Blog

New Publication

Towards a Fourth Wave of Open Data? Selected Readings on Open Data and Generative AI

Generative AI tools are increasingly used across sectors, including in governments. However, there is limited research on how these...

Event

Data Stewardship for Cities in Practice

Data Stewards Academy Graduates present data re-use initiatives

The Data Steward’s Academy Data Re-Use in Cities Course hosted a Final Showcase event in mid-July to mark the culmination of its...

New Publication

GovLab Summer Readings: A Review of Major Publications from 2023

A collection of some major resources from The GovLab to keep you occupied during these summer months.

It’s July once again, and, many people, in the Northern Hemisphere, are seeking a break from the daily grind and seeking for readings...

Announcement

Congrats to the Next Generation of Data Stewards who completed the Data Re-use in Cities Course!

A summary of the results of our latest Data Stewards course

Congrats to the latest  cohort of rising data leaders in cities who completed their final week of sessions at the Data Stewards...

Event

Moving from Open Data Policy to Action

Reflections from the Second Annual State of Open Data Policy Summit

In recent years, open data has moved from being a dramatic reform to an expectation. While people might have once been satisfied with the...

New Publication

Destination? Care Blocks!

Summarizing the proceedings of two studios focused on addressing mobility-related inequalities

This blog details the proceedings of the first of two Studios focused on creating a new data collaborative that addresses mobility-related...

ODPL Course

Data Stewards Academy: Data Re-Use in Cities Course Underway

In early May, we welcomed our current cohort of twenty data leaders from around the world for the first Data Stewards Academy Executive...

Event

Toward a Fourth Wave of Open Data? Understanding how we can use generative AI for open data and how open data can inform generative AI

The summary of a discussion into the opportunities and challenges presented by generative AI tools for the open data community

Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Bard, and Claude have attracted enormous attention. Yet, questions remain about whether these tools can...

New Publication

Actualizing Digital Self Determination: From Theory to Practice

Realizing digital self determination by fostering collaboration between policymakers data practitioners, technology developers, civil society organizations, community leaders, and regular people.

This piece was originally published by Stefaan Verhulst on his Medium here.   The world is undergoing a rapid process of datafication,...

Event

Open Data Policy Lab Announces Second Annual State of Open Data Policy Summit

A virtual event to take stock of recent developments in open data policy.

On 12 June 2023, The GovLab and Microsoft will host their annual conference on ways governments, companies, and civil society are opening...

Event

An Action Plan Towards a “New Deal on Data” in Africa

Accelerating Open Data and Data Collaboration in Africa through Policy

This blog details the proceedings of the second Open Data Action Lab focused on advancing open data and data collaboration in Africa through...

Event

Moving towards a “New Deal on Data” for Africa

Accelerating Open Data and Data Collaboration in Africa through Policy

This blog was originally published in the blog for Data & Policy, a peer reviewed, open access venue dedicated to the potential of...

Announcement

Announcing the first Data Stewards Academy Executive Education Course focused on Data Re-Use in Cities

Over the course of eight weeks, participants will learn about the ways they can re-use data in a city context to pursue goals in the public’s interest.

In 2020, nearly 4.2 billion people lived in cities. This number is expected to double by 2050. Cities face new and emerging challenges every...

New Publication

Mastering the Practice of Defining Problems Well: Open Data Policy Lab Releases New Problem Definition Tool

The Open Data Policy Lab releases a new resource to help organizations frame and articulate the problems they face.

What does it take to address a public problem leveraging data? The first step is defining what the problem is.  This statement might...

Case Study

Data Collaborative Case Study: NYC Recovery Data Partnership

An exploration of an innovative example of data collaboration in New York City

This is the sixth installment of an ongoing series of case studies on Data Collaboratives and Data Stewardship. These case studies intend to...

Event

Highlights from Panel on Civic Trust for NYC Open Data Week

A summary of key points emerging from The GovLab's event on civic trust for New York City Open Data Week

Civic trust is vital for people to engage with the institutions and community around them. Yet, there is no consensus on how to establish it...

Event

Open Data Action Lab: Data Sharing Agreements for Smart Cities

Takeaways from our first Open Data Action Lab on accelerating data collaborations in cities by removing obstacles to Data Sharing Agreements

This blog details the proceedings of the first of two Action Labs. Learn more about the initiative by visiting the Open Data Policy Lab...

ODPL Course

New Data Stewardship Course focused on Data Re-Use in Cities

The Open Data Policy Lab launches the latest iteration of its Data Stewards Academy course.

At the end of 2022, the United Nations announced a new milestone for humanity–we’d reached a population of 8 billion on earth....

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...

New 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...

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...

New Publication

Open Data Policy Lab Releases New Guide Establishing the Case for Data Collaboration and Re-Use

This worksheet helps data stewards, in both the private and public sectors, identify incentives and benefits of providing access to their data for re-use in the public good and create a business case.

Providing access to data to facilitate responsible re-use can help improve governance and public services; accelerate innovation through...

Report

New Report Assessing the Use of Non-Traditional Data During a Pandemic Crisis Released

The GovLab and the Knight Foundation have released a new report examining the use of non-traditional data for pandemic response.

As the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrate, pandemics pose major challenges on all levels–with cataclysmic effects on...

Event

Data Collaboration for the Blue Economy: The GovLab, Intertidal Agency, and Openscapes Host Studio on Data Stewardship and Governance Models for Data Sharing

The GovLab, Intertidal Agency, and Openscapes organized a set of studios to empower early career ocean professionals to open their datasets and embody data stewardship principles.

The Blue Economy is an expansive concept. In the words of the World Bank, it is “the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic...

New Publication

Open Data Policy Lab Publishes New Guide on Periodic Table of Open Data

This User’s Guide is a checklist and tool to weigh different elements based on their context and priorities.

In 2016, The GovLab published the Periodic Table of Open Data Impact Factors, a framework for understanding the many elements that support...

Testimonials

The Data Stewards Academy: Reflections from our Eastern Hemisphere Expert Cohort

Since its launch in 2020, the Data Stewards Academy has hosted three expert cohorts from around the world as a part of their executive...

City Incubator

Subnational Data Innovation Research Blog Series: The Advent of Data Infrastructure

Examining findings from the Open Data Policy Lab's City Incubator program

The Open Data Policy Lab’s City Incubator program was established in September 2021 to help realize the Third Wave of Open Data at the...

City Incubator

Subnational Data Innovation Research Blog Series: The Intersection of Data, Equity, and City Governments

Examining findings from the Open Data Policy Lab's City Incubator program

The Open Data Policy Lab’s City Incubator program was established in September 2021 to help realize the Third Wave of Open Data at the...

EVENTS

Open Data Policy Lab Releases State of Open Data Policy Summit Key Highlights Video

A compilation of major takeaways from the State of Open Data Policy Summit

On Tuesday, May 17, 2022, The Open Data Policy Lab hosted its inaugural “State of Open Data Policy Summit.” Over the course of...

Events

Turning to Purpose-Driven, Collaborative Open Data Sharing and Standards in the Public and Private Sectors: Takeaways from the State of Open Data Policy Summit

An overview of major developments emerging from the Open Data Policy Lab's State of Open Data Policy Summit

From improving disease response to enabling more equitable public transportation to promoting child well-being,...

Guest Blog

Data First: Reflections of the Municipality of the City of Mendoza in a study on road safety

Mendoza City's Luciano Pedro Santoni, a participant in the Open Data Policy Lab's City Incubator Program, describes his work on a new platform to better file traffic accident reports and collect info.

This piece is a guest blog produced as part of the Open Data Policy Lab's City Incubator program, which helped public intrapreneurs...

Guest Blog

How the City of Winnipeg’s Diversity Dashboard is Helping to Set Diversity Goals

The City of Winnipeg's Jennifer Bodnarchuk, a participant in the Open Data Policy Lab's City Incubator Program, describes her work on a Diversity Dashboard to better represent diversity data.

This piece is a guest blog produced as part of the Open Data Policy Lab's City Incubator program, which helped public intrapreneurs within...

New Resource

Launch: State of Open Data Policy Repository

A collection of recent policy changes related to data collaboration.

To accompany its State of Open Data Policy Summit, the Open Data Policy Lab is happy to announce today the release of a new resource to...

Event

Announcing New Global, Nonpartisan Summit on State of Open Data Policy

Identifying Policy Requirements to Facilitate the Third Wave of Open Data

From improving disease response to enabling more equitable public transportation to promoting child well-being,...

Press Release

Ten most pressing, high-impact questions to drive change in inclusive and sustainable mobility

The GovLab, Development Bank of Latin America, Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative, and the New Urban Mobility Alliance launch the 100 Questions “Urban Mobility and Transportation” Domain

BROOKLYN, New York, April 12, 2022 – The Governance Lab (The GovLab) at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, along with CAF - ...

Strategy

Microsoft Launches Open Data for Social Impact Framework

Earlier this week, Microsoft announced the launch of their Open Data for Social Impact Framework. This framework builds on a key learning...

Announcement

Announcing the First Data Stewards Academy Executive Education Course Focused on the Eastern Hemisphere

Over the course of eight weeks, participants will learn about the ways they can use data to improve how they operate and pursue goals in the public’s interest. 

Data innovation is happening around the world. Yet, many of the most exciting developments in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific go unreported...

Publication

Toward A Periodic Table of Open Data Elements in Cities

Providing a summary of the major issues that open data practitioners can think about as they develop strategies for release and use of open data

In 2016, The GovLab (in collaboration with the Omidyar Network) studied the impact of open data in countries around the world. Through a...

Event

Ten Cities Presenting 10 Data Innovations: How We Prepared Our Data Innovators to Put On Their Pitch Hat

Our ten cities were recently able to put their refined pitching skills to the test by giving public presentations as a part of New York University’s Center for Urban Science and Progress’ (CUSP) Re...

Over the course of 5 months, we have worked with ten participating cities in the City Incubator program to harness their data innovation...

Event

Open Data Week 2022: How to ignite the Third Wave of Open Data in New York City

Identifying Ways to Promote More Purpose Led, Collaborative, and Responsible Data Openness

Open data has the potential to transform how we govern while empowering individuals and enabling economic growth. Since signing its open...

City Incubator

Data Innovation Bootcamp: Video Series Release

On December 1 2021, the Open Data Policy Lab team shared a summary of our first-ever Data Innovation Bootcamp as a part of the Open Data Policy Lab’s City Incubator.

On December 1 2021, the Open Data Policy Lab team shared a summary of our first-ever Data Innovation Bootcamp as a part of the Open Data...

Data Stewards Academy

Participant Testimonials

Reflections from the first two cohorts of learners

“What an honor to stand in the presence of such brilliant and thoughtful colleagues. It was so refreshing to be around people who were...

City Incubator Mentor Council

How to Accelerate the Third Wave of Open Data in 2022

In the three months since the Open Data Policy Lab announced the ten participating cities in its City Incubator program, we have worked to...

New York City Council...

Toward a Third Wave of Open Data for New York City

On 10 December 2021, The GovLab’s Stefaan Verhulst testified before the New York City Council Committee on Technology as part of a hearing on “Open Data Compliance.” Below are his full remarks

Written Testimony by Stefaan G. Verhulst, Co-Founder, The GovLab, Tandon School of Engineering, New York University Before the New York City...

Data Stewards Academy

OPEN NOW: Apply Today to Attend Data Stewardship Executive Education Course

Call for responsible data leaders to join the Eastern Hemisphere cohort, which will commence in March 2022

APPLY HERE BY MONDAY, JANUARY 31   Data Stewardship: Developing a Data Reuse Strategy for Public Problems, a Data Stewards Academy...

City Incubator

Data Innovation Bootcamp: From Foundations of Data Innovation to Sustainability Planning in Six Weeks

A key objective of the Open Data Policy Lab involves  supporting  government data innovators and their work in cities around the...

Data Stewards Academy

Why Data Stewardship? Reflections from Expert Participants in the Data Stewards Academy Executive Education Course

In 2020, The GovLab’s Open Data Policy Lab, in partnership with Microsoft, launched an executive education course, Developing a Data...

Data Stewardship and COP26

Data Collaboration, and Reuse to Address Climate Change

A Collection of Resources from The GovLab Data Program

The United Kingdom is hosting the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow from 31 October — 12 November...

Business Case

The “9Rs Framework”: Establishing the Business Case for Data Collaboration and Re-Using Data in the Public Interest

The Open Data Policy Lab addresses these questions with its “9R Framework,” a method for describing and identifying the business case for data reuse for the public good...

When made accessible and re-used responsibly, privately held data has the potential to generate enormous public value. Whether it’s...

Data Responsibility

A Curation of Tools for Promoting Effective Data Re-Use for Addressing Public Challenges

In this blog, the Data Program provides a curation of tools that we’ve developed over the years to enable systematic, sustainable and responsible re-use of data - i.e. data stewardship.

Data can be a powerful tool for change, if made accessible and leveraged responsibly. Since The GovLab’s Data Program began work six...

Data Artefact Study

The GovLab Releases New Study on Population Density Data and Its Uses

Today, The GovLab is releasing a new report examining data and information about population density that can help to create social and...

City Incubator

Open Data Policy Lab City Incubator Announces Inaugural Cohort

Announcing the participants in a program meant to empower public intrapreneurs within cities around the world to develop their data innovation ideas into reality.

In spite of a global pandemic, cities around the world are continuing to build and scale impactful, effective, equity-driven, and open data...

Open Data's Impact

How Ukraine Is Using Open Data to Tackle Corruption

Guest post from Dmytro Buhanevych, Program Coordinator at the Eurasia Foundation

Key Takeaways Digitalization of government plays a key role in democratization and increase in transparency and accountability in...

The “Onion Model”

A Layered Approach to Documenting How the Third Wave of Open Data Can Provide Societal Value

There’s a lot that goes into data-driven decision-making. Behind the datasets, platforms, and analysts is a complex series of...

City Incubator

Announcing the Open Data Policy Lab's City Incubator

A program that helps public intrapreneurs within cities around the world to develop their data innovation ideas into reality by providing dedicated support across a 6 month period.

Hackathons. Data Jams. Dashboards. Mapping, analyzing, and releasing open data. These are some of the essential first steps in building a...

Data Stewards Academy

Announcing the Launch of Data Stewards Academy Executive Education Course Second Cohort

Today the Data Stewards Academy welcomed a new cohort of learners for the second iteration of its executive education course: Developing a...

Data Responsibility

LAUNCH: New Interactive Tool to Enable Trusted Data Collaboration in Society

Public Beta of the Data Responsibility Journey Mapping Tool

Data Collaboratives, the purpose-driven reuse of data in the public interest, have demonstrated their ability to unlock the societal value...

Data Stewards Academy

Apply Now for the Second Cohort of the Data Stewards Academy Executive Education Course

Developing a Data Reuse Strategy for Public Problems, a Data Stewards Academy executive education course, is now accepting applicants for...

First Anniversary of the Open...

A Selection of Activities, Achievements, and Future Priorities

When The GovLab launched the Open Data Policy Lab one year ago with support from Microsoft, we did so in a strange and uncertain world. Much...

Data Stewards Academy

Testimonials and Lessons Learned from a First-of-Its-Kind Data Stewardship Executive Education Course

Access the course syllabus here In late 2020, The GovLab’s Open Data Policy Lab initiative, supported by Microsoft, announced the...

New Brief

What Is Mobility Data? Where Is It Used?

Mobility data is data about the geographic location of a device passively produced through normal activity. Throughout the pandemic, public...

#Data4COVID19

What is the potential of mobility data to tackle pandemics?

Thinking about March 2020 can be a surreal experience. This time last year, people around the world were just entering lockdown — for...

#Data4COVID19

What was the role of Open Government Data in the early days of COVID-19?

This summary was originally published by the OECD on its website. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the demand for access to timely,...

Primer 8: Tracking, Monitoring, and Clarifying Decision and Data Provenance

Capturing data-handling and decision-making processes to ensure coordination

Download the Primer Why Data and decision provenance are key to reducing data risks while re-using data in the most impactful way. By...

Primer 7: Fostering Public Data Competence

Engaging citizens to promote wider use of data informed by local contexts and priorities

Download the Primer Why Facilitating greater data competence within the general public is an important step to ensuring that it could...

Primer 6: Creating the Technical Infrastructure for Re-use

Investing in innovative and sophisticated technologies to improve data use on data supply and demand sides

Download the Primer Why Open data portals have been key in enabling open data, combining various institutional datasets and allowing users...

Primer 5: Establishing Governance Frameworks

Creating safeguards to mitigate risks of harmful outcomes

Download the Primer Why Even 20 years into the digital revolution, rules and regulations dictating data usage remain sparse. While this...

Primer 4: Supporting New Data Intermediaries

Engaging actors who can lower transaction costs in data collaborative relationships

Download the Primer Why Matching the supply of data with those who demand it can be costly in terms of time, resources, and staff....

Primer 3: Articulating Value and Building an Impact Evidence Base

Demonstrating the concrete, tangible value of increased access to and re-use of data

Download the Primer Why In the past, open data advocates have tended to argue for increased data re-use by relying on normative arguments....

Primer 2: Fostering and Distributing Institutional Data Capacity

Taking steps to avoid consolidating and siloing of data skills and resources, and instead catalyzing such capacity to filter into daily institutional operations

Download the Primer Why Organizations across sectors can increase the societal and organizational value created through data re-use by...

Primer 1: Creating and Empowering (Chief) Data Stewards

Developing and nurturing responsible data leaders to support impactful data re-use

Download the Primer Why The Third Wave brings with it a focus on the institutional arrangements that need to be reimagined to achieve a more...

#Data4COVID19

Have we built the data infrastructure and ecosystem needed to tackle pandemics and other dynamic threats?

A year ago, the COVID-19 pandemic became real for people across the world. Though the spectre of the virus had been seen in the days and...

The Third Wave of Open Data

Open Data Policy Lab Releases Third Wave of Open Data Toolkit

DOWNLOAD THE TOOLKIT Open data and data re-use, when leveraged responsibly, can enable innovative problem-solving. On issues as complex and...

Open Data Day 2021

How to unlock open data's potential moving forward?

By Andrew J. Zahuranec, Andrew Young, and Stefaan G. Verhulst. Originally published at Data & Policy    For over a decade,...

Open Data Day 2021

Come sbloccare il suo potenziale proseguendo?

By Andrew J. Zahuranec, Andrew Young, and Stefaan G. Verhulst. Translated into Italian by Maurizio Napolitano. Per oltre un decennio, i...

Data Stewardship Course

ANNOUNCING: First of its Kind Executive Course on Data Stewardship — Focused on Data Re-Use in the Public Interest

Learn how to initiate a data strategy in the public interest from key players in the field

Today, the Open Data Policy Lab is excited to announce a first ever online executive course on Data Stewardship: Developing a Data Reuse...

The Third Wave of Open Data

Connecting the Past, Present, and Future of Re-Using Data to Advance Societal Goals

Our world faces many challenges ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic to the threat of climate change to growing economic inequality. Faced...

Data to Go

The Value of Data Portability as a Means to Data Liquidity

If data is the “new oil,” why isn’t it flowing? For almost two decades, data management in fields such as government,...

The Data Assembly

Toward Responsible Data Re-Use for COVID-19 in New York City

Key Takeaways

The Data Assembly is an initiative from The GovLab supported by the Henry Luce Foundation to solicit diverse, actionable public input on...

Open Data and Climate Change

The World is On Fire. Data Can Help

Accelerating Data Collaboration

Right now, huge swathes of Brazil’s Amazon rainforest are burning. In the Arctic, ice has melted to near-record...

Summer of Open Data

Panel #10

Defining the Value Proposition, Building Common Infrastructure, and Avoiding Missed Use

Panelists, clockwise from top left: Andrew Young (The GovLab); Daniel Jarratt (Infinite Campus); Vanessa Brown (National Student...

Summer of Open Data

Panel #9

Incentives for Data Reuse, Frameworks for Collaboration, and Centering Data Responsibility

The Summer of Open Data is a three-month project spearheaded by the Open Data Policy Lab (an initiative of The GovLab with support from...

Summer of Open Data

Panel #8

Focus on Public Communication, Legal Mandates, and Data Ethics

The Summer of Open Data is a three-month project spearheaded by the Open Data Policy Lab (an initiative of The GovLab with support from...

Building a Knowledge Base

Selected Readings on Data Portability

Emerging Literature for Future Work on Data Portability

As part of an ongoing effort to build a knowledge base for the field of improving governance through technology, The GovLab publishes a...

Summer of Open Data

Panel #7

The Impact of COVID-19 on States, Localities, and Business

Clockwise from the top left: Stefaan Verhulst (The GovLab); Rudi Borrmann (Open Government Partnership); Kara Selke (StreetLight Data); and...

Summer of Open Data

Panel #6

Subnational Data, Sustainability, and Skills Development

Panelists, clockwise from top left: Stefaan Verhulst (The GovLab); Rhiannan Price (Maxar Technologies); Stephen Chacha (Tanzania Data Lab);...

Summer of Open Data

Panel #5

Data Reuse, Service Delivery, and Horizontal Silos

Panelists, clockwise from top left: Arturo Muente Kunigami (Inter-American Development Bank); Malarvizhi Veerappan (World Bank); Jaimie Boyd...

Summer of Open Data

Panel #4

Data Responsibility and New Forms of Collaboration

The Summer of Open Data is a three-month project spearheaded by the Open Data Policy Lab (an initiative of The GovLab with support from...

Summer of Open Data

#3: Keynote

Conversation with Taiwan's Audrey Tang

The Summer of Open Data is a three-month project spearheaded by the Open Data Policy Lab (an initiative of The...

Summer of Open Data

Panel #2

Data Re-Use from Local Government to the Corporate Sector

Panelists, clockwise from top left: Stefaan Verhulst, The Govlab; Paul Ko, LinkedIn; Denise Linn Reidl, City of South Bend, Indiana; Justine...

Summer of Open Data

Panel #1: Kick-Off

What Are The Contours of The Third Wave of Open Data?

Today, The Open Data Policy Lab is delighted to release the kick-off panel of our Summer of Open Data including three of the...

Summer of Open Data

Accelerating Data Collaboration

Jump Starting the Third Wave of Open Data

Despite the proliferation of data, its potential has yet to be realized in policy- and decision-making. Many of the most useful datasets...

Building a Knowledge Base

Selected Readings on Open Data Legislation and Policy

Outlining the Open Data Ecosystem

INTRODUCTION Amid increasingly pressing demands for information pertaining to public health, government response, and administrative...

Building a Knowledge Base

Open Data Index

10 Insights on the Value of Open Data

What’s the value of open data? For the last few years, The GovLab has curated and identified hundreds of studies on the use and value...

Launching the Open Data Policy...

From Idea to Reality

Why We Need an Open Data Policy Lab

The belief that we are living in a data age — one characterized by unprecedented amounts of data, with unprecedented potential —...