1. Singapore GovCamp 18th Jan 2011
Discussion Session
“As governments around the world embark on open data
projects are our institutions and citizens ready to move to
this 'real-time' world. Have we considered all the upsides
and downsides?”
Stuart Smith CEO

2. Positives of Open Government Data
 Taken from a UK perspective
but commonly used:
 Promoting transparency
and accountability
 Empowering citizens to
drive public sector reform
 Releasing the economic
and social value of
information

3. Open Data In the UK

4. 160 UK Councils Spending Data

5. Real Time Cities

6. UK AURN System

8. But what about the citizen and the
institutions in all this?
Visions of technology-
driven change often
suppose situations in
which “conflict, politics
and adversarial
legalism are unknown
or at least
unimportant”
Hood, C.C. & Margetts, H.Z., 2007. The
Tools of Government in the Digital Age 2nd
ed., Palgrave Macmillan.

9. 160 UK Councils Spending Data

10. Data Journalism

11. Do Real Time Cities = Real Time
Decision Making?
 How much data can we cope with?
 Are all citizens really empowered?
 What about context?
 What about cognitive bias?
 Are all app developers agenda free?
 Do our democratic processes move at the same speed?
 Reactionary politics rather than considered long term politics?
 What about time for reflection in decision making?
 Is our professional training recognising this shift?
 Transport engineers
 Environmental engineers
 Urban planning professionals
 Governance professionals & politicians
 School and University training
 In the UK will scrutiny through data journalism prevent innovation in the public
sector?
 Is there a potential that in opening up data to empower citizens we reinforce
the technocratic elite (geekocracy?) and further disenfranchise those without
the know how, skills, access or time?

12. Solutions
 Open Data has the ability to be hugely powerful for mankind and the
planet but….
 If technology is moving and recombining faster than our citizens and
institutions can keep up, what to do?
 Education – how is this emerging „real time‟ data world being factored
in? Educators at all levels need to consider this
 Engagement – as with all changes, governments will want to ensure
that all citizens are engaged in these changes.
 Privacy – what is acceptable? Can we opt in and out?
 Professions – professional bodies must begin the process of engaging
and educating their members
 Institutions – are our great civic institutions adapting to the changes
 Business – does the business community understand the implications of
open data
 NOW DEBATE!