Volume 26 • No 12 • 2003
ISSN 0742-468X • Since 1978
On-line Since 2000
Open Data Consortium:
a Model Data Distribution Policy
The Open Data Consortium is a partnership project funded by the USGS and private companies. It is a concept nurtured by Bruce Joffe (Bruce@OpenDataConsortium.org), a long term GIS expert. The consortium developed what some call an historic model data distribution policy for guiding local government dissemination of public-record geodata.
“The data distribution policy developed by the Open Data Consortium will enable local governments to move responsively in handling public requests for spatial data, and will reduce barriers to interagency data sharing, thereby advancing the NSDI vision for a National Map, and a Geospatial One Stop portal to map data,” said Kathy Covert, Associate Strategist for the Federal Geographic Data Committee Secretariat.
This policy model was developed through a series of collaborative dialogues with stakeholders representing diverse interests from city and county governments, state and Federal agencies, as well as private sector data service providers, universities and professional associations. A wide variety of alternatives were analyzed and considered before arriving at the recommendations in the model policy.
Sixty–seven people worked together, through the Open Data Consortium project, over a six month period, contributing their ideas and opinions in 24 telephone conferences, to forge a consensus on the model policy. An additional 50 people were involved in reviewing and commenting on interim products and final document.
A plea for more openness
According to Joffe, the policy is intended to serve as a guideline for local governments that need to formulate a data distribution policy, or make their current policy more effective. University of Illinois Professor Zorica Nedovic–Budic characterized the model policy as “comprehensive and balanced.” It is a plea for more openness, while dealing with the fact that many governmental data producers want to retain proprietary and financial control over their product (the public's data).
At the 2003 URISA annual conference, Bruce Joffe led a discussion about the need for standards and openess. Dennis Klein of Boundary Solutions Inc. suggested that when counties over price their parcel maps, very few people will use it. He explained that this was particularly true for out of state developers, and others who might well bring their business elsewhere when access to maps is easier. Though they approach the subject from different perspectives, both Joffe and Klein see a need to provide immediate central access to the data.
Inside the model
The model policy addresses the major legal and commercial issues concerning public data distribution, such as, copyright, licensing, liability, security restrictions, privacy considerations, metadata maintenance, data recipients and distribution methods, as well as the controversial issue of data sales. “This has been a consensus building success sustained by dedicated participants actively listening to each other,” said Bruce Joffe, Principal of GIS Consultants and organizer of the ODC project.
The model policy is available at the ODC website, (www.opendataconsortium.org/), with documentation of the collaborative work process, additional data studies, data policy documents used by other agencies, and links to useful geodata information.
“The key to resolving the long–standing controversy of data sales by local government was our discovery of many superior ways to support GIS operations,” Joffe offered. These methods came from the ODC participants’ own experience and are presented in a report entitled, “10 Ways to Support GIS Without Selling Data,” also available on the ODC website. While the model policy acknowledges that selling data is counter–productive to public agency interests in distributing their geographic data, it does not prohibit such sales. Instead, it offers a method for selling data that is less of an impediment to public access than many current policies, to those agencies that still believe they need to sell their geodata.
Concluding the USGS contract with the GeoData Alliance (www.GeoAll.net) for the initial, policy-formulation phase, Joffe expressed his pleasure at working with, and learning from, the ODC participants. “Through cooperative communication, we were able to learn not only how current data policies came into being, but what were the underlying reasons.” As those root causes are addressed, there will be fewer impediments to accessing local geodata.
Phase II of the project will formulate recommendations for changing government accounting practices in order to allocate some of the benefits from using geodata back to GIS operations departments. The project will also be deeply engaged in educating the wider GIS Community about the current findings and model policy recommendations. Phase II will commence as soon as the ODC project receives adequate funding from grants, sponsorship, or contracts.
“We expect support from both government and private companies because this is a win-win-win policy recommendation,” Joffe added optimistically, “it serves local government, private data service providers, and most importantly, the general public.”
Conclusion
Despite the amount of digital map data out there, it is not quite as easy to access it as you might expect. We are not just working against different GIS standards, data file formats and pricing. Believe it our not, there is a conflict between the government sector and the private sector. Many in the government argue that private companies should not make a profit selling government data, no matter how much value is added. This is an odd sentiment coming from those who govern a capitalist society, but it does exist.
If ever there were a case for government and the private sector to work together, this is it. Contact Bruce to see how you can help
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