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linked/open data WHY YOU SHOULD USE IT AND WHERE YOU CAN TAKE IT Peter Jarrett

An introduction to linked and open data

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Open data: why we need it The term ‘open data’ has been bandied about quite a bit in the last couple of years, and the idea has certainly gained more momentum here in the UK in the year just gone thanks, at least in part, to some big changes by Central Government. So, first off, what is it? Put simply, it’s getting the data we (the public sector) collect, making it available on the web, and giving it a license that says ‘do whatever you want with it’. What benefit is it? There are numerous potential benefits to publishing open data: • Increased accountability and transparency o Citizens can more easily stay informed and so can make better decisions o Communities can check that they are being heard • Reduced Freedom of Information traffic o If the data is held, it’s already online for all to see o Traffic will either be avoided completely or will only require responses pointing to the correct datasets on the web • Aide business and innovation o Creative minds can utilise the data e.g. as part of web or phone apps o Businesses can make more informed decisions about the area What’s next? The future is linked open data which enhances the potential of open data by giving it a defined structure. This allows for automation (because computers can understand it), easier and more open access to the data, and informative links between datasets. For a bit more information, check out my quick (4 slide) presentation.

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Page 1: An introduction to linked and open data

linked/open dataWHY YOU SHOULD USE IT AND WHERE YOU CAN TAKE IT

Peter Jarrett

Page 2: An introduction to linked and open data

what is it? Open data:

Any data that is released to the public under a suitable open licence such as the Open Government Licence

The data is allowed to be reused and redistributed for any purpose

Linked data: As above, but the data is also structured so that it is machine

readable

Data is easily interrogated and queried

Links between data give context and added value

The pinnacle of open data – 5* on Tim Berners-Lee’s scale

Page 3: An introduction to linked and open data

why publish open data? Accountability/transparency

More informed citizens can make better decisions

Community can easily check their views are being heard

Reduction in FOI requests Cost savings because all but sensitive data is already accessible

Potential to aide business & innovation

It’s the law! At least in part, and likely to become more so

Open data strategies, white paper

Page 4: An introduction to linked and open data

why publish linked open data? Increases the potential of the data

More easily reusable by businesses and the community

Added value through links to related data

Ability to pinpoint exact data values – useful for FOIs

Data kept in one place Only 1 update required to update any number of systems built on the

data

The ideal standard for open data, as set out by Tim Berners-Lee A view echoed by central government

Page 5: An introduction to linked and open data

the future of linked/open data Real-time information on the web

Pull key info from the data store – auto updating content

Applications on top of the data: Businesses using the data as part of their commercial products

Web apps that produce more engaging visualisations of the data Eg infographics, pie charts etc

Reporting applications for quick dataset comparison Could be used internally to identify correlations between datasets

Integration with GIS 1 place to update the data

Can plot geographic information pulled from the data eg school locations