Open data and the first 100 days of a new Government

UK Open Government Network
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Hi all,

At Open Data Camp 9 we ran a session on what comes next for open data. TL;DR: many of the conversations we’re having today are similar to the ones we were having a decade ago, and there’s a desire to get more organised and move our shared agenda forward.

Throughout the conference, there was a feeling of buzz, momentum and excitement at the entrance of a new Government. Plenty of people from the community stepped up to talk about how to capitalise on that.

The aforementioned session suggested a number of ways for us to take the community forward. So this is an open call to everyone passionate about this topic – the community is ready, the time is now, come and get involved.

I’m formatting the action points as questions, which I’m keen to hear your answers to. If you have any views, please respond. Either reply here, or start a new topic (and I’ll update this post to point people there).

Attitudes to open data

What have we learned about this new Government’s attitude to open data and open government in general?

Crowdsourced open data events

What events are coming up that open data advocates should be attending? What events have open calls for panels/speakers that we should be stocking with open data people?

I am aware of a talk on freeing the Postcode Address File on Oct 1st in London. Please promote through your own channels if you can.

National Data Library

The National Data Library manifesto committment: what have we learnt about what that commitment means so far? A few civil society orgs (e.g. the ODI – who else?) have responded so far – is there an opportunity to respond on behalf of the OGN / the wider open data community?

Community communication

How and where should try and coalesce a community? Are there any formats we should explore, like newsletter-based blogging? Is this forum the right place?

Open Data Camp

What events can we run between now and the next Open Data Camp? What events would we like? Do we want a repeat of the online–only Open Data Cafe? How do we choose a format that prioritises two way discussion (rather than one way talks)? How do we capture the really useful collaboration between public and private sector?

National Action Plan consultation

The UK National Action Plan for Open Government opening for consultation in 2025. What do we as the open data community want to say as part of that consultation? What work is OGN already doing here that we can be part of?

Smart Data Council

Who do we know that is on the Smart Data Council? How can we engage with this group and what can we achieve with them?

Although the new Government isn’t so new anymore, and clearly has a lot of fun issues it is focusing on, I think the momentum for change is still there. This stuff always takes time to percolate through. So there’s still a lot to be gained through getting organised and making ourselves heard. I’m hopeful that everyone in this community can come together to make that happen!

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Thanks for posting this Simon I wasn’t at the What Comes Next session at Open Data Camp. It does seem that open data has taken gone of the boil a little over the last few years. I mentioned in a different session that maybe this is because open data has become embedded into so many things that we take for granted these days. As you highlight there are still exceptions to this. PAF and cadastre data being two.

I do feel that there is going to be a resurgence of open data activity especially as it seems to fall in line with the National Data Strategy and open data is still a key commitment within OGP.

As far as upcoming open data events from our side are concerned we have have:
Digging the Data: MPs, Councillors and Elections Tuesday 1st Oct 18.00-20.00 in Manchester https://buytickets.at/opendatamanchestercic/1325587
Energy Data Dive Tuesday 5th November 18.30-21.00 in Manchester. Tickets haven’t been released yet.

There are lots of other stuff going on too, most of it online and looking at subjects such as Data Governance 12th November, Design Justice 24th September 13.00-14.00 https://buytickets.at/opendatamanchestercic/1346697
And we have a number of workshops around the development of open standards for supply chain circularity.

If people want to be kept up to date with the events Open Data Manchester does you can subscribe to our supposedly monthly newsletter https://bit.ly/ODM-NES
And as we are an open organisation, we are always up for collaborating and pitching in when we are able.

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This is great Simon, thanks!

I have to admit that since this session I am started to get a bit more worried that the government focus is on digital and AI, not on how to fix the basics data issues we are facing (which are not as sexy as AI).

I also want to remind people that this is happening and can be relevant - https://consultations.ons.gov.uk/external-affairs/uk-statistics-assembly/

Just out of curiosity - what are the resources we need to reboot some activities in the communities to make them happen?
Also - do we we need a roadmap with actual dates like?

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Hi and Welcome Simon,

You’ve picked the right time, particularly as this forum is sponsored by Involve, and they are looking to employ a few people (bells ring for me when I read an org like Involve want a “senior media relations person”. By which they mean dealing with the old main-stream media that no one trusts any more.

Its always struck me as strange that with all these engagement people, there’s no community manager for this forum. That said, James has been running the Democracy network for a couple of years now, the aim being to do the aggregation of media from 900 UK orgs. The idea is good. Time for a re-design and refresh I think.

So Simon. Your questions. How and where should try and coalesce a community? Are there any formats we should explore, like newsletter-based blogging? Is this forum the right place? Hey! Its always easier, when co-creating, to begin with a tool which has already attracted a small community with some hope, rather than reinventing a wheel, So let’s have a go and see where the design takes us.

I’ll start a thread called (as you’ve suggested) Community Communication. Although I’m considering “Inter-community communication” as forums tend to be the place to bring conversations between people in organisational silos together.
Please vote.

  • Community Communications
  • Inter Community Communications
0 voters