Theme
Score
Data management processes
6 / 20Knowledge & skills
6 / 10Customer support & engagement
6 / 20Investment & financial performance
4 / 15Strategic oversight
5 / 10Total
27 / 75Theme
Activity
Score
Goal
Data management processes
- Data release process 3 2
- Standards development & adoption 3 2
- Data governance 2 1
- Managing sensitive data 2 1
Knowledge & skills
- Open data expertise 2 1
- Knowledge management 5 5
Customer support & engagement
- Engagement process 3 2
- Open data documentation 2 1
- Re-user support processes 3 2
- Community norms 2 1
Investment & financial performance
- Financial oversight 2 1
- Dataset valuation process 3 2
- Open data in procurement 2 1
Strategic oversight
- Open data strategy 2 1
- Asset catalogue 5 4
Theme
Activity
Answers
Data management processes
Knowledge & skills
Customer support & engagement
Investment & financial performance
Strategic oversight
Do you have a standardised release process for datasets?
No, there is no standard process and releases are performed using bespoke processes
Additional info
The framework for a defined process has been created. We are now finalising it prior to launch.
Has your organisation published any open data?
Yes, we have published at least one dataset under an open licence
How widely adopted are these technical standards in your organisation?
Standards are defined on a project or product basis. There are no organisation-wide standards
Have you used technical standards to inform how you publish data or APIs?
Yes, we have identified a set of technical standards relevant to our data releases
Do your dataset assets have a clear owner within the organisation?
No, responsibility for datasets is unclear or spread across different functions
Have you had to remove any sensitive data from a dataset prior to release?
No, we have chosen not to release datasets that contain such data because of concerns about its sensitivity
Does your organisation provide any training to support the development of open data related skills?
No, if needs are identified these are handled on an individual basis
How does your organisation approach knowledge management?
We have organisational policies relating to knowledge capture and transfer
Is there well-defined location for finding the documentation and assets related to datasets?
Yes, there is a clear location to find the relevant information
Are you engaging with others in your sector to share knowledge about working with open data?
Yes
When does knowledge capture happen?
Throughout the life-cycle of a project
Do you have a process by which internal teams and groups can share knowledge and experience of working with or publishing data?
Yes, we encourage knowledge sharing through internal groups, presentation, etc.
Do you attempt to engage with re-users of your data?
Yes, we make some attempts to engage with re-users
Do you have a standard process for engaging with external re-users?
No, outreach is done on an ad hoc basis
Do you have a means by which re-users can request data for release?
Yes, we have a well-defined contact point for data requests
Do you try to include some level of documentation when releasing data?
No, we don't always include documentation
Is the level of support available for a dataset clearly indicated to re-users?
No, we don't communicate any expectations around our support operation
Do you provide any support for re-users?
Yes, we offer some support to re-users
Do you have a standard process to ensure that you have the right to publish data provided by or derived from third parties as part of your open data?
No, we don't have a standard process and any reviews are conducted on an ad hoc basis by the teams using the data
Does your organisation use any third-party open data?
Yes, we are consuming one or more open datasets
How are open data releases funded within your organisation?
Releases are funded as one-off R&D projects or exceptional expenditure
Does your organisation attempt to assign a value to datasets?
Yes, we make some attempts to identify or describe how our open data is valuable
When do you assign a value to datasets?
Only after release, e.g. as part of identifying the value generated and as justification for ongoing investment
What is your approach for publishing open data when your rights in the data are unclear?
We have chosen not to release data as open data where we are uncertain about rights
Is there understanding around how open data publishing aligns with your organisation's strategy?
There has been no attempt document or identify strategic alignment. Open data activities are limited to R&D exercises, prototypes, or external requirements
Does your organisation attempt to catalogue its data assets?
Yes, we attempt to catalogue our data assets
How widely are data assets catalogued?
There is an organisation wide asset catalogue and key data assets are listed in there
When planning new products/services is there a process of reviewing existing data assets before creating/acquiring new ones?
Yes
Additional info
As part of project management process there is a requirement to compile a data plan for the forecasted work. The data plan includes a check for existing data.
Is there a review process that looks for efficiency savings by reducing overlaps between assets?
No
Theme
Activity
Improvements
Data management processes
Knowledge & skills
Customer support & engagement
Investment & financial performance
Strategic oversight
Do you have a standardised release process for datasets?
No, there is no standard process and releases are performed using bespoke processes
- Review your existing release processes and identify the common elements. Use this to define a lightweight process that can be applied to new datasets.
How widely adopted are these technical standards in your organisation?
Standards are defined on a project or product basis. There are no organisation-wide standards
- Catalogue the various standards used across your organisation, identifying where and how they are most useful.
- Identify where there are competing standards being used to release similar data and decide whether or not to converge on a single common standard.
Do your dataset assets have a clear owner within the organisation?
No, responsibility for datasets is unclear or spread across different functions
- Ensure that there is a well-defined owner for each dataset. They should be responsible for key strategic decisions relating to the data, even if they are not involved at an operational level.
Have you had to remove any sensitive data from a dataset prior to release?
No, we have chosen not to release datasets that contain such data because of concerns about its sensitivity
- Conduct a Privacy Impact Assessment of sensitive datasets to assess potential impacts.
Does your organisation provide any training to support the development of open data related skills?
No, if needs are identified these are handled on an individual basis
- Review the types of training and support that have already been provided internally, to identify the range of skills needed.
Do you have a standard process for engaging with external re-users?
No, outreach is done on an ad hoc basis
- Identify where in the process of releasing and updating your open data, engagement with users would be useful.
- During your release process, incorporate steps for communicating with re-users, and for ongoing follow-up subsequent to the release of a dataset.
Do you try to include some level of documentation when releasing data?
No, we don't always include documentation
- Define a basic set of documentation that should accompany each relese of your data.
- Adapt your data release process to include the necessary steps for creating and reviewing dataset documentation.
Is the level of support available for a dataset clearly indicated to re-users?
No, we don't communicate any expectations around our support operation
- Ensure that the support available for datasets is clearly documented, e.g. contact points are well signposted and that the appropriate expectations are set for turnaround times for requests for support.
Do you have a standard process to ensure that you have the right to publish data provided by or derived from third parties as part of your open data?
No, we don't have a standard process and any reviews are conducted on an ad hoc basis by the teams using the data
- Ensure that there is review of licensing terms before data begins being used by the organisation.
- Ensure that decisions to use (or not use) data published under specific licences are recorded, to streamline future decision making.
- Identify a set of licences that are acceptable (or not acceptable) to the organisation.
How are open data releases funded within your organisation?
Releases are funded as one-off R&D projects or exceptional expenditure
- Review budgets for new open data projects and ensure that costs are allocated for ongoing release of open data.
When do you assign a value to datasets?
Only after release, e.g. as part of identifying the value generated and as justification for ongoing investment
- Review the data you are planning to release and ensure business cases and prioritisation are being driven by the expected value of the data.
What is your approach for publishing open data when your rights in the data are unclear?
We have chosen not to release data as open data where we are uncertain about rights
- Clarify rights around existing data, e.g. by amending contracts on renewal or asking contributors to sign a contributor agreement.
- Tailor new contracts and procurement activities to ensure re-use rights for data is clear.
Is there understanding around how open data publishing aligns with your organisation's strategy?
There has been no attempt document or identify strategic alignment. Open data activities are limited to R&D exercises, prototypes, or external requirements
- Run an innovation workshop or similar activity to explore how open data might benefit your whole organisation, an individual team, or department.
- Review your organisational strategy and products: where could publishing open data help you to achieve your goals?
- Review your organisational strategy and products: where could reusing open data help you to achieve your goals?
How widely are data assets catalogued?
There is an organisation wide asset catalogue and key data assets are listed in there
- Produce a plan to extend the survey to include all data assets, not just the most important datasets.
Assessor:Joanna Whittle
Completed on Tuesday, 22nd September 2015
Started on Wednesday, 16th September 2015