Understanding your agency information assets and stakeholders will assist in developing a successful open data plan.
Steps in developing a plan
Establish an Open Data Working Group
This group should comprise key stakeholders including the business owners of information, technical members such as the agency security adviser and information system experts. This group may be able to identify:
- agency information systems and existing data extracts
- agency information management practices
- strategy or planning documents that could incorporate open data plans
- potential open data candidates for short term data release goals
- opportunities to participate in whole of government open data activities
- opportunities that would benefit citizens and the economy.
Open Data Working Groups can help review plans and implementation of open data actions.
Appoint an Open Data Coordinator
The Open Data Advocate (appointed by the CE) nominates an Open Data Coordinator who will develop and implement an Agency Open Data Plan.
What to include in an agency open data plan
Agency open data plans should contain short term and long term actions that advance open data and embed open data principles and processes into business as usual.
Agencies may incorporate open data actions into existing business and technology planning documents if these are made publicly available. Alternatively, a separate open data strategy will need to be published openly and reviewed periodically.
Agency planning actions are provided to guide agencies in developing their open data plans and actions.
| Actions and Goals | Planning Guidance |
|---|---|
| Establish roles and responsibilities | Establish who will perform roles and responsibilities that will drive open data outcomes and embed open data principles across the agency. A guide to recommended roles and responsibilities is provided in the Open Data Process Guide (PDF, 1.3 MB). |
| Open Data Working Group | Establish an Open Data Working Group comprised of key business owners and stakeholders that collect, process, protect, maintain and disseminate data. Open Data Working Groups will help facilitate the implementation of open data actions. |
| Approach to Identifying Data | Define the agency approach for identifying datasets held by each operational or business unit within the agency. Agencies should be guided by the Open Data Process Guide - Identify section (PDF, 1.3 MB). Determine the approach in consultation with other agency staff such as the Agency Security Executive who may have similar objectives. Develop actions that ensure the open data process is applied proactively to new collections of datasets. A data release schedule which identifies data candidates and open data process milestones may assist agencies to achieve actions. |
| Release Approach | Define the agency approach for the release of open data. Consider existing infrastructure, emerging technologies, operating environments, scalability of automated data delivery and data services. A different approach may be required for different data. Agencies should be guided by the Open Data Process Guide - Approach section. (PDF, 1.3 MB) |
| Process | Identify agency specific processes or policies that need to be aligned or implemented to support open data principles and actions. Processes must ensure new collections of data are considered for open data and released data is maintained. Ensure appropriate records of approval are maintained. |
| Open Data Project | Establish a new open data project that will:
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| Participate in Activities | Participate in activities designed to advance open data, e.g. the annual open data competition GovHack (known locally as Unleashed). |
| Data Release | Determine achievable annual targets for:
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| Actions and Goals | Planning Guidance |
|---|---|
| Identify, release and maintain data |
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| Citizen benefits realised |
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| Government benefits realised |
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| Improve open data maturity |
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| Engagement and collaboration |
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