OPEN GOVERNMENT DATA:

WHAT IS IT, WHERE IT IS GOING, AND

THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SAIS

Ryan AndrosoffOECD GOV

Quito, Ecuador 25 June 2015

• What is Open Government Data and why should we care?

• Measuring the Status of Open Government Data– Indexes– Trends in OECD countries– Open Government Data in LAC– Furthering the OECD’s work on Open Data

• SAIs and Open Data: Opportunities for Action

Today’s Presentation

• Data = highest level of granularity from which information, content and knowledge are derived.

• Public Sector Information = “information, including information products and services, generated, created, collected, processed, preserved, maintained, disseminated, or funded by or for a government or public institution”

• Open Data = data that can be freely used, re-used and distributed by anyone, only subject to (at the most) the requirement that users attribute the data and that they make their work available to be shared as well.

• Big Data = A data-driven socio-economic model; as a phenomenon emerged as available datasets produced by various sources have grown larger and data users more aware of the value obtainable through linked and combined data sets produced by different actors, both private and public.

• Data analytics = the use of data to spot significant facts and trends to improve policy making and service delivery (public sector intelligence).

Some Definitions

Public Sector Information

Visual Definition

Big Data Open Data

Proprietary / Internal Analytics

Apps Public / Open Analytics

• Economic Value

• Growth and competitiveness in the wider economy

• Fostering innovation, efficiency and effectiveness in government services (internal and external)

• Social Value

• Promoting citizens’ self-empowerment, social participation and engagement

• Public Governance Value

• Improving accountability, transparency, responsiveness and democratic control

What Value are Governments Expecting?

Economic Value: Examples

Social Value: Examples

Public Governance Value: Examples

Measuring the Status of Open Government Data

• Produced by the World Wide Web Foundation

• Measures on three dimensions, first launched in 2013

Open Data Barometer

• Produced by the Open Knowledge Foundation since 2013

• Index is based on 10 key datasets assessed against 9 criteria

Global Open Data Index

The OECD OURdata Index

The Open-Useful-Reusable Government data index (OURdata) launched in 2015

KORFRA

GBRAUS

CANESP

PRTNO

RUSA

MEX

FINGRC

AUTJP

NNZL

DEUBEL

CHLDNK

SLVCHE

IRL

ITA

ESTNLD

SVKSW

EPOL

TURCOL

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1

Total score OECD

No

na

tion

al O

GD

po

rtal

Source: 2014 OECD Survey on Open Government Data

Measuring three components of open government data activityThe Open-Useful-Reusable Government data index

(OURdata)

Source: 2014 OECD Survey on Open Government Data

Korea

Franc

e

Unite

d Kin

gdom

Austral

ia

Canad

a

Spain

Portu

gal

Norway

Unite

d Sta

tes

Mex

ico

Finla

nd

Greec

e

Austria

Japa

n

New Z

eala

nd

OECD

Germ

any

Belgi

umChi

le

Denm

ark

Slove

nia

Switzer

land

Irela

ndIta

ly

Eston

ia

Nethe

rland

s

Slova

k Rep

ublic

Sweden

Polan

d

Turke

y

Colom

bia

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1

Data availability Data accessibilityGovernment support to re-use

No

na

tion

al O

GD

po

rtal

All three dimensions were equally weighted (33.3% each)Note: Cronbach alpha = 0.81

• The “pioneers” (e.g. UK, USA, Spain)

• Devising a sustainable financial mechanism (e.g. Denmark, the Netherlands)

• Establishing the governance framework first (e.g. Germany, Switzerland)

• Quick followers (e.g. France and Mexico)

Emerging approaches

Top 5 main objectives of open data strategies or policies

Create economic value for the public sector

Facilitate citizens' participation in public debate

Enable citizens' engagement in decision-making processes

Improve public sector performance by strengthening accountability for outputs/outcomes

Deliver public services more effectively and efficiently by enabling delivery from private sector through data re-use

Deliver public services more effectively and efficiently by improving internal operations and collaboration

Facilitate creation of new businesses

Increase transparency

Increase openness

Create economic value for the private sector

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

0%

29%

33%

46%

54%

63%

67%

71%

71%

71%

Multiple answers allowedPercentage of respondent countries

Source: OECD Open Data in Governments Survey 2013

Transparencyvs.

Innovation

PSEfficiency

Public Participation

• Which ecosystem?– Inside the public sector: gather, integrate, validate, release, up-

date and promote re-use of data (statistical offices, archives, sector data producers, etc.)

– Outside the public sector: sustain data re-use (media, private sector, civil society, librarians, developers, community of practitioners, etc.)

• What activity?• Data mining, data analytics (for policy making and service delivery),

crowd-sourcing to innovate services, social innovation, evidence-based performance, improved financial decisions, data mash-up and data sharing, licensing, standards, hackathon events, metadata.

• Which capacities within the organisation? • To ensure sustainability and autonomy: data scientist, visualisation

expert, statistics and data analytics expert, computing and systems programming skills, policy analysis expertise.

Value creation : with whom and how?

Creating the right ecosystem: consulting the stakeholders

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Was the central/federal OGD strategy/policy developed in consultation with stakeholders?

Perc

enta

ge o

f re

spondent

countr

ies

Source: Government at a Glance 2013

Involving users and knowing demand

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Perc

enta

ge o

f re

spondent

countr

ies

Source: Government at a Glance 2013

Does your government regularly consult users on their needs and preferences of the type of data released?

• Policy challenges

• Technical challenges

• Economic and financial challenges

• Organisational challenges

• Cultural challenges

• Legal challenges

Key challenges to implementation

Principal challenges for further development of OGD initiatives

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Perc

enta

ge o

f re

spondin

g c

ountr

ies

Source: Government at a Glance 2013 (forthcoming)

Open Government Data in Latin America

Yes

Central national strategy co-exists

with line ministries' own strategies

No, but individual line ministries / agencies have a separate

strategies / policies in place

No OGD pol icies / s trategies in place

COLOMBIA - - -

COSTA RICA - - -

GUATEMALA - - -

REPUBLICA DOMINICANA - - -

MEXICO - - -

PERU - - -

CHILE - - -

URUGUAY - - -

BRAZIL - - -

EL SALVADOR - - -

PARAGUAY - - -

OGD strategies in LAC countries

Responsible agency

Centralized data portal

Targeting the ecosystem to create value

Financial challenges

Furthering the OECD’s Work on Open Government Data

Phase 1

• Working Paper “Open Government Data: Towards Empirical Analysis of Open Government Data Initiatives” with full assessment methodology [Dec 2012-May 2013]

Phase 2

• OGD survey : strategy, implementation, value generation, challenges [Apr – Sept 2013]

Phase 3

• Pilot testing in 8 OECD countries : validate methodology, map initiatives, collect practices, impact assessment + MENA and LAC regions [2013 – 2014]

Now

• OGD Country Reviews: Poland, Mexico • OURdata Index 2015• OECD Open Government Data Expert Group

OECD OGD PROJECT 2012-15

2015 OGD Report : Data analysis and outcome of pilot testing

• Improve understanding and measuring of OGD impact on social innovation, open innovation, service delivery innovation and public value creation

• Tackling pending issues:• Balancing the strive for openness with privacy and security

• Resolving legal conflicts

• Harmonising definitions

• Acquiring adequate skills and capabilities in the public sector

• Avoiding new divides and focus on OD for participatory governance

• Improving understanding of context and data demand

• Ecosystem creation

Focus of further OGD analytical work

• Strategy– secure political leadership support– institutionalise processes– incentivize buy in across the public sector – develop action plan

• Implementation– build and/or strengthen capacities at all levels of governments and in

society– ensure resources to secure sustainability– from a supply driven to a demand driven approach– communication and awareness

• Impact– economic, social and political value– focus on re-use– know demand and ecosystem – engage the ecosystem (incld. research/academia, media, archives,

statistical offices)– monitor and evaluate– link with access to information and transparency agendas

Key OECD Policy Messages on OGD

SAIs and Open Data: Opportunities for Action

• OECD (GOV-PSI) is conducting an ongoing internationally comparative study with 12 SAIs

• Looking at the role of SAIs in supporting better formulation, implementation and monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes, including:– the openness of government-wide strategic planning processes– the openness of budgetary planning processes including: the

existence and/or adequacy of participative and realistic debates on budgetary choices

– the openness and consultation of the regulatory policy process– the accessibility and reliability of data systems for collecting,

storing and using performance information – the compliance with access to/freedom of information laws

• OECD publication on role of SAIs in better policy making and governance to be launched November in Brazil

The role of SAIs in Good Governance

• Citizen portals for accountability and complaints– The GEO-CGR portal: Articulation, storage,

consultation and publication of information on investment in public works.

• Co-ordinated audits – Country level: The Amazon Biome, Protected areas,

Co-ordinated Audit between Brazil’s TCU and 9 State Courts of Audit in the Brazilian Amazon

– International level: Co-ordinated international audit on climate change between 14 SAIs

Examples of Using OGD Principles in the work of SAIs

Effective Institutions Platform

• Multi-stakeholder alliance of over 60 countries and organisations established in 2012 engaged in public sector reforms (government representatives as well as CSOs, legislators, think tanks, etc.)

• 3 Major Pillars of work Website:

www.effectiveinstitutions.org

EIP: Engaging Citizens in Accountability Institutions

• Global commitments and regional standards recognise:– Importance of external stakeholder engagement– Need to go beyond traditional engagement mechanisms– Role that development cooperation can play

• Project under the EIP initiated in 2013 to review Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI) engagement practices and to develop practical guidance– Phase I: SAI and citizens engagement (32 SAIs); 2013-2014 – Phase II: checklist on engagement with other stakeholders

(citizens, parliaments and the media) with global survey and 4 case studies; 2015-2016. Presented at XXVth OLACEFS (October 2015, Mexico)

• Steering group: Brazil, South Africa, Chile, Costa Rica, IDI, New Zealand, Philippines, OECD

• P2P Learning Alliance in October 2014 (Paris) to discuss benefits and risks of SAIs engagement (7 SAIs: Brazil, Costa Rica, Chile, France, Philippines, South Africa, Zambia with CSOs and development reps.)

36

• Transparency practices (widespread, yet uneven; well distributed, but more developed in stronger SAIs)

• Participatory practices (Incipient, but promising; more common in non-OECD countries and regionally concentrated in Latin America & Asia Pacific)

EIP: Mechanisms of Engagement

EIP: Benefits and Risks of Engaging Citizens

Benefits Better informed audit

activities Strengthened audit

independence Audits more relevant to

citizen needs Stronger citizen demand

for enforcing audit recommendations

Enhanced trust in SAIs Educated citizens on the

audit process and results of government actions

Risks✓Undermining perceived independence✓Delays and increased costs✓Work overload✓Transparency and participatory fatigue✓Difficulty in measuring progress✓Resistance to change

➡Risk Mitigation Strategies needed

1. Adding open government data programs as an audit topic

2. Using Open Government Data as an input into audit activities

3. Become a contributor to the Open Data ecosystem (audit results, info about SAIs)

– Need to set common data format standards to enable inter-jurisdictional comparison

Three areas for future exploration by SAIs regarding OGD

Thank You!

For more information: www.oecd.org/gov/public-innovation/

ryan.androsoff@oecd.org

Twitter: @RyanAndrosoff

LinkedIn: ca.linkedin.com/in/ryanandrosoff