Appendix – Additional Recommendations

A. Making sure that the published data is useful for users

The elaboration of a set of rules, procedures, and guiding principles that must be met by data publishers has the objective of ensuring the standardisation and value of data published by multiple government entities. This standardisation guarantees:

1. The construction of a common architecture for publishing datasets.
2. That all publications of data from different government entities must be dealt with according to the same procedures and with the same structures, making the bases sounder, more consistent, and more reliable.
3. Interoperability among the bases, facilitating different bases and creating new possibilities for the analysis of the published data.
4. That less effort is required for users of data published by different entities. Standardisation will also facilitate further efforts to maintain and adapt the published data by entities themselves.

International experiences point to the creation of entities with attributes of centralising government policies and actions for open data and disseminating such policies for all government units. These entities will be responsible for centralising published data from multiple entities, including datasets that were previously disconnected, with the aim of building broader platforms with records of all government activities, and serving as sources of integrated data for potential users. In order to accomplish that, these entities will need to:

1. Have powerful sponsors that will endow them with the necessary leadership.
2. Have enough financial resources to develop their attributes and projects.
3. Clearly define strategies, planning, and resources for implementation.
4. Have data governance models.
5. Pinpoint examples of success that demonstrate the dissemination of good practices.
6. Assist all the government units that are publishing the data.
7. Hold events that promote and disseminate the importance of open data.

The rules and procedures defined for the publication of datasets, as well as the models of governance adopted, strategies, planning, and entity activities, must be released to everyone who is interested and all the actors involved.

The Open Data User Group ⁴³ in the United Kingdom and the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications44 in New York City are examples of entities that have been extremely successful in carrying out their duties and substantially increasing data publication.

The monitoring and mapping of users who utilise data published by the government may enable identification of businesses that are generated or use the data. Most of these businesses have an impact on the economy, since new jobs are created in order for the businesses to work, or they even offer services that allow clients to reduce their costs or gain access to business opportunities. Through monitoring open data users, the US federal government provides information, on the Impact ⁴⁵ page of the data.gov website, that shows what businesses were created with open data provided by the open data project. The listing provides the names of the businesses, a summary of their activities or products, the links for their sites, locations, how many direct jobs are created by the businesses, and which datasets were used. Visitors can also point out businesses that are not yet listed.

B. Facilitating efforts to publish open data

Converting services provided by the government to citizens into digital formats is a strategy that facilitates the production and availability of open data. With this approach, the government of the United Kingdom proposed a guide to assist service providers with converting traditional services into digital services.

An example of a simple change, but one with the potential for generating great impact, is replacing printed forms for citizen requests to the government with electronic forms. With electronic forms, it is possible to obtain more precise information about what they are looking for, because digital forms allow standardisation of the options available and the details about petitioners, thus allowing the first answer to the request to become more assertive and faster. And all the data from the dataset make publication much easier, in the form of open data on all requests received by the government.

Next, we present 10 steps proposed for this evolution in service provision. For further information, please visit www.gov.uk/design-principles.

1 – Start with user needs

The needs of users may not be the same as those of the government. The service projects (“Design”) must start with the identification of user needs. When user needs are not known, there is a risk of not building something useful. Do research on the subject, think about the information, talk to users, and avoid assumptions. Have empathy with users, in other words, put yourself in their shoes, but be careful, what users request is not always what they really need.

2 – Do less

The government must do only what it can do. If it is possible to find a way of carrying out a given task using something that works, this solution must be shared and allowed to be reused, instead of reinventing solutions every time they are needed. This means that we should build platforms for services and allow other users to build new solutions using these platforms, for instance, offering application program interfaces (APIs) for accessing solution data or allowing integration with other solutions.

3 – Use data for projects

In most cases, it is possible to learn the behaviour of things in the real world just by looking at how existing services are being used. Use those data in project decision making, instead of making assumptions or guesses. Keep using the data in decision making, when solutions come alive, from prototyping, through testing and interactions up to end users.

4 – Turn complicated work into simple activities

It may be easy to make things look simple, but making things easy to use can be a very tough task, especially when the activities depend on other systems or variables that are much more complex. But do not give up, do not take “It has always been like this” as an answer, because the results might be rewarding as the effort of making the activities simple.

5 – Get the most out of interactions

The best way to build good services is to start at the bottom and carry out successive iterations of projects. Turn solutions into minimally viable products. In other words, with basic functionalities, test projects with real users and, after getting feedback, keep gradually adding, changing, and removing items. Make the tests available, gather the feedback, adjust the solutions, and restart the cycle. These interactions reduce the risk of major failures in the end, so it is better to deal with small bumps down the road that can be easily overcome and get back on track for projects.

6 – Remember, solutions will be for everyone

Projects that are accessible are good projects. Keep in mind that the solutions laid down must be as broad, accessible, and legible as possible. If solutions are not refined and attractive, that is all right, but they have to be planned according to needs without becoming too complicated to use. Keep in mind that solutions may be used by all potential users, and not just by those familiar with the Internet. Usually, the people that need the services most are those who have more difficulty trying to find them. Keep these users in mind from the beginning.

7 – Understand the context

Remember, services are not designed for the computer screen; they are designed for real people. Try to imagine the context in which people will be embedded while using the services. Will they be using computers at home or at Access São Paulo? Will they be on their smartphones? Are they familiar with the Internet? Think about the contexts where the services will be accessed.

8 – Build digital services, not websites

Services help people make things. In projects, it is fundamental to find out user needs and build services to meet their needs. The digital world needs to be connected to the real world, so it is necessary to be concerned with all the variables that make up the services and make sure that what is developed meets user needs and is not just a simple webpage.

9 - Be consistent, not regular

Try to use the same language and the same project patterns whenever possible. This will help people get familiar with the services made available. But if this is not possible, try to make sure that the approaches adopted are consistent. Being consistent does not mean that things have to be done in the same way, since each case has its own particularities. When you bump into patterns that work, share them, and show people how to use them. Meanwhile, when you find patterns that work, do not let that limit you and keep you from searching for improvements and new patterns in the future. When you run into a better pattern or other user needs just shift, do not block changes.

10 – Build transparent and open solutions, this will make them better

Share what you are building whenever possible. Do that with your colleagues, users, the whole world. Share codes, projects, ideas, intentions, and mistakes and failures. The more people involved and collaborating on services, the better they might become. Remember that the goal is to be transparent and make data increasingly available, so making created solutions and the gained knowledge available is part of that philosophy.

C. Planning events to promote open data

I. Competitions and rewards for the development of software and applications

Competitions involving rewards or challenges can be a good approach for government institutions seeking to boost creativity and innovation in solving problems related to organisation missions. An example is contests to develop solutions where participants are invited to create software for specific problems or other technical solutions with algorithms, websites, or mobile applications.

A software or app challenge, for instance, is when an institution asks participants to develop software capable of handling a pre-defined dataset with a set of functionalities defined by the institution, solving a current problem, or calling public attention to datasets that are already available.

Rewards usually attract businesses or interested programmers with potential for collaborating in solving problems. Examples of competitions aimed at attracting attention to published datasets are the New York City Town Hall, with the NYC BigApps⁴⁶ awards, and the city of Rio de Janeiro, with the RioApps⁴⁷ competition. Regarding an objective focused on solving a specific and very detailed problem, there are the public bids published in 2015, one by the Mobility Laboratory⁴⁸ from the São Paulo town hall, and the other by the Secretary of the State of SãoPaulo, the PitchGov⁴⁹.

Below are some tips that can be useful in planning and carrying out such challenges50:

1. Decide what kind of solution is sought. The best solution can vary depending on what is expected, for example, ideas, prototypes or functional and complete solutions, such as software, apps, or algorithms.
2. Depending on the complexity of the final solution, a series of small challenges could end up having better results than making a major, single challenge that will require more time and resources.
3. Evaluate the possibility of holding challenges in two phases. The first would focus on generating ideas and proposals. The second should focus on building prototypes, functional apps or complete solutions.
4. Define whether the created solution will have an open source code, so others interested could use and develop improvements and evolutions, or the institution will hold the intellectual ownership rights or the appropriate license for using the solution.
5. Identify rewards that will motivate the right participants: Do you have key individuals in the area and who could evaluate solutions? Is it possible to offer training with consulting firms or business opportunities with investors? Will cash prizes be enough to attract interested participants willing to devote time to the challenge?
6. Consider public participation in choosing the winner. The audience may be allowed to participate directly by voting or, indirectly by making comments about the entries, with the objective of improving the solution even more.
7. Clearly define what you are searching for, which are the data and information available, how the created solution will be used, and further information that might be relevant. With this approach the competitors will be able to develop better solutions and know exactly how their contributions will be applied.
8. From the start, define and introduce, in the contest rules, the details on ownership of the technology to be developed and used, the criteria for entry, who will be eligible to participate, how the entries will be evaluated, and how the prizes will be granted.

There are several approaches to holding software or app contests. Specialists on the issue have pages dedicated to showing guides and details that could improve even more yout undertanding of how to hold contests. The following links are suggested:

1. Get started (http://www.digitalgov.gov/2014/03/31/get-started-with-challenge-and- prize-competitions/)
2. Planning apps challenges (http://www.digitalgov.gov/2013/05/08/planning-an-apps- challenge/)
3. How to implement an apps challenge (http://www.digitalgov.gov/2012/07/09/how-to- implement-an-apps-challenge/)
4. Challenges for generating ideas (https://www.digitalgov.gov/2013/11/14/ideation- challenges/)
5. Challenges for presenting technologies (https://www.digitalgov.gov/2013/10/31/technology-demonstration-and-market- stimulation-challenges/)
6. Content elaboration and creative challenges (https://www.digitalgov.gov/2013/10/31/creative-challenge-contests/);
7. Examples of contests (https://www.challenge.gov/list/);
8. Tips for measuring success in challenge competitions (https://www.digitalgov.gov/2014/03/20/six-tips-for-measuring-success-in-challenge- competitions/)
9. What to do after the challenge (http://www.digitalgov.gov/2012/07/09/how-to-improve-an-apps-challenge/)

For supplemental information and inspiration, the following is a list of governments that use challenges and competitions as alternatives for innovation problem solving:

1. New York, United States (http://bigapps.nyc/p/)
2. Rennes, France (http://www.data.rennes-metropole.fr/)
3. Portland, United States (http://civicapps.org/)
4. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (http://rioapps.com.br/)
5. São Paulo, Brazil (http://mobilab.prefeitura.sp.gov.br/projetos/)

2. Hackathons

Hackathons are events where developers, designers, and strategists work together to solve a problem, using software or hardware, and show the results at the end of the event. These events usually last 12 to 38 hours.

There are several formats for hackathons, however, for better results, it is important that the organisers and participants have clear knowledge of the objectives and expectations. Below are listed some of the most common types of hackathons:

Source: http://blog.devpost.com/post/111955484938/the-five-most-common-types-of-hackathons

Depending on your purpose, a hackathon may or may not be useful.

A hackathon will not be useful when the goal is to build a totally finished app. The reason is that the team will hardly be able to build a solution to solve all the given problems in just a weekend. Usually, what can be accomplished in this kind of event are minimally functional prototypes or ideas that are tested or ready for tests.

Another goal that can scarcely be reached at these events is getting people to start using your product or platform. Even if you offer a reward for a better idea or solution that uses your product, in practice, you will not be holding a civic hackathon, but a marketing hackathon.

Another goal that will scarcely be reached is to build a very specific application for a very specific need. If you have a well-defined scope of work, maybe you should hire someone to solve the problem or who can hold a software challenge, as described in item “I. Competitions and rewards for developing software and applications.”

A civic hackathon could be very useful when the goal is to gather people to discuss a specific problem and generate ideas. When there is a particular problem with resources available for trying to solve it, organising a hackathon on the subject could help in discussing ideas on how to handle the problem. But in order for that to work, you will need to rely on specialists and technologists working together on the subject.

Organising a hackathon with the aim of recruiting people for a civic community for innovation can also be a useful objective for this kind of event. A hackathon can be a good approach for a given community. Usually, this hackathon format is aimed at beginners on the issue and offers training on the subject for participants.

Testing a new published dataset or a service API can also be a good reason to hold a hackathon. However, the data itself will not be enough. Specialists on the issue need to participate and be willing to help technologists, explaining what the data is really showing. This kind of event can be very useful for identifying what types of projects can be carried out based on the new dataset or API published.

For more details on how to organise a hackathon step-by-step, the preparations, and precautions to be taken before, during, and after the event, we suggest the following links.

1. Civic Innovation Toolkit: How to run a civic hackathon (http://www.smartchicagocollaborative.org/civic-innovation-toolkit-how-to-run-a- civic-hackathon/)
2. How to run a successful hackathon (https://hackathon.guide/)
3. Hackathon Best Practices Guides (http://post.devpost.com/app_contest_resources)

D. 12 recommendations to help governments sustain open data change and realise its impact (reproduced with permission) available at: https://theodi.org/open- data-in-government-how-to-bring-about-change, accessed on April, 15, 2016

1. Articulate your vision, with clear examples of benefits open data will bring. Start with a vision of the problem open data can help you solve, or the benefits you want to produce: think beyond simply releasing open data. Being able to connect your release of open data to a tangible benefit you would like to achieve can help people connect to the initiative and understand its value.
2. Secure support for your open data initiative from both senior/political leadership and government officials within departments before launch. Build in mechanisms to educate government officials about open data, and explain its benefits, from the very beginning of your open data initiative. Fostering support for the change before launching an initiative will help encourage early uptake.
3. Combine top-down leadership for your open data initiative with support for individual or frontline champions in government. While senior buy-in is important to maintain open data as a priority, frontline champions are important to growing the initiative from the bottom up, and driving implementation of your open data vision.
4. Build open communication and mechanisms for feedback into your open data initiative from the outset, both inside and outside government. These could be formal mechanisms, like advisory groups, online feedback forms and regular meetings, and informal mechanisms, like social media outreach. Invite feedback and be open with your department(s) about the transition to using and producing open data, and how their work could be affected. This will ensure employees are more engaged and satisfied with the change.
5. Set out some quick wins for your open data initiative – like releasing a certain number of datasets as open data, or supporting a pilot use-case – but make sure these are part of a longterm goal for open data, which each department can align progress with. Linking quick wins to long-term goals can help maintain momentum for change.
6. Be flexible and responsive to the strengths and needs of different departments and teams. Be clear on your long-term vision for open data, but be careful not to get locked into one transition plan for open data from the beginning. Look for examples of best practice in managing the transition to using and producing open data, and use these to help other departments. Being agile and responsive helps ensure the transition continues to align with any public sector reform and changing technologies.
7. Consolidate your change management efforts: use your emergent leaders as peer educators and innovators. Keep building on your incremental quick wins as part of your long-term open data strategy. Consolidating efforts helps to make each element of change management more effective, and helps identify gaps in strategy.
8. Ensure there are people with responsibility for change management – supporting departments and coordinating feedback – as part of your open data team. Quite often, we think of a ‘change team’ as being set up to deliver open data objectives: build a portal, release datasets and stimulate reuse. Change management is an equally important part of the process, and can increase initial buy-in for the initiative, as well as a sense of ownership within departments of their open data efforts.
9. Seek out and foster stories of the impact of open data,to help illustrate its value for government implementers. Adjust your impact narrative or ‘business case’ for different departments, so it makes sense in terms of their overall visions, capacities and existing processes.
10. Foster external support within industry, civil society and academia to drive continued demand for open data. External support can help to maintain political will to support open data, and be a source of ongoing learning and dialogue.
11. Introduce opportunities for civil servants to take part in ongoing learning about open data. This could be through open data training, secondments to ‘best practice’ teams working with open data or regular workshops. It will help you continue to improve and expand the reach of your open data initiative.
12. Build metrics to regularly evaluate your open data activities. This will help you to measure progress, benchmark success and identify areas for improvement.