knot of public sector information w notes