THE POWER OF

OPEN KNOWLEDGE

Dr Laura James

CEO, Open Knowledge Foundation

PRESENTED BY

imagine• You’re a parent

• You’re ill

• You’re curious. Or sceptical. Or concerned.

That’s when you need the power to answer

questions that matter. The power of open

knowledge.

The power of the internet

• Sharing information is easy

What is open data?

Open Data can be freely used,

reused, and redistributed, by anyone,

anywhere, for any purpose(we also work with public domain cultural works -

content - as well as data)

Why open?

So you can:

componentise

remix

reshare

Giving you:

new insights

better data

innovation

What is open knowledge?

Open Knowledge is what Open Data

becomes when it is made useful -

accessible, understandable,

meaningful, and able to

help someone answer a question that

matters or solve a real problem

OpenDefinition.org

all kinds of knowledge

• any kind of knowledge can be open

• any format: spreadsheets, databases, pictures,

words…

• any field: transport, science, products, education,

sustainability, maps, legislation, libraries,

economics, culture, development, business, design,

finance …

all kinds of people

in all kinds of organisations

• open data can be published by anyone: government, public sector

bodies, researchers, corporations, universities, NGOs, startups, charities,

community groups, individuals….

• open data can be used by anyone: government, public sector bodies,

researchers, corporations, universities, NGOs, startups, charities,

community groups, individuals….

• all kinds of people can get involved with the open knowledge

movement: as a campaigner, coder, writer, donor, trainer, tweeter,

meetup organiser, data wrangler, ambassador, analyst, researcher,

manager…

The Open Knowledge Foundation

• We build tools to make working with information easier

• We help people learn the data skills they need

• We connect and support individuals and organisations and

projects to create collaborations and make things happen

we are makers

Creating the open infrastructure and tooling

to power and support the open ecosystem

and innovation

CKAN.org

OpenSpending.org

WhereDoesMyMoneyGo.org

OKFNLabs.org

Timemapper.org

we bring people together

& advise & campaign & collaborate

Meetups and workshops – online and offline

Key convening events such as the first international Open

Government Data Camp in 2010

Direct technical and legal contributions to a large number

of projects and initiatives in dozens of countries around the

world, shaping essential policies at the World Bank, US, UK,

French, Finnish, Brazilian governments

OKFN.org/local

OKFN.org/WG

OKFestival.org

we help people learn

Learning through doing at datathons & hackathons -

online and offline

Open materials

Partnerships around the world

OpenDataHandbook.org

OpenDataHandbook.org

Schoolofdata.org

Why school of data…

• School of Data is a critical component of the open data ecosystem:

• provides tools and training to empower people to use open data for

good - especially to people new to open data;

• supports outreach and engagement by creating a supportive community

of learners and mentors - working with Open Knowledge Foundation

Local Groups;

• creates opportunities for people and communities to use open data to

make an impact;

• works both with governments to open up data and data users such as

journalists and NGOs.

How school of data

works

• Data expeditions - online and offline short gatherings where a group of

people with different backgrounds tackle a data related problem

• Data clinics - hands on support working directly with people’s data

• Mentoring - local mentors working with local communities

• Online content - tutorial and walkthroughs

• Offline resources e.g. Data Journalism Handbook

• And we now have spanish and portugese versions

Data ExpeditionsData Expeditions are how we explore problems in partnership with others.

They are about learning and investigating and are a key tool in creating new

insight. Through insight we understand problems and can create positive

change.

• Short gatherings where a group of people with different backgrounds

tackle a data related problem.

• Work in small groups with diverse skills: storytellers, data analysts,

scouts, engineers, designers

• The focus is on the process (collaborating, understanding data, learning

from peers) rather than on the outcome

• Group work flow:

So… That’s a lot of things we do. What difference does

open knowledge really make?

Opening up the Danish Address Register

There was a fire at a house. Fire engine could not get there because their GPS did

not have the road on it leading to the house. That road was in government’s data but

was not integrated into data on the satnav. Government have now opened up data

and that worked out really well (so next time fire engine will get there!)

So… That’s a lot of things we do. What difference does it

make?

Uganda Health

Providing information about the performance of village health services in Uganda –

days the nurse visits, immunization services - resulted in reduction of 33% in infant

mortality and several other significant improvements in health outcomes.

So… That’s a lot of things we do. What difference does it

make?Uganda Education

In 1995, Ugandan schools were receiving only ~25% of the core grant allocated to

them by the government with more the other 75% being lost to corruption. In 1997

the Government started a newspaper campaign to inform parents how much their

schools should be receiving. The result: by 2001 schools were receiving more than

80% of the core grant (more than 3x more than they had before the campaign).

Open information making a difference

So… We are in at the start of an open data revolution

• But it’s not a magic bullet. It will be a slow process including

institutional change.

• There will be new business models, building value from things

other than data

• We need: tools, communities, skills

• We need access to data!

• We need to get better at working with data

• It’s going to be disruptive

• But it will be a positive change overall

• Open data will help us solve the big global problems

• Open gives us choice, freedom, transparency & trust

• Open scales

• Open is sustainable

Why open?

ConclusionsThe Open Knowledge Foundation is a global

network empowering people to answer

questions that matter. Get involved today!

The 21st century knowledge society should

be an open knowledge society

@OKFN http://OKFN.org