Today, I attended the Open Data Roadshow at the Mesa Arts Center. The event focused on using technology to increase transparency in local government. According to Garrett Jacobs, Code for America's Government Coordinator, open data is "the preview of making data freely available to the public to use as they wish without restriction in a machine format." Open data allows the public and government employees easy access to open data for the benefit of sharing knowledge and enhancing public awareness of city operations and public policies. The Open Data roadshow highlighted local city government initiatives (Phoenix/Tuscon) that implemented open data portals, application, and/or tools to enhance city operations, build public trust, and provide better customer service.
Technology has changed the way governments do business and connect with their citizens. Open data is an important tool to building public trust by increasing transparency in government operations and services. Open data also benefits staff efficiency by making documents easy to obtain and work orders easy to track. In addition to increasing government efficiency, Open data can influence economic development by reducing strain on request for records such as building permits, civilian complaints, budgets, and service requests.
I found all the information presented at the roadshow intriguing and insightful from a policy perspective. By implementing Open data strategies and programs, government officials are to make better decisions for their communities. Open data could be a valuable resource to shape the direction of public policy and help policy makers decide the best course of action for their communities.
On a side note, after the presentation they served tasty empanadas.
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