1. Open Data & mGovernment an interview with Dr
Jonathan Reichental, the award-winning CIO of Palo
Alto and recipient of recognitions such as the “Best
CIO in Silicon Valley” and one of the “25 doers,
dreamers and drivers in American government”.
What is Open Data ? why is it important in todays world ?
Most governments work in a world of constraints. There is
never enough money or time to do all the things that
communities need. But one area of abundance is the data
that is collected and stored by public agencies. This data is
incredibly diverse, rich, and valuable. Governments store
data on health, energy, crime, demographics, transportation,
weather, and so much more. If it can be made easily available to anyone
who wants it in many different formats then it has the potential for additional value.
It’s particularly useful when the data can be easily accessed by other computer
systems. This is what we call open data. When communities have easy access to
government data then our democracies are made stronger. When innovators access
and use the data they can build solutions. It’s a powerful new source of community
capability for today’s challenges.
What is mgovernment? How is it going to benefit the citizens in large ?
It’s easy to recognize the popularity and effectiveness of using mobile computing
devices. These devices include mobile phones, laptops, and tablets. Untethered,
people can access services almost anywhere at any time. In the context of
government, this means that citizens can access important public services through the
convenience of their mobile devices. It also means that government field workers, such
as inspectors, can facilitate their computing needs at their field location. This is known
as mGovernment. The convenience factor is a major community benefit. But it will also
reduce the cost of government because complex processes will be automated and
digitized. This often results in lower labour requirements and an increase in the
volume of transactions that can be processed over a given period.
www.opendatatraining.com

2. Why are governments all over the world pushing towards a data-driven economy?
In each of the past 40 years of the information technology revolution, our systems and
processes have continued to produce an exponential volume of data. With so much
data today, we’re able to gain insights that were previously invisible. By combining
large volumes of data and contemporary data science techniques, governments can
better understand their community challenges. Major areas such as transportation,
energy, public safety, economics, and more, are analysed and improved decisions are
made based on this data. In just one example, data-driven decision making in several
cities has resulted in lowering crime.
How is open data & mgoverment relevant in the drive towards a data-driven
economy?
Open data can fuel innovation. With easy access to machine-consumable data, we now
have the ability to empower almost anyone to build solutions—with many running on
mobile devices. With open data, governments can co-create and co-solve issues with a
wide range of stakeholders. For governments and communities, the future belongs to
public-private partnerships. The complexity and volume of challenges means that
governments are unable to tackle problems alone. The underlying engine of these
partnerships will be access to rich, open data. Mobility will mean access to solutions
when and where they are needed. Mgovernment means the solution and the data is
liberated and widely accessible through the future platforms of choice.
How important is Open data for government innovation?
Governments face significant challenges. Cities are more complex. Communities
expect more. Problems are compounding. There has never been a greater need for
civic innovation. Much like in the private sector, innovation must come from as many
sources as possible. It cannot be limited to an internal process. For government, co-
creating with the broadest community possible has enormous value. Open data is a
gateway to that collaboration. Governments share what they store, add subject matter
expertise, and external stakeholders bring ideas and skills. Combined, this can create
much more innovation than government going it alone.
www.opendatatraining.com

3. Can mGovernment really help in achieving 24/7 Public service delivery models ?
With mGoverment, many complete processes are automated and digitized. This can
result in eliminating manual, error-prone, human-intervention. In mGovernment, rich
content can be made available in an on-demand format, once again eliminating the
need for human processes. It’s not always possible, but where processes can be
automated and made available via mobile devices, 24/7 public service is possible. Of
course, public service often has important human needs. We still need police officers.
We still need engineers to fix street lights. Each government will need to have a
strategy that addresses opportunities for digital 24/7 services and for using technology
to create efficiencies and increase quality in those services that still need a human
touch.
Are there privacy and security concerns with Open data & mgovernment
In a world that is increasingly reliant on software and data, the risks to privacy and
security also grow. Our societies are benefiting greatly from this digital transformation
but it does come with a price. This price is that the opportunity to create harm has
broadened. As a result, so must our efforts to lower risk and protect our digital assets.
With open data it’s important that the data that is made freely available has been
vetted appropriately to determine that it doesn’t contain protected or sensitive data.
Not all data is suitable for open data. Each country has its own rules on what can be
shared. A mistake could have significant legal and privacy issues. With mGovernment,
governments are making it easy for anyone to access government systems. There must
be rigorous efforts made to ensure that the software does not have holes that allow
unauthorized access to data or systems. Important skills are needed in this new era.
We will get a lot of benefit, but we must be smart in how we deploy our open data and
mgovernment strategies.
What can attendees of the Open Data & mgovernment masterclass expect from the
event ?
Attendees at the open data and mgovernment masterclass should expect to gain a full
understanding of the strategies, techniques, and skills needed to be successful in these
two important emerging areas for governments and communities. They will learn
from examples across the world. They will return to their own communities and
organizations ready to make a difference. Ideas will be explored, risks will be
identified, and tools and best practices will be taught.
www.opendatatraining.com

4. About Dr Jonathan Reichental
Dr Jonathan Reichental, Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the City of Palo Alto, is a multiple
award-winning technology leader whose 20-year career has spanned both the private and
public sectors. In 2013 he was recognised as one of the “25 doers, dreamers and drivers” in
government in America.
He has also won a best CIO in Silicon Valley award and a national IT leadership prize. His
innovative work in government has been recognised by the White House, and Dr Reichental
works with his teams to apply technology innovation in organisations to create new value and
to enable work to be more meaningful and fun. He is a popular writer and public speaker on a
wide range of technology and business-related topics.
About Peer Review
Peer Review is a company dedicated to enhancing and adding value to the conference and
training industry, specifically within IT. A number of conferences and training workshops are
set to be hosted by the company throughout the Middle East, covering topics such as Big Data,
Data Science, Open Data, m-Government, e-Learning, Education Technology and Predictive &
Marketing Analytics.
Peer Review is also the first in the region to have implemented a peer network among IT
specialists globally, giving members an online platform to share advice, opinions, thoughts and
articles, as well as to network with the top names in the industry.
For more information on how to attend, participate or become a sponsor of the Open Data &
mGovernment Masterclass, to be held on the 20th
-21th
Marchl 2016, contact Peer Review today!
Telephone: +971 4 392 8974
Email: info@peerreview.ae
www.opendatatraining.com
Peer Review – Bringing great minds together