Once you have your list of datasets, determine the schedule for releasing datasets based on a prioritization process that incorporates public feedback. Focusing on the customer service experience of residents ensures that you are releasing what the public cares about. Rather than releasing data that you think the public would be interested in, why not ask them!
Philadelphia has built public engagement into its open data inventory website, which is a detailed list of every dataset that exists wihin city government. Beside each dataset is a section in which the public can add comments. The data services team takes input to each department, which helps them to make informed prioritization decisions on which datasets to release first.
As you work with departmental contacts, keep in mind their roles and relationship with the data. For example, department heads and commissioners have the ability to connect with staff at multiple levels and make decisions, but may not be as familiar with the details of the data as those who work with it every day. Department staff who are very familiar with the data may have a different interpretation of data that contains sensitive information than department heads, deputies, or commissioners with decision making power. Call upon the expertise of all staff by creating a governance committee, or even a less formal group, with multiple levels of department staff to review the data.
####Example: Philadelphia
Phila / Office of Innovation and Technology / Open Data / Data Inventory / Fire
| Title | Contents | Comments | Details | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Fire Incident Reports | Any time there is a fire, information is gathered relating to the event and the people involved, including the incident number, when the incident occurred, if any died in the fire, extent of the fire, location of the property, if any injuries occurred. | 10 | add comment | | Emergency 911 Calls | This data set contains informaiton related to the calls received by the Fire Communications 911 unit. These entries are timestamped with when the call was received, when a unit was dispatched, when the unit arrived on the scene, and has additional information regarding what happened while the incident was being mitigated. | 5 | add comment | | Budget | Budget reported monthly, quarterly, and annually | 4 | add comment | | Jury Duty Paper Work | Employees that have been called for jury duty, when they were out and additional details | 3 | add comment | | FCC Phone Database | The FCC Phone Database contains information on all incoming calls for a given day. This information is broken down into specific time frames as well as type of call which could be 911EMS, 911 FIRE, or NON-911 calls. Cumulative totals for time frames and type of calls are also recorded. | 3 | add comment | | FCC Dispatcher Database | This database contains the total number of dispatches for a given day. Data contained within each record is broken down by time frames, and type of incidents (fire, medical, etc.) | 3 | add comment | | Daily number of calls received | The number of 911 calls received on a given day. | 3 | add comment| Sum 168
Phila / Office of Innovation and Technology / Open Data / Data Inventory / Parks and Recreation
| Title | Contents | Comments | Details | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Recurring Schedules | Schedules of all recurring activities (programs + permits). Based on start and end date and recurring weekly schedules, i.e. day and times. | 1 | add comment | | Sports & Athletics | Annual Program Sheet Updated annually with all programs for the year. Last version Fall 2013. | 1 | add comment | | Staff | Information about PPR staff. Dataset is a derivative of payroll infomation with additional information like Full Name and assigned location (although location information is incomplete). | 1 | add comment | | Weekly Attendance | Weekly attendance information for progams being ran by Parks & Rec staff. Attendance is measured by # registered participants (if applicable), # of unique participants who attended that week and number of spectators (if available). | 1 | add comment | | Indoor and Outdoor Pool Schedule | Seasonal schedule maps out every hour that a pool is open. (e.g. Lincoln Nov-March). | 1 | add comment | Sum 5
####Engaging Stakeholders
Once you have the datasets and feedback forms open to the public, a key question is, how do you drive stakeholders to the page? Tap into existing networks of data professionals within city government, an advisory group, or governance structure.
Stakeholders may include:
- Advocates
- Businesses
- Candidates for political office
- Chamber of Commerce
- Coalitions
- Contractors
- Economic and community development departments
- Educators
- Educational organizations
- Elected officials
- Foundations
- Government agencies (local, state, federal)
- Higher education institutions
- Journalists
- Legal groups
- Nonprofits
- Policymakers
- Political watchdogs
- Public health organizations
- Public transit consumers
- Real estate investors
- Research organizations
- Residents and homebuyers (new, potential and current)
- Service providers
- Social services providers
- Software Developers (current and potential)