What we do
The Open Data Policy Lab works to accelerate the responsible re-use of data by lowering existing barriers and building a center of expertise that will be available to all stakeholders involved in democratizing access to data. The Open Data Policy Lab will achieve these goals through four areas of work.
Using comparative research and analysis, the Lab will identify best practices in the field of open data and inform the development of responsible data initiatives that contribute to economic development and societal resilience.
The Lab will develop and curate guidelines, toolkits, frameworks, best practices, and other materials to support more effective data sharing and data-driven decision-making.
The Lab will foster a community of data stewards, chief data officers, and other decision-makers within the public and private sectors to share knowledge, undertake collaborative work, and spur responsible data sharing.
Using the framework of The 100 Questions Initiative, the Lab will help convene governments and other stakeholders to identify key questions that can be answered by opening up data and implement proof-of-concept initiatives that demonstrate how to harness the power of open data to solve key societal challenges.
Why
Governments play a critical role in providing data that is vital to addressing today’s most pressing problems and improving people’s lives. It is essential that governments at all levels work collaboratively to share data across the public and private sectors in a responsible manner.
Similarly, governments at all levels can benefit from functional access to private-sector data to address important public policy challenges. It is essential to create an ecology in which governments can engage with industry to identify data that may be useful in addressing important public policy issues.
Our work seeks to address a variety of barriers currently standing in the way of streamlining access to data across a continuum of openness, including the absence of an enabling and scalable policy and legislative agenda, a lack of internal capacity, and limited access to external expertise and resources.
From the blog
Event
The Open Data Policy Lab Commemorates International Data Privacy Day
A selection of readings from The GovLab on data privacy
This piece was originally publushed on The GovLab's Data Stewards Network. Data Privacy Day is an international event celebrated...
By Andrew ZahuranecNew Publication
Launch of the State of Open Data Policy Online Repository
A new collection of policies around open data and data collaboration around the world.
Today, the Open Data Policy Lab is happy to announce the launch of its latest online resource: The State of Open Data Policy Repository, a...
By Marine Ragnet, Andrew...Year in Review
2022 Year in Review: Fostering Systematic, Sustainable and Responsible Data Re-use for Social Impact
As 2022 draws to a close, we take this opportunity to reflect on all that we’ve accomplished this year and how we might build on our work in 2023 and beyond.
As an action-research center, The GovLab’s Data Program’s goal is to unlock and advance the re-use of data to empower...
By The Govlab, Sampriti Saxena ...