Governance, data and information technology, and research and consulting are the three sectors that most frequently use open government data across all regions, the Open Data Impact report reveals.
The report, published in May, aimed at assessing the use of open data from the perspective of the people and organisations that use it – unlike the Open Data Barometer or Open Data Index which assess open data supply and quality in the world.
“In the governance sector, uses focus on government accountability and transparency, providing services to government agencies, or improving governance and policy on specific issues”, whereas “data/ information technology organisations work to make open government data more useful and applicable for other businesses”, the report notes. “In a similar way, organisations that offer research and consulting services help other organisations and companies succeed and create economic and social value ”, the report added.
Used for greater public participation
Among other key findings, the report notes that open data is increasingly used for greater public participation and advocacy efforts. For example, developers or non-profit organisations are building tools “to inform and engage citizens using Open Data”. The report also revealed: “Open government data is a core resource for advocacy initiatives across sectors, ranging from promoting environmental causes to increasing transparency around school funding”.
Globally, “Government operations, geospatial, demographic and social, and weather data are the most common data types used across sectors.”
The report also found that the private sector is much more active on open data use in higher income countries.