A global Open Data standard could be useful in providing a unique starting-point to aid data publication. This conclusion was reached during the 3rd International Open Data Conference in Ottawa (Canada) in May.
During a round table, the need for a global Open Data standard was discussed as a way to push worldwide governments (and private companies) to open more data and be more involved in Open Government policies.
Standardisation could help governments to accelerate the release of their data, because "whatever the country in the world, people can share, collect and use data in a faster way", Caroline Burle from W3C in Brazil said. "It could also reduce the friction burden to publish data", Chris Taggart, co-founder and CEO of OpenCorporates, added. He also reckoned that an Open Data standard could "improve the quality of data" by providing a unified framework. “With standards, we don't need to find answers for the most complex parts”, he added.
A representative of the Indonesian Government also said that an Open Data standard "is a good tool for working with data, as people can compare more data in the world using common semantics".
Standardisation: a process with two key requirements
However, Hudson Hollister, Executive Director at the US-based Data Transparency Coalition, reminded that some requirements are needed. "Data standardisation won't get created or embraced without two things: bottom-up cultural change and top-down mandates. Standards won't evolve without those two elements".
The International Open Data Conference aims at sharing experiences around Open Data in the world and getting governments involved in the process of opening their data and helping to collaborate and promote initiatives. Interestingly, the conference highlighted how Open Data could be used in specific sectors, including agriculture, health, the environment and smart cites, for example.
70 countries were represented in this 3rd edition of the conference. During the conference, Sir Nigel Shadbolt, head of the British Open Data Institute, stressed that the Open Data movement had still a long to go.