The open data movement has grown exponentially in a relatively short period of time. Many countries and cities have been rolling out initiatives and embracing the potential value that comes with opening up their data. However, as much as open data holds great promise, there is a real danger of initiatives failing. Speaking at this year’s Canadian Open Data Summit (http://www.opendatasummit.ca/), Open Insitute’s Executive Director Jay Bhalla gives a global perspective of lessons learned through a journey of implementing and building open data ecosystems from around the world. http://openinstitute.com/open-data-delusion/

1. The Open
Data Delusion Lessons from an open
data journey
Jay Bhalla
@jaybhalla
February 2014

2. OPEN INSTITUTE
We work every day to build an
open society managed by
informed fact driven citizens

3. Lessons and challenges have not been
restricted to the developing world

4. LACK OF COOPERATION AND
COORDINATION
Yankees outfielders confused by defensive substitution / gif

5. FOCUS ON SUPPLY + DATA
LITERACY
Releasing
data is not
enough
Square peg, round hole | Simon Peg / flickr

6. BUILDING HUMAN CAPITAL
NYSAT2 | MoreInterpretations / flickr

7. UNSTRUCTURED HACKATHONS
Code it and
they will
come
MHacks 2012 | Kelly Bracha / flickr

8. CREATING USEFUL APPLICATIONS
http://donteat.at

9. DRIVING LEGISLATION
Berlin 1936 | cszar / flickr
Open data
initiatives can
survive when
the right
champions are
in place

10. INSTITUTIONALISING OPEN DATA
MOVEMENTS
old books... | mariusz kluzniak / flickr
Open data
initiatives
need
legislative
backing

11. Timely, relevant and proactive disclosure of
data
PROACTIVE DISCLOSURE

12. VANCOUVER HEALTH AUTHORITY
http://www.inspections.vcha.ca/Main
No API

13. FRASER HEALTH
http://www.healthspace.ca/fha/food
Can’t
download
data

14. MEASURING METRICS
Thumbs up | AdWeek / tumblr

15. INVEST IN MARKETING
Pachube stickers | Rain Rabbit / flickr

16. COMMUNITY-BASED INITIATIVES
Mailboxes | tanakawho / flickr

17. GRASSROOTS IMPACT
Get Creative! |JD Hancock / flickr

18. TAKE AN ITERATIVE APPROACH
1 - 5 iterations | Windell Oskay / flickr

19. SHAMELESS PLUG
Canadian Open Data Institute
http://opendatainstitute.ca

20. Jay Bhalla
@jaybhalla
www.openinstitute.com
@Open_Institute
facebook.com/TheOpenInstitute