Once you have the beginnings of open data up and running, there are a few things to consider to develop your open data program further.

Community engagement

To maximise the effectiveness of your open data releases, many commentators recommend engaging with the community and potential users of the data. This can occur through direct contact with universities and organisations listed under Stay connected. Councils may also wish to participate in events such as hackathons which encourage community members to innovate with open data. Engaging with users will give you feedback which can be used to further develop your open data program and will help spread awareness of your council’s open data work.

When preparing for events such as hackathons, it may be useful to liaise with other participating councils to see what datasets they plan to release. Coordinating with other councils may generate hackathon projects with wider applications across local government.

Open data maturity model

The Open Data Institute has developed an  Open Data Maturity Model with five different progress levels covering:

  • data management
  • knowledge management and culture
  • customer engagement
  • investment
  • strategic oversight

The Maturity Model provides a useful tool for councils wishing to take their open data practice further. Further information is available via the Open Data Institute website.

Further reading