Open data: helping you deliver better services

Welcome to our third newsletter. Thanks to everyone who has told us they value our newsletters - we love new subscribers!

It's been a busy couple of months for the Open Government Information and Data team. Our highlights include:

Holding workshops with government and civil society about how to accelerate open data in New Zealand (we'll be releasing their feedback as open data very soon - stay tuned!)
Bringing three fantastic open data thought leaders to the New Zealand space through our Google Hangouts (check out more info below)
Holding a live-stream at Biz Dojo Wellington of Joel Gurin's hangout followed by a wider open data conversation (thanks Wellington City Council for organising), & joining the global movement to celebrate International Open Data Day with Beth Noveck's hangout.

#opendataleadership

We launched our Twitter account in February, and we're chuffed to have more than 200 followers already - thanks everyone. We've noticed the #opendataleadership tag we used for our google hangouts popping up around the twittersphere so we encourage you to join the conversation. What do you think are some key things we can do as open data leaders to make a difference for New Zealand?

Come check us out online: @opendatanz or #opendatanz.

As always, to contact us simply drop us a line at opendata@linz.govt.nz. If you know people who would like to subscribe to our bi-monthly newsletters, they can do that here:

The Open Government Information & Data Programme Team

Suzanne Townsend Paul Stone Rochelle Stewart-Allen

Check out our three Google Hangouts with international open data thought leaders:

A conversation with Joel Gurin

Joel is a leading international expert on open data, and author of Open Data Now - a book that has helped define the emerging field of open data, Co-Founder of the Center for Open Data Enterprise in Washington DC. He is also a Senior Consultant for the World Bank.

Learn more

A conversation with Beth Noveck

Beth is considered one of today's most innovative thinkers on government reform using digital technologies. Beth's vision of collaborative democracy includes utilising the power of open data to improve collaboration between government and citizens.

Learn more

A conversation with Richard Stirling (Open Data Institute)

Richard is the International Director of the UK's Open Data Institute which was founded by Sir Tim Berners-Lee and Sir Nigel Shadbolt in 2012 to connect, equip and inspire people around the world to promote innovation with open data.

Learn more

FREE template for your Open Data Release Policy

Here is a template for you to use to draft your open data policy. It provides a starting point for you to adopt the Declaration on Open and Transparent Government. You may like to work within your region to create a shared and common policy. Hawkes Bay region is currently doing this. Click here to download.

Open Data is changing the world in four ways: 1. improving government, 2. empowering citizens, 3. creating opportunity & 4. solving public problems. Simply click on the image to explore open data case studies from the fantastic new Open Data Impact site.

As more data becomes publicly available, mapping that data is becoming increasingly popular. Simply click on the image to read seven examples of state and local governments using maps to help themselves and their local communities.

Navigating open data standards

'Citadel on the Move' set out with a simple vision to make open data an achievable reality for every city in Europe.

Citadel gathered first-hand data and experiences from 63 countries worldwide, including 46 in Europe.

This wealth of information allowed the project to develop a unique understanding of what it takes to start building a ‘Data City’ – a city that truly embraces the potential of open data.

Citadel identified three key drivers that form a compelling case for cities to "go open":

1. Achieve significant cost savings

2. Unlock the value of your greatest assets - your customers

3. Meet transparency & accountability laws.

Click to read more

Forward