Open Data: Concept & Practice

Tony Hirst - The Open University

Since the rallying cry to "Free your data, now" went up a year or so ago, national and local government, encouraged by the Cabinet Office, have started to pull together public data sets in local data stores. But what data is being published, and how? After a quick tour of the general data.*.gov.uk landscape, I'll review some of the applications and uses to which the data has been used by "the public", as well as looking at just what motivates developers to play with public data in their spare time.

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In this short talk, Alan Holding from Manchester Digital Development Agency (MDDA) will discuss some of the practical issues local authorities will need to address when opening up data – including day-to-day management of data, quality control, methods to allow access to the data by developers and the procurement of software and services.

Alan is head of the technology team at MDDA, part of Manchester City Council. His job includes working with local authority staff on a range of projects, such as One Central Place, a single database of third sector organisations in the city.

Before joining MDDA he was an e-government officer for two years, working to improve the online presence of the council’s Environmental Services department. Followed by a panel discussion

At:

Manchester Digital Development Agency

117-119 Portland Street

Manchester

Tickets are free but should be booked from Jean Rigby

jean.rigby@open.ac.uk