The Open Data Handbook

<!doctype html> <html class="no-js" lang=""> <head> <meta charset="utf-8"> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge"> <title>The Open Data Handbook</title> <meta name="description" content="Guides, case studies and resources for government & civil society on the "what, why & how" of open data. 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href="/guide/en/following-up/">So I've Opened Up Some Data, Now What? </a> </li> <li > <a href="/guide/en/events/">Make data social</a> </li> <li > <a href="/guide/en/appendices/">Appendices</a> </li>  <li> <a href="/glossary/en/">Glossary</a> </li>   </ul> </li>  <li> <a href="/value-stories/en/">Value Stories</a> </li>   <li> <a href="/resources/">Resources</a> </li>   <li class="apps-menu"> <a href="/solutions/en/">Solutions</a> <ul class="app-sub-menu"> <li class="search"> <input type="search" placeholder="Search" class="quicksearch"> </li> <li class="problems filter active"> <a>Problems</a> <span class="filter-items"> <a data-filter=".selector-problem-reusefederatedtools" data-pid=".problem-reusefederatedtools">(Re)use federated tools</a> <a data-filter=".selector-problem-assessholisticmetrics" data-pid=".problem-assessholisticmetrics">Assess holistic metrics</a> <a data-filter=".selector-problem-categoriseopennessofdata" data-pid=".problem-categoriseopennessofdata">Categorise openness of data</a> <a data-filter=".selector-problem-crossagencystrategy" data-pid=".problem-crossagencystrategy">Cross Agency strategy</a> <a data-filter=".selector-problem-developanopendatapublicationplan" data-pid=".problem-developanopendatapublicationplan">Develop an Open Data Publication Plan</a> <a data-filter=".selector-problem-developdatasetcriteria" data-pid=".problem-developdatasetcriteria">Develop dataset criteria</a> <a data-filter=".selector-problem-enablefeedbackchannelsforimprovingdataquality" data-pid=".problem-enablefeedbackchannelsforimprovingdataquality">Enable feedback channels for improving data quality</a> <a data-filter=".selector-problem-enablequalityassessmentofopendata" data-pid=".problem-enablequalityassessmentofopendata">Enable quality assessment of open data</a> <a data-filter=".selector-problem-encouragecrowdsourcingaroundpsi" data-pid=".problem-encouragecrowdsourcingaroundpsi">Encourage crowdsourcing around PSI</a> <a data-filter=".selector-problem-establishopengovernmentportal" data-pid=".problem-establishopengovernmentportal">Establish Open Government Portal</a> <a data-filter=".selector-problem-establishanopendataecosystem" data-pid=".problem-establishanopendataecosystem">Establish an Open Data Ecosystem</a> <a data-filter=".selector-problem-identifywhatyoualreadypublish" data-pid=".problem-identifywhatyoualreadypublish">Identify what you already publish</a> <a data-filter=".selector-problem-influxofhousingpriceincreases" data-pid=".problem-influxofhousingpriceincreases">Influx of Housing Price Increases</a> <a data-filter=".selector-problem-internationalaidandtransparency" data-pid=".problem-internationalaidandtransparency">International Aid & Transparency</a> <a data-filter=".selector-problem-opendatabusinessmodels" data-pid=".problem-opendatabusinessmodels">Open Data Business Models</a> <a data-filter=".selector-problem-openuppublictransportdata" data-pid=".problem-openuppublictransportdata">Open Up Public Transport Data</a> <a data-filter=".selector-problem-providepsiatzerocharge" data-pid=".problem-providepsiatzerocharge">Provide PSI at zero charge</a> <a data-filter=".selector-problem-publishstatisticaldatainlinkeddataformat" data-pid=".problem-publishstatisticaldatainlinkeddataformat">Publish Statistical Data In Linked Data Format</a> <a data-filter=".selector-problem-publishoverviewofmanageddata" data-pid=".problem-publishoverviewofmanageddata">Publish overview of managed data</a> <a data-filter=".selector-problem-ride-sharingandpublictransit" data-pid=".problem-ride-sharingandpublictransit">Ride-sharing and Public Transit</a> <a data-filter=".selector-problem-standardsforgeospatialdata" data-pid=".problem-standardsforgeospatialdata">Standards for Geospatial Data</a> <a data-filter=".selector-problem-trackingmodernwarfare" data-pid=".problem-trackingmodernwarfare">Tracking Modern Warfare</a> <a data-filter=".selector-problem-unveilingincarcerationrates" data-pid=".problem-unveilingincarcerationrates">Unveiling Incarceration Rates</a> </span> </li> <li class="filter"> <a>Themes</a> <span class="filter-items"> <a data-filter=".selector-theme-internationalconflict"> International Conflict</a> <a data-filter=".selector-theme-transport"> Transport</a> <a data-filter=".selector-theme-civilconflict">Civil Conflict</a> <a data-filter=".selector-theme-gentrification">Gentrification</a> <a data-filter=".selector-theme-health">Health</a> <a data-filter=".selector-theme-internationalaid">International Aid</a> <a data-filter=".selector-theme-modernwarfare">Modern Warfare</a> <a data-filter=".selector-theme-prisonpolicy">Prison Policy</a> <a data-filter=".selector-theme-sharepsi">Share PSI</a> <a data-filter=".selector-theme-transport">Transport</a> </span> </li> <li class="filter"> <a>Tags</a> <span class="filter-items"> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-civilconflict"> Civil Conflict</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-crime"> Crime</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-development"> Development</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-drones"> Drones</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-e-government"> E-Government</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-foreignaffairs"> Foreign Affairs</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-housingprices"> Housing Prices</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-humanrights"> Human Rights</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-incarcerationrates"> Incarceration Rates</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-internaldisplacement"> Internal Displacement</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-internationalconflict"> International Conflict</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-internationalsecurity"> International Security</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-metro"> Metro</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-sharepsi"> Share PSI</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-transparency"> Transparency</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-corruption"> corruption</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-development"> development</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-e-government"> e-government</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-foreignpolicy"> foreign policy</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-metro"> metro</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-publictransit"> public transit</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-ride-sharing"> ride-sharing</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-gentrification">Gentrification</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-internationalaid">International Aid</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-modernwarfare">Modern Warfare</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-prisonpolicy">Prison Policy</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-taxi">Taxi</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-transparency">Transparency</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-insurance">insurance</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-internationalaid">international aid</a> <a data-filter=".selector-tag-transparency">transparency</a> </span> </li> </ul> </li>  <li class=""> <a href="/contribute/">Contribute</a> <ul> <li > <a href="/contribute/">Contributing To The Handbook</a> </li> <li > <a href="/contribute/adding/">Adding A Page</a> </li> <li > <a href="/contribute/editing/">Editing A Page</a> </li> <li > <a href="/contribute/add-term/">Adding A Term To The Glossary</a> </li> <li > <a href="/contribute/add-resource/">Adding A Resource To The Library</a> </li> <li > <a href="/contribute/translate-guide/">Translating The Guide</a> </li> <li > <a href="/contribute/translate-glossary/">Translating The Glossary</a> </li> <li > <a href="/contribute/markdown-examples/">Markdown Examples</a> </li> </ul> </li>  <li> <a href="/credits/">Credits</a> </li> </ul> </nav> <div class="page-content"> <div class="post"> <article class="post-content"> <a href="/guide/en/" class="pre-header">guide</a> <h1 class="post-title">The Open Data Handbook</h1> <div class="languages"> <strong>Languages:</strong>  <span><a href="/guide/de/" title="Deutsch">de</a> </span> <span><a href="/guide/el/" title="Ελληνικά">el</a> </span> <span><a class="active_language" href="/guide/en/" title="English">en</a> </span> <span><a href="/guide/es/" title="Español/Castellano">es</a> </span> <span><a href="/guide/fr/" title="Français">fr</a> </span> <span><a href="/guide/he/" title="עברית">he</a> </span> <span><a href="/guide/hr/" title="hrvatski">hr</a> </span> <span><a href="/guide/id/" title="Bahasa">id</a> </span> <span><a href="/guide/is/" title="Íslenska">is</a> </span> <span><a href="/guide/it/" title="Italiano">it</a> </span> <span><a href="/guide/ja/" title="日本語">ja</a> </span> <span><a href="/guide/ko/" title="한국어">ko</a> </span> <span><a href="/guide/lt/" title="Lietuvių">lt</a> </span> <span><a href="/guide/lv/" title="Latviešu">lv</a> </span> <span><a href="/guide/my/" title="မြန်မာဘာသာ">my</a> </span> <span><a href="/guide/ne/" title="नेपाली भाषा">ne</a> </span> <span><a href="/guide/nl_BE/" title="Nederlands (Belgisch)">nl_BE</a> </span> <span><a href="/guide/pt_BR/" title="Português Brasileiro">pt_BR</a> </span> <span><a href="/guide/ro/" title="Română">ro</a> </span> <span><a href="/guide/ru/" title="Pyccĸий">ru</a> </span> <span><a href="/guide/zh_CN/" title="中国语文">zh_CN</a> </span> <span><a href="/guide/zh_TW/" title="繁體中文">zh_TW</a> </span> </div> <p><strong>This handbook discusses the legal, social and technical aspects of open data.</strong> It can be used by anyone but is especially designed for those seeking to <strong>open up</strong> data. It discusses the <strong>why, what and how</strong> of open data – why to go open, what open is, and the how to ‘open’ data.</p> <p>To get started, you may wish to look at the <a href="introduction/">Introduction</a>. You can navigate through the report using the Table of Contents (see sidebar or below).</p> <p>We warmly welcome comments on the text and will incorporate feedback as we go forward. We also welcome contributions or suggestions for additional sections and areas to examine.</p> <h2 id="table-of-contents">Table of Contents</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/guide/en/introduction/" title="Introduction">Introduction</a></li> <li><a href="/guide/en/why-open-data/" title="Why Open Data?">Why Open Data?</a></li> <li><a href="/guide/en/what-is-open-data/" title="What is Open Data?">What is Open Data?</a></li> <li><a href="/guide/en/how-to-open-up-data/" title="How to Open up Data">How to Open up Data</a></li> <li><a href="/guide/en/following-up/" title="So I've Opened Up Some Data, Now What?">So I've Opened Up Some Data, Now What?</a></li> <li><a href="/guide/en/events/" title="Making Data Social">Making Data Social</a></li> <li><a href="/guide/en/appendices/" title="Appendices">Appendices</a></li> <li><a href="/guide/my/appendices/" title="Appendices">Appendices</a></li> </ul> </article> </div> <div class="page-tools"> <ul> <li class="edit tooltip-item"> Improve this page <span 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The Open Data Handbook