This entry is a consensus recommendation of seven organizations that work on government transparency of which OpenTheGovernment.org is one.
Add public representatives to the Open Government Initiative interagency working committee.
This entry is a consensus recommendation of seven organizations that work on government transparency of which OpenTheGovernment.org is one.
Make sure all datasets on Data.gov are directly associated with their code sheets.
This entry is a consensus recommendation of seven organizations that work on government transparency of which OpenTheGovernment.org is one.
Consider making some of the datasets available as feeds that are constantly up to date, rather than as static datasets that are pulled down and then reposted on an occasional basis.
This entry is a consensus recommendation of seven organizations that work on government transparency of which OpenTheGovernment.org is one.
Use tagging or metadata to enable the public to bring together information on a topic. The thesaurus that USA.gov uses provides a useful example of the needed vocabulary.
This entry is a consensus recommendation of seven organizations that work on government transparency of which OpenTheGovernment.org is one. Some of the currently posted files are quite large, ranging upward to several hundred megabytes. Their large size undermines their usefulness for most people or organizations. The large number of currently posted datasets also makes it difficult to find a particular database of ...more »
This entry is a consensus recommendation of seven organizations that work on government transparency of which OpenTheGovernment.org is one.
Some of the currently posted files are quite large, ranging upward to several hundred megabytes. Their large size undermines their usefulness for most people or organizations. The large number of currently posted datasets also makes it difficult to find a particular database of interest. We therefore recommend that if a Data.gov dataset is available from an agency through a web-based interface, Data.gov link to that interface on the dataset's Data.gov landing page. For a consumer looking for information on a car seat, for example, it would be far easier to search the Department of Transportation's online database rather than scrolling through screen after screen of raw data in XML format. Additionally, as agencies continue to post datasets to Data.gov, efforts should be made to identify those of greatest public interest that lack such interfaces and develop web interfaces that allow the data to be explored online.
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This entry is a consensus recommendation of seven organizations that work on government transparency of which OpenTheGovernment.org is one. The format of the data plays a key role in its usability; many within the community of advocates who re-use and repackage government data would prefer data in CSV format, rather than the XML format in which many of the posted databases are provided. Accordingly, we recommend that ...more »
This entry is a consensus recommendation of seven organizations that work on government transparency of which OpenTheGovernment.org is one.
The format of the data plays a key role in its usability; many within the community of advocates who re-use and repackage government data would prefer data in CSV format, rather than the XML format in which many of the posted databases are provided. Accordingly, we recommend that you strike an appropriate balance between formats (such as XML) that serve the coding community and web-based presentations by agencies that can be used and understood by the general public.
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This entry is a consensus recommendation of seven organizations that work on government transparency of which OpenTheGovernment.org is one. Require agencies to indicate whether a high value dataset was previously unavailable, available only with a FOIA request, available only for purchase, or available, but in a less user-friendly format. Going forward, this will make it easier to track how agencies are complying with ...more »
This entry is a consensus recommendation of seven organizations that work on government transparency of which OpenTheGovernment.org is one.
Require agencies to indicate whether a high value dataset was previously unavailable, available only with a FOIA request, available only for purchase, or available, but in a less user-friendly format. Going forward, this will make it easier to track how agencies are complying with the requirements of the Open Government Directive.
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This entry is a consensus recommendation of seven organizations that work on government transparency of which OpenTheGovernment.org is one. Require agencies to explain why the data is high value by having them designate which of the “high value criteria” the data meets: information that can be used to increase agency accountability and responsiveness; improve public knowledge of the agency and its operations; further ...more »
This entry is a consensus recommendation of seven organizations that work on government transparency of which OpenTheGovernment.org is one.
Require agencies to explain why the data is high value by having them designate which of the “high value criteria” the data meets: information that can be used to increase agency accountability and responsiveness; improve public knowledge of the agency and its operations; further the core mission of the agency; create economic opportunity; or respond to need and demand as identified through public consultation. Going forward, this will make it easier to track how agencies are complying with the requirements of the Open Government Directive.
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Comparing the list of agency participation on data.gov, it appears that the number of raw data sets and tools posted by certain agencies has gone down at certain times. If an agency removes access to raw data or a tool on data.gov, it should be noted on the site, and a reason for the removal should be given.
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