One of the aims of the eGov programme is to improve information management and data sharing. Open data is how information will be shared transparently for analysis and reuse, and to release the social and commercial value of government data.
What is open data?
Open data is a set of statistics which are published online for free.
This allows you to copy, publish and distribute our data for any purpose, even for business reasons.
We display data on these topics:
- economy and business
- employment
- finance sector
- housing
- income and earnings
- population and society
- Retail Price Index
- States of Jersey
Why we needed our data to be open
Previously there was no central area for citizens to access our data, and it was unclear to prospective users whether they had permission to re-use it.
To find certain information you either had to trawl through pages on the gov.je website or submit a Freedom of Information request.
Now we can display the data we have in a transparent and accountable manner. This allows citizens and businesses to find useful data which can benefit them in everyday life.
Benefits of opening up our data
The open data project:
- shows that we are serious about transparency
- allows us to be held accountable
- provides you with data in computer-readable formats for easier analysis
- enables entrepreneurs to build new products and services using government data
- helps you to make informed decisions
- encourages us to be proactive with our publishing
Challenges we faced in the project
We had to work with the Law Officers Department to understand the legal position on publication of open data, including establishing who the copyright owner is for different types of government data and creating licence agreements in the name of the Chief Minister and the States Greffier that provide the legal basis for people to reuse the data published under the licence.
An ongoing challenge is to ensure that open data builds momentum and that departments release data regularly. To enable this, staff need to understand how to format data in the best way before it is published so that anyone re-using it can do so easily.
The Digital Delivery Team and Statistics Unit are working to develop documentation, for use within the States of Jersey, so that what is released publically is in the best shape it can be.
What’s next?
We’re adding new datasets and making sure the data is displayed clearly. The latest developments include:
- enabling data visualisation tools for Gov.je to allow departments to quickly and easily present the data they're sharing and provide supporting commentary where required
- defining a data validation process to ensure the data is published in correct formats and structures
- writing documentation to support States of Jersey departments to manage their own datasets and become self sufficient
These elements will be rolled out in Q4 2017.
Business owner
Digital Delivery Team
Project management team
- Marcus Ferbrache - Head of Digital Delivery, Information Services
- Ben Perron - business analyst
Project sponsor
Jonathan Williams, Programme Director - eGov
gov.je