Blog

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• Blog 14/08/2018 How Facebook, Apple and Microsoft are contributing to an openly licensed map of the world
  • Data publishing and use
  • Geospatial data and mapping
  • Humanitarian response
  • Deborah Yates
  • Leigh Dodds
  Multinational organisations are collaborating in the open on OpenStreetMap
• Blog 10/08/2018 The problem with social numbers driving self-worth
  • Arts, culture and heritage
  • Personal data and privacy
  • Anna Scott
  Grime artist JME prompts us to think of what data can skew 
• Blog 09/08/2018 Data's value: how and why should we measure it?
  • Data infrastructure
  • Data publishing and use
  • Innovation
  • Anna Scott
  • Ben Snaith
  • Peter Wells
  A lack of consensus is holding back innovation, governance and regulation
• Blog 09/08/2018 Can data infrastructure help fix travel woes in the north of England?
  • Transport
  • Peter Wells
• Blog 03/08/2018 State of the Map 2018: what we learned about open geospatial data
  • Geospatial data and mapping
  • Anna Scott
  • Deborah Yates
  • Leigh Dodds
  At this year’s conference we learned more on how OpenSteetMap data is used
• Blog 03/08/2018 The ODI responds to House of Lords call for evidence into internet regulation
  • Data infrastructure
  • Data publishing and use
  • Public administration services
  Our response to the House of Lords Select Committee on the regulation of the internet, focussing on data and openness  
• Blog 02/08/2018 Beyond ownership: we need better control and rights over data
  • Data publishing and use
  • Personal data and privacy
  • Jeni Tennison
  Jeni Tennison’s short discussion paper on intellectual property and data ownership for the new UK Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation
• Blog 01/08/2018 Sharing data for good in the peer-to-peer accommodation sector
  • Built environment and housing
  • Public administration services
  • Isabelle Champion
  • Lucia Chauvet
  People feel comfortable sharing data about them if they understand the personal or societal benefits 
• Blog 25/07/2018 Framing for our thinking about trust
  • Personal data and privacy
  • Science and research
  What causes people concern around sharing data? Could it be that it is not only infrastructure, but also trust, that is essential for an open data future?
• Blog 18/07/2018 Using open data tools to improve public services
  • Public administration services
  • James Maddison
  • Pauline L’Hénaff
  How can the public sector make better use of open data when delivering and designing services?
• Blog 16/07/2018 Project powered by home sales open data wins two awards
  • Built environment and housing
  • Open standards and open APIs
  • Public administration services
  • Cities
  • Leigh Dodds
  Tom Forth, Head of Data at ODI Leeds and Leigh Dodds, Data Infrastructure Programme Lead at the ODI, discuss the importance of open geospatial data
• Blog 13/07/2018 Jeni Tennison launches the ODI Strategy
  • Jeni Tennison
  Our strategy sets out our mission to work with companies and governments to build an open, trustworthy data ecosystem.
• Blog 10/07/2018 What is a data trust?
  • Data infrastructure
  • Data publishing and use
  • Personal data and privacy
  • Search and discovery
  • Jack Hardinges
  ODI Policy Adviser Jack Hardinges unpicks the various ways the term ‘data trust’ is being used in the UK and beyond, and discusses how the term might be effectively used in the context of increasing access to data, while retaining trust
• Blog 09/07/2018 Challenges announced for Data Pitch second open call
  • Ryan Goodman
  Applications are now live for the second open call for Data Pitch, giving European data startups another chance to join this groundbreaking accelerator programme which provides the opportunity to work alongside major corporates
• Blog 05/07/2018 Who do we trust with personal data?
  • Leigh Dodds
  Attitudes towards sharing personal data vary across Europe, an ODI-commissioned survey has found
• Blog 03/07/2018 The Data City in Leeds and Lille: measuring data innovation
  • Data infrastructure
  • Data publishing and use
  • Geospatial data and mapping
  • Innovation
  • Cities
  • Startups
  • Lucia Chauvet
  In this blog, we talk to project lead Tom Forth from The Data City to about find out more about The Data City in Lille and Leeds project – a project that takes innovation-measuring methodologies that have been successfully applied in the UK
• Blog 02/07/2018 IoT and sensor-based systems in Manchester and Rennes
  • Built environment and housing
  • Emerging tech
  • Innovation
  • Lucia Chauvet
  The KBF is a project involving the Internet of Things (IoT) communities in Rennes and Manchester, which aims to identify the opportunities and challenges around the use of sensor-based systems within older buildings, and to build a process for implementation.
• Blog 29/06/2018 Mind the Gaps: quality-of-life and wellbeing data in the UK and France
  • Built environment and housing
  • Cities
  • Lucia Chauvet
  Mind the Gaps is an open toolbox to collect quality-of-life data is being developed and tested in Bristol and Bordeaux, and is part of ourthree collaborative UK–France projects    
• Blog 28/06/2018 Open banking in the UK and France
  • Banking and finance
  • Innovation
  • Jack Hardinges
  The Open Data Institute is connecting data innovators across the UK and France and here we compare the approaches to open banking in France and the UK, and the role of the respective governments in supporting data portability.
• Blog 27/06/2018 Connecting data innovators across UK and France
  • Banking and finance
  • Emerging tech
  • Innovation
  • Transport
  • Lucia Chauvet
  As part of its innovation programme, the Open Data Institute has been building on the recommendations of the UK–France Data Innovation Task Force, to connect data innovators and data innovation across the UK and France.
• Blog 21/06/2018 Find out how we are using ecosystem mapping to understand geospatial data ecosystems
  • Data infrastructure
  • Geospatial data and mapping
  • Jack Hardinges
  As part of our innovation programme, we’re working on mapping out geospatial data infrastructure in the UK.
• Blog, News 20/06/2018 Invitation to tender: Research in the field of data anonymisation and re-identification risk management
  • Data infrastructure
  • Data publishing and use
  • Personal data and privacy
  • James Maddison
  We are looking for an individual or organisation to perform background research in the field of data anonymisation, de-identification, and management of the risk of re-identification of individuals when sharing or working with data
• Blog 18/06/2018 Open data a rubbish idea? Not in Leeds where a bin collection app is cleaning up
  • Public administration services
  A smart refuse app is transforming bin collection in Leeds, and serves as a brilliant example of the power of open data – but will other councils follow suit?
• Blog 13/06/2018 Ordnance Survey and other data stewards must innovate to keep up with the private sector
  • Geospatial data and mapping
  • Public administration services
  • Jeni Tennison
  • Leigh Dodds
  • Peter Wells
  UK government announces a step forward in opening up geospatial data, but there is a lot more to do
• Blog 06/06/2018 New rankings show UK’s most innovative tech clusters
  • Data infrastructure
  • Geospatial data and mapping
  • Innovation
  • Cities
  • Startups
  A new UK Tech Innovation Index shows the most active innovation communities in the UK by innovation categories, captured in an interactive map.
• Blog, News 06/06/2018 Open call for an embedded artist
  • Arts, culture and heritage
  • Hannah Redler Hawes
  • Dr Julie Freeman
  We are inviting an artist to explore the concept of data trust and sharing
• Blog 11/05/2018 How can we support the publication and use of more open geospatial data?
  • Data infrastructure
  • Geospatial data and mapping
  • Open standards and open APIs
  • Search and discovery
  • Leigh Dodds
  A new project explores how to unlock the potential of open geospatial data and technology
• Blog 11/05/2018 Most data is about multiple people – what does that mean for data portability?
  • Anna Scott
  • Fiona Smith
  • Jack Hardinges
  • Jeni Tennison
  • Peter Wells
  Data portability is a new right, yet most data is about multiple people. What does this means for service designers and policymakers?
• Blog 10/05/2018 How can tools support the use of open data to improve public services?
  • Data publishing and use
  • Public administration services
  • Cities
  • Isabelle Champion
• Blog, News 03/05/2018 Invitation to tender: Experienced company to manage an international event
  • Public administration services
  • James Maddison
  We’re looking for an experienced company to manage an international event
• Blog 03/05/2018 ODI releases new research on registers: making lists we can trust
  • Data publishing and use
  • Leigh Dodds
  ODI Data Infrastructure Programme Lead, Leigh Dodds announces a new report exploring the definitions of a register, how to build trust through transparent stewardship and models of collaboration, written in partnership with OpenHealthcare and Democracy Club
• Blog, News 01/05/2018 Mumsnet Founder Justine Roberts, and fintech expert Anna Mazzone join the ODI as Non-Executive Directors
  • Anna Mazzone
  • Justine Roberts
  The ODI is excited to welcome two new non Executive Directors to its board: Justine Roberts, CEO of Mumsnet, and Anna Mazzone, a Fintech and risk management specialist and current Managing Director at Aravo Solutions Inc.
• Blog 01/05/2018 Startups help revolutionise access to sports and activity information
  • Data publishing and use
  • Health and physical activity
  • Open standards and open APIs
  • Cities
  • Startups
  • Richard Norris
  People across the UK will soon have nation-wide sport and physical activity information at their fingertips as 10 new startups join the OpenActive Accelerator, a groundbreaking new programme launched today by Sport England and the Open Data Institute (ODI)
• Blog 30/04/2018 New service delivery models: four councils using open data for service redesign
  • Public administration services
  • Isabelle Champion
  We awarded funding to four forward-thinking local government organisations to develop open data projects which explore how data could be used to improve public services – making them more efficient, innovative and citizen-focused.
• Blog 25/04/2018 The ODI announces 2018 innovation programme projects
  • Data infrastructure
  • Data publishing and use
  • Geospatial data and mapping
  • Innovation
  • Peer networks
  • Personal data and privacy
  • Public administration services
  New innovation projects span from increasing data access for new tech to building stronger data trade links
• Blog 25/04/2018 Updating the Data Ethics Canvas
  • Data publishing and use
  • Personal data and privacy
  • Skills and literacy
  • Anna Scott
  • Jack Hardinges
  • Peter Wells
  A few months after launching the first version of our Data Ethics Canvas and guide, it’s time for an update. Here’s what we’ve changed, why, and what we’re doing next
• Blog 24/04/2018 Can we increase access to data while retaining trust?
  • Data infrastructure
  • Data publishing and use
  • Personal data and privacy
  • Anna Scott
  • Jack Hardinges
  • Peter Wells
  A new ODI project aims to increase access to data while retaining trust. Here are some of the research questions to be explored
• Blog 19/04/2018 Facebook scandal: let’s turn our attention from how data is collected to how it gets used
  • Innovation
  • Personal data and privacy
  • Science and research
  • Fiona Smith
  • Jeni Tennison
  If we are not to cut ourselves off from the benefits data can bring, we must have controls, good governance and transparency over how data is used as well as what is collected and shared, say Jeni Tennison and Fiona Smith  
• Blog 11/04/2018 Data portability: the role governments should play
  • Data infrastructure
  • Personal data and privacy
  • Jeni Tennison
  Jeni Tennison calls on governments around the world to ensure data portability supports open innovation and competition while preserving people’s privacy
• Blog 09/04/2018 A year spent understanding the role of data in the peer-to-peer accommodation sector
  • Built environment and housing
  • Cities
  • Isabelle Champion
  The ODI has been working to understand how data can improve the peer-to-peer accommodation market to support businesses and communities, and improve the experience of consumers.
• Blog, Guides 06/04/2018 Explainer: What is personal data and how can I control how it's shared?
  • Personal data and privacy
  • Alexandra Vryzakis
  • Anna Scott
  • Jack Hardinges
  • Jeni Tennison
  • Peter Wells
  How can data about me be collected, shared and used? Can I control where data about me goes? We demystify these questions and explain why we want stronger data rights  
• Blog 29/03/2018 Jeni Tennison: ‘Getting paid for personal data won’t make things better’
  • Data infrastructure
  • Personal data and privacy
  • Anna Scott
  • Jeni Tennison
  • Peter Wells
  Some think individuals should own data about them to ensure they fairly benefit from it. Some go as far as saying people should be paid when other organisations use it. In this post, Jeni Tennison looks at how we can share all in the benefits of personal data
• Blog 29/03/2018 Building the future: opportunities for new services and stronger digital rights in telecoms and utilities
  • Data infrastructure
  • Innovation
  • Open standards and open APIs
  • Personal data and privacy
  • Olivier Thereaux
  A new report outlining opportunities to drive innovation and transform the telecoms and utilities markets has been published today by the ODI and specialist digital rights consultancy IF
• Blog 24/03/2018 No one owns data: we need to strengthen our rights
  • Data infrastructure
  • Personal data and privacy
  • Anna Scott
  • Jeni Tennison
  • Peter Wells
  As the Cambridge Analytica story develops, many are arguing for data ownership. Alongside her interviews on BBC Breakfast and BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, here ODI CEO Jeni Tennison explains why we need a rights framework instead
• Blog 23/03/2018 Creating ecosystem maps for open data
  • Data infrastructure
  • Peer networks
  • Isabelle Champion
  The ODI has developed a new guide to help organisations identify and map data ecosystems. Izy Champion gives the rundown and asks for feedback on how it works and examples of your ecosystem maps for the tool  
• Blog 22/03/2018 What does the Cambridge Analytica scandal mean for access to data?
  • Data infrastructure
  • Data publishing and use
  • Personal data and privacy
  • Anna Scott
  • Jeni Tennison
  • Peter Wells
  With questions about the use and misuse of personal data high in the public’s mind, Jeni Tennison shares five takeaways on the implications for access to data for researchers
• Blog 08/03/2018 Exploring interventions to support the peer-to-peer accommodation sector
  • Built environment and housing
  • Public administration services
  • Science and research
  • Cities
  • Isabelle Champion
  • Jack Hardinges
  As part of the Open Data Institute’s innovation programme, we are working to understand how data can improve the peer-to-peer accommodation market to support businesses and communities, and improve the experience of consumers.
• Blog, News 07/03/2018 Invitation to tender: ODI Summit event planning and management
  • Agriculture and food
  • Banking and finance
  • Data infrastructure
  • Data publishing and use
  • Emerging tech
  • Geospatial data and mapping
  • Humanitarian response
  • Innovation
  • Open standards and open APIs
  • Peer networks
  • Skills and literacy
  • Cities
  • Emma Thwaites
  The ODI Summit (last held in 2016 at the BFI) returns in 2018. We are looking for an individual or company to provide an event planning and management service, ensuring that the 2018 Summit is the best ever and delivers an exciting and interesting array of material, and an opportunity for the ODI to connect with existing and new audiences.
• Blog 02/03/2018 Open Data Day: seven weird and wonderful open datasets
  • Data publishing and use
  • Alexandra Vryzakis
  • Anna Scott
  • Hannah Foulds
  Now that the Winter Olympics are over, #OpenDataDay is upon us! In order to celebrate publishing data that anyone can access, use or share we’re showcasing the quirkiest, funniest and most cat-filled open datasets out there in our very own Open Data Olympics
• Blog 01/03/2018 Using open data for public services
  • Data infrastructure
  • Public administration services
  • Mandy Costello
  The ODI has conducted research into public services and the role open data plays in making them better and more cost effective. The findings give us new insights into the conditions needed to grow successful open data ecosystems for public service delivery.
• Blog 16/02/2018 Open standards for data: adoption, approaches and impact
  • Data infrastructure
  • Open standards and open APIs
  • Search and discovery
  • Leigh Dodds
  Open standards are important to our data infrastructure. To mark the launch of new research, researchers Edafe Onerhime and Rose Rees-Jones share their findings on how people approach developing standards and what they need, and the impact of open data standards
• Blog 15/02/2018 Will GDPR and data portability support innovation?
  • Banking and finance
  • Data infrastructure
  • Emerging tech
  • Health and physical activity
  • Innovation
  • Personal data and privacy
  • Retail and consumer
  • Gillian Whitworth
  • Jack Hardinges
  Imagine if you could let your doctor access data on your Fitbit, or if you could use your favourite Spotify playlist in iTunes. Data portability could make these things possible
• Blog, News 12/02/2018 ODI survey reveals British consumer attitudes to sharing personal data
  • Health and physical activity
  • Personal data and privacy
  • Retail and consumer
  The Open Data Institute has released findings from new consumer research, conducted online by YouGov, revealing current attitudes of British adults online towards sharing personal data. The full dataset can be viewed here under an open licence
• Blog 12/02/2018 ODI's 5th Year: annual report
  • Jeni Tennison
  2017 was a year of transition for the ODI as we celebrated our fifth birthday and developed our plans for the next five years.
• Blog 05/02/2018 Invitation to tender: development of applied best practice research guides
  • Science and research
  The ODI is looking for a supplier to research and develop the content for a range of best practice guides of different quantitative, qualitative and user research techniques, as part of our R&D programme
• Blog 31/01/2018 Invitation to tender: branded presentation templates for R&D outputs
  • Science and research
  As part of its R&D programme, the ODI is looking for an experienced graphic designer or agency to produce templates for the presentation of innovation outputs to key stakeholders
• Blog 25/01/2018 Helping data publishers to improve open data: research and tools register
  • Data publishing and use
  • Search and discovery
  • Olivier Thereaux
  We spent a few months listening to data publishers and the people creating tools for them. Here’s what we learned
• Blog 24/01/2018 Invitation to tender: copywriters, editors and/or producers
  • Hannah Foulds
  Experienced copywriters, editors and/or producers to assist in the production of outputs from the ODI’s three year innovation programme
• Blog 18/01/2018 Documenting the development of open standards for data
  • Open standards and open APIs
  • Leigh Dodds
  As part of the ODI’s innovation programme, a project is being run to help make it easier for people to create open standards for data. Here, Leigh Dodds explains the aims, how different approaches to standards development have been studied so far and what to expect from the projects in the next mont
• Blog 15/01/2018 What do SMEs and startups need to succeed in open data innovation?
  • Startups
  With the flexibility to experiment and be more innovative, startups and SMEs are increasingly incorporating open data into their business models. In this blog, ODI Fellow Tom Wainwright explores what it takes for these organisations to succeed
• Blog 12/01/2018 Opportunities for UK/France transport data: ODI workshop on 15 February
  • Transport
  • Marina Peneva
  As part of the ODI’s data innovation programme, we are exploring opportunities for collaboration in transport between France and the UK. Transport organisations in both countries are invited to participate in our workshop on 15 February
• Blog 12/01/2018 Open banking: counting the steps towards a strong data infrastructure for the UK
  • Banking and finance
  • Data infrastructure
  • David Beardmore
  • Peter Wells
  Open banking gives consumers more control over data about them. This will change the sector and improve the services customers receive. Other countries and sectors will follow and build a better and more open future for data
• Blog 05/01/2018 Invitation to tender: animated videos explaining emerging technology As part of its innovation programme, the ODI is running a research project to help businesses understand emerging data technologies and whether these can meet their needs. In this project we are specifically looking at emerging technologies around personal data, smart contracts and artificial intelligence.
• Blog 27/12/2017 Open data training in Africa: lessons from the leaders network
  • Peer networks
  The African Open Data Leaders Network brought together public servants working in open data to help them develop their open data policies and communicate its value. 
• Blog 20/12/2017 Using artificial intelligence and open data for innovation and accountability
  • Emerging tech
  • Olivier Thereaux
  In the light of the UK’s new industrial strategy and budget, as well as the ODI’s recent participation in a House of Lords evidence session around how AI and personal data should be owned, managed, valued and used for the benefit of society, the ODI’s Head of Technology Olivier Thereaux examines our work in this area.
• Blog 15/12/2017 Building resilient cities in Africa: lessons learned from ODI’s mini-grant projects
  • Gillian Whitworth
  Following the conclusion of the mini-grant programme, hear from three projects bringing citizens and governments together to improve Africa’s cities, with £6,000 and support from the ODI
• Blog, News 14/12/2017 ODI welcomes UK National Infrastructure Commission recognition that data is infrastructure
  • Data infrastructure
  • Geospatial data and mapping
  • Transport
  • Leigh Dodds
  • Peter Wells
  ODI welcomes UK National Infrastructure Commission recognition of data as a new form of infrastructure and that open data is necessary for innovation.
• Blog 14/12/2017 Assessing data literacy needs in government
  • Peer networks
  • Skills and literacy
  • Emily Vacher
  As part of its work with the OD4D-funded project Building an Africa Open Data Network (AODN), the ODI conducted a learning needs assessment of people working in government.
• Blog 06/12/2017 The ODI launches three collaborative data innovation projects between the UK and France
  • Emerging tech
  • Innovation
  • Peer networks
  • Public administration services
  • Science and research
  • Cities
  • Transport
  • Lucia Chauvet
  • Tom Hunter
  The ODI has kicked off three collaborative UK and France projects, which support ways to enhance data collaboration between the two countries.
• Blog 06/12/2017 Research: what are the impacts of peer-to-peer accommodation platforms?
  • Built environment and housing
  • Innovation
  • Retail and consumer
  As part of the ODI’s innovation programme, a new project is looking into ways in which data can help to improve the peer-to-peer accommodation sector.
• Blog 05/12/2017 What will the UK’s Geospatial Commission look like?
  • Data infrastructure
  • Geospatial data and mapping
  • Peter Wells
  The Autumn Budget included a commitment, building on that in the Conservative manifesto, that could lead to Ordnance Survey’s MasterMap data being made available as open data
• Blog, Reports 04/12/2017 The EU General Data Protection Regulation: opportunities for grocery retail
  • Personal data and privacy
  • Retail and consumer
  Our report explores how the retail sector can work together to turn GDPR from a compliance obligation into an opportunity to build services that meet shoppers needs.
• Blog 04/12/2017 Four UK teams win funding to redesign public services with open data
  • Public administration services
  The ODI is working with four teams from different parts of the UK, to support them in redesigning specific public services with open data. 
• Blog 22/11/2017 Autumn Budget: the ODI welcomes measures to open up land data – citizens, companies and services to benefit
  • Data infrastructure
  • Jeni Tennison
  • Sir Nigel Shadbolt
  By opening up mapping data – previously only accessible to large companies who could afford it – the UK government will enable small businesses, communities and citizens to use it, bringing wide benefits
• Blog 01/11/2017 Why data-enabled insight is the key to an active nation
  • Health and physical activity
  • Startups
  • Patrice John-Baptiste
  • Richard Norris
  As nonprofit physical activity body ukactive this week launches the second iteration of its Fit-Tech accelerator ActiveLab, ukactive CEO Steven Ward explains how the benefits of open data can help tackle the global physical inactivity crisis
• Blog 26/10/2017 Open Banking: we're looking for opportunities for collaboration
  • Banking and finance
  Open innovation will help drive efficiencies and competition in financial services through open standards and open data
• Blog 24/10/2017 Exploring how data can improve PDFs: our work so far
  • Data infrastructure
  • Data publishing and use
  • Olivier Thereaux
  Having recently released research on how PDFs can work better with data, ODI Leeds Head of Data Tom Forth and ODI Head of Tech Olivier Thereaux share their working and aims for how the work may develop with input from the community
• Blog 23/10/2017 ODI sport sector initiative OpenActive builds momentum
  • Health and physical activity
  • Patrice John-Baptiste
  • Richard Norris
  OpenActive, the ODI’s sport and physical activity sector initiative, has successfully established the foundations for open data to help people get active.
• Blog 19/10/2017 UK parties must show voters their vision for data and technology
  • Data infrastructure
  • Emerging tech
  • Personal data and privacy
  UK parties need to use data and technology to improve local governments, economies and services across the country.
• Blog 18/10/2017 Using data to build resilient cities in Africa: introducing ODI mini-grant projects
  • Humanitarian response
  • Gillian Whitworth
  In August, we announced the six projects shortlisted for our mini-grants programme, to implement data-enabled projects in Africa
• Blog 17/10/2017 ODI secures £6m to advance data innovation
  • Built environment and housing
  • Emerging tech
  • Innovation
  • Open standards and open APIs
  • Personal data and privacy
  • Public administration services
  • Cities
  • Transport
  The ODI will use the funds to focus on projects that it believes will progress strategically important areas: building data infrastructure, improving data literacy, stimulating data innovation and building trust in the use of data
• Blog 06/10/2017 Open data publishing: towards better tools and processes
  • Emerging tech
  • Search and discovery
  • Skills and literacy
  • Dr Dave Tarrant
  • Olivier Thereaux
  How the ODI can help organisations publish open data for the better
• Blog 05/10/2017 ODI Toolbox application experiments: from Comma Chameleon to Data Curator
  • Emerging tech
  • Stephen Fortune
  ODI Code Fellow Stephen Fortune explains how the ODI Australian Network – an ODI Node – built on ODI Toolbox application Comma Chameleon’s code to enhance the application while working in the spirit of open source software development.
• Blog 13/09/2017 Why we need the data ethics canvas
  • Personal data and privacy
  • Science and research
  The Data Ethics Canvas is for organisations to identify and manage potential data ethics considerations
• Blog 29/08/2017 Survey: What's your experience of solving problems with data? A survey looking to uncover the real problems people experience with data, and to help rectify the situation
• Blog 25/08/2017 Call for tenders: collaborative data innovation projects between French and UK cities
  • Data infrastructure
  The ODI will grant three worth £20,000 for proposals that connect and/or encourage collaborative data between French and UK cities.
• Blog 23/08/2017 Improving public services with data: fund launched for service delivery redesign
  • Built environment and housing
  • Public administration services
  The ODI explores how using data better could transform public services and help them meet our needs as citizens
• Blog 23/08/2017 How is peer-to-peer accommodation regulated around the world
  • Built environment and housing
  • Pauline L’Hénaff
  Regulation for peer-to-peer accommodation is being discussed around the world, but data isn’t being used effectively to inform, design and implement it. We are researching how data could be better used to help regulate the peer-to-peer accommodation sector. Here’s what we’ve learned so far.
• Blog 17/08/2017 Invitation to tender: Stimulus fund for service redesign
  • Public administration services
  Stimulus fund for a number of consortia organisations. Each consortium must include at least one UK public sector organisation.
• Blog 11/08/2017 Ukraine Open Data Challenge: finalists revealed
  • Innovation
  • Richard Stirling
  As part of a partnership between the Eurasia foundation and Ukrainian open data incubator 1991, the Transparency and Accountability in Public Administration and Services (TAPAS) organised a challenge event over one weekend to help Ukrainian startups innovate with open data.
• Blog 11/08/2017 How could data be used better to help regulate peer-to-peer accommodation?
  • Built environment and housing
  • Transport
  • Pauline L’Hénaff
  The ODI is going to develop and prototype new models of gathering and using data for regulation in the peer-to-peer accommodation sector
• Blog 11/08/2017 Building open data capacity in Tanzania - the support of two years of training As part of our mission to help businesses and governments around the world get data to people who need it, we have worked with the World Bank over the last two years to provide training and support to the Tanzania Open Data Initiative
• Blog 08/08/2017 Invitation to tender: company to research and develop approaches to and tools for the collaborative creation and maintenance of registers as open data To research and develop good practices in and tools to support the development of collaborative registers
• Blog 07/08/2017 Using open data for economic impact in Nigeria Last year in Edo State, Nigeria, the Edo AgriHub project (EDAH) began to solve problems in agriculture by improving data collection. Nkechi Okwuone, EDAH project manager, reflects on managing the project and plans for future
• Blog, Guides 05/08/2017 The Data Ethics Canvas
  • Data infrastructure
  • Data publishing and use
  • Public administration services
  • Skills and literacy
  The ODI has developed a new approach for organisations to identify and manage data ethics considerations: the Data Ethics Canvas
• Blog 04/08/2017 Open Call: Open Data Leaders' Network 9-13 October 2017 The ODLN calls for applicants working with open data in government to take part in an exciting five-day programme in London full of expert-led training, field trips and peer support
• Blog 04/08/2017 Invitation to tender: Explore design patterns for open APIs through prototyping and user research
  • Open standards and open APIs
  • Personal data and privacy
  The objective of this work is to explore design patterns for open APIs that enable people, and the organisations they authorise, to access data about them
• Blog 03/08/2017 Calling startups in ASEAN solving problems with data!
  • Startups
  Are you a startup or social enterprise solving real-life problems with data? Apply to join the ASEAN programme
• Blog 03/08/2017 Invitation to Tender: Companies to develop open source tools for open data publishing To develop new tools or significant incremental improvements to existing tools that are used to publish open data
• Blog 31/07/2017 Where are the UK's most active tech innovation cities
  • Emerging tech
  • Anna Scott
  An interesting analysis on where British innovation is flourishing and across which sectors  
• Blog 25/07/2017 The ODI hosts finalists of the Open Contracting Innovation Challenge
  • Innovation
  • Public administration services
  • Tom Hunter
  Key learnings from the incubation phase of the Open Contracting Innovation Challenge
• Blog 21/07/2017 ODI/OD4D Mini-Grants
  • Agriculture and food
  Shortlist announced for the Open Data for Developing Network initiative
• Blog 21/07/2017 Invitation to tender: Companies to help make it easier for people to understand UK technology clusters
  • Emerging tech
  • Public administration services
  • Mandy Costello
  Identifying unavailable data that could be made open to help improve decisions made using data about UK technology clusters
• Blog 19/07/2017 Applications now open for new Europe-wide data accelerator Data accelerator opportunity for startups looking to solve business problems and innovate their products/services
• Blog 18/07/2017 Invitation to tender: companies experienced with developing open standards for data to document their tools and processes
  • Open standards and open APIs
  Providing guidance to organisations that need to develop open standards for data
• Blog 11/07/2017 Help us to understand how people understand and describe data
  • Science and research
  • Search and discovery
  • Laura Koesten
  Have you been involved in a project about data? If so, get in touch
• Blog 07/07/2017 Meet ODI Code Fellow Stephen Fortune
  • James Smith (Dr)
  • Stephen Fortune
  Stephen tells us a bit about his journey from ODI Labs intern to code fellow, how embracing the ‘developer’s mindset’ and collaborative maintenance helps him look after the ODI Toolbox 
• Blog 27/06/2017 Open call: Organisation to conduct survey on personal data in the UK retail sector
  • Personal data and privacy
  Are you or your organisation interested in helping the retail sector understand shoppers’ expectations?
• Blog 23/06/2017 The value of open data for the private sector
  • Data infrastructure
  • Innovation
  • Retail and consumer
  • Skills and literacy
  • David Beardmore
  How the private sector need to continue embracing open data for a fair and sustainable data economy
• Blog 22/06/2017 The New Observatory: A creative collaboration between FACT and the ODI
  • Hannah Foulds
  • Dr Julie Freeman
  The exhibition brings together an array of artists exploring new and alternative modes of measuring, predicting and sensing the world
• Blog 22/06/2017 Observatories of ourselves
  • Anna Scott
  • Hannah Foulds
  • Hannah Redler Hawes
  The exhibition co-produced with Fact, Liverpool makes one think what the roles of analysis, understanding and imagination have in a world of constant observation
• Blog 21/06/2017 The ODI 5 years on: a time to celebrate and reflect
  • Jeni Tennison
  • Sir Nigel Shadbolt
  The ODI’s first five years, through the eyes of CEO, Jeni Tennison
• Blog 14/06/2017 Six Open Contracting Innovation Challenge finalists win $5k ahead of $30k Grand Prize
  • Innovation
  • Tom Hunter
  OCIC was launched to stimulate and gather ideas that strengthen the integrity and effectiveness of public procurement
• Blog 08/06/2017 Testing the Data Ethics Canvas: what we've learned
  • Ellen Broad
  The canvas exists to help organisations consider data ethics as they develop data projects and services
• Blog 07/06/2017 ODI mini-grant programme: open call for open data innovators in Africa
  • Agriculture and food
  • Humanitarian response
  Opportunity available to lead a project to solve problems with data in Africa
• Blog 05/06/2017 'Late to the game' but committed: Malaysia's open data 'change agent' on challenging cultural norms and plans for the future
  • Anna Scott
  MAMPU drive for open data is in keeping with the country’s ICT plan for 2016-2020, which calls for a boom in data-driven initiatives.
• Blog 05/06/2017 Open Data Pathway: introducing country-level statistics
  • Leigh Dodds
  Over 290 organisations are using the Open Data Pathway and over 100 assessments have been completed. The statistics provide a great source of data to assess the state and progress of open data practices globally
• Blog 02/06/2017 The UK is failing to debate the role technology plays in our future
  • Emerging tech
  • Public administration services
  • Transport
  • Anna Scott
  In this blog, we talk about what is in the manifestos of the biggest political parties and what is conspicuous in its absence from them, as well as the general election debate: the role technology plays in our future.
• Blog 25/05/2017 Open Data Barometer: now more than ever, we must strengthen open data initiatives across the world
  • Data infrastructure
  • Fiona Smith
  • Gillian Whitworth
  • Jamie Fawcett
  Three ways that Governments can ensure open data benefits everyone
• Blog 10/05/2017 Open letter to parties: publish candidate data and be open about use of personal data
  • Personal data and privacy
  • Public administration services
  • Jeni Tennison
  An open letter to political parties asking them to enhance their practice in two simple ways, in the run-up to the general election
• Blog 05/05/2017 Open Contracting Innovation Challenge hosts its first international meetup in Kiev
  • Tom Hunter
  The ODI’s Innovation Consultant recounts the first international meetup of the challenge held in Ukraine
• Blog 03/05/2017 UK general election: how data can and should inform our decisions
  • Data infrastructure
  • Personal data and privacy
  Data infrastructure, skills and open innovation are vital to realise the full value of data. Ethics, engagement and equity need to be addressed to build trust in data
• Blog 26/04/2017 African Open Data Leaders Network: an open call for outstanding government leaders
  • Peer networks
  The AODLN programme is calling for African leaders of open initiatives to take part in two day programme.
• Blog 18/04/2017 Open call: Open Contracting Innovation Challenge
  • Public administration services
  How would you use data to strengthen the integrity and effectiveness of public procurement?
• Blog 13/04/2017 ‘Bring Open Data to Your School’: connecting teens with open data in Argentina
  • Data infrastructure
  A case study on one of projects supported by the ODI’s mini-grants programme
• Blog 12/04/2017 Briefing paper: UK government must support data sharing and open data in transport
  • Built environment and housing
  • Data infrastructure
  • Transport
  • Louise Burke
  Insight into how the government can support Intelligent Mobility with data
• Blog 10/04/2017 Data Pitch: a new Europe-wide data accelerator launches today
  • Innovation
  Data Pitch is a new European-funded project bringing together established businesses and startups to meet today’s challenges with data
• Blog 04/04/2017 Sir Tim Berners-Lee, ODI Co-Founder, awarded prestigious Turing Award Sir Tim Berners-Lee, ODI Co-founder, and Professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Oxford, has today been awarded the 2016 ACM A.M. Turing Award by The Association for Computing Machinery.
• Blog 27/03/2017 Open call: Open Data Champions Programme – 22-24 May 2017 Do you work in open data in the public sector in Europe? If so, explore our latest programme
• Blog 23/03/2017 Call for proposals: LMAO 😹
  • Dr Julie Freeman
  Data as Culture is the art programme for the Open Data Institute. Exhibitions take place in the working environment, alongside ODI staff and visitors
• Blog 15/03/2017 The ODI’s international startup network comes to South-East Asia
  • Startups
  • Emma Truswell
  • Richard Stirling
  • Tom Hunter
  The first cohort of the ASEAN Data Startup Accelerator in Kuala Lumpur
• Blog 03/03/2017 When an international partnership works: growing open data startups in Mexico
  • Data infrastructure
  • Humanitarian response
  • Startups
  • Emma Truswell
  Building business, creating an interconnected support system and forging friendships in Mexico
• Blog 01/03/2017 Open Data Day: how to build a strong data economy
  • Data infrastructure
  • Jeni Tennison
  Governments and the private sector need to consider the roles of equity, ethics and engagement in the push for a stronger data economy
• Blog 28/02/2017 Guest post: African countries level playing field with oil and gold corporations
  • Humanitarian response
  How to tackle the problem using publicly available, open data
• Blog 16/02/2017 How can open data portals become sustainable?
  • Search and discovery
  Making data discoverable through multiple portals will help maximise its value
• Blog 15/02/2017 Open Inheritance Art project reveals 36,000 rarely seen private heritage artworks you can visit
  • Arts, culture and heritage
  • Anna Scott
  • Hannah Foulds
  • Patrice John-Baptiste
  Open Inheritance Art is designed to improve and enrich HMRC’s data, by allowing people to flag missing or outdated information that can be directly fed back to HMRC
• Blog 10/02/2017 Tribute to Hans Rosling
  • James Smith (Dr)
  • Jamie Fawcett
  The work of Swedish data evangelist Hans Rosling has inspired many of us at the ODI, so here are some of our own reflections on how he’s influenced us and our mission
• Blog 07/02/2017 Guest post: How can gathering data help curb social exclusion? ODI Associates Mar Santamaria Varas and Pablo Martinez Diez from 300.000 Km/s, discuss how analogue-to-digital tools can improve large-scale data collection processes in cities, helping to combat homelessness and social exclusion
• Blog 06/02/2017 Invitation to tender: ODINE impact evaluation
  • Ryan Goodman
  6 month-incubator for open data entrepreneurs across Europe. Are you interested?
• Blog 27/01/2017 Policy design patterns that help you use data to create impact
  • Innovation
  The ODI has created open design patterns to help government policy makers see how data could be used to create impact
• Blog 13/01/2017 Strengthening our legal data infrastructure
  • Data infrastructure
  The ODI and Thompson Reuters investigate how to enhance data sharing in legal sector
• Blog 11/01/2017 Wasting less and giving more: charities and funders unite with better data
  • Humanitarian response
  How data made open by funders will help cut waste and raise funds for charitable organisations
• Blog 05/01/2017 The future of transport? Shared services built on data
  • Built environment and housing
  • Innovation
  • Public administration services
  • Transport
  How open data could play a pivotal role in the way we travel
• Blog 08/12/2016 Improving the resilience of cities using open data
  • Cities
  • Weather, energy and environment
  • Gillian Whitworth
  • Tom Hunter
  By Jessica Weereratne As the population of cities is expected to grow, from being home to just over 50% of the world’s population in 2015 to 60% by 2030, finding innovative solutions to improving urban resilience becomes even more pressing.
• Blog 23/11/2016 Autumn Statement: UK must recognise the need to strengthen data infrastructure
  • Data infrastructure
  • Anna Scott
  • Peter Wells
  Data is vital infrastructure for our society and a competitive advantage for a 21st century economy. It is an under-recognised piece of critical national infrastructure that needs government focus and support.
• Blog 09/11/2016 Data is critical national infrastructure – let’s make it open and secure
  • Data infrastructure
  The ODI calls on government to ensure that as it develops its digital strategy and the National Cybersecurity Strategy, it does not overlook the need for strong, effective and secure data infrastructure  
• Blog 31/10/2016 The ODI and Sport England getting the UK more active
  • Health and physical activity
  • Startups
  • Richard Norris
  The Open Data Institute and Sport England are announcing a new collaboration at the ODI Summit in London today. They will work together to improve and open up information about physical activity and sporting opportunities across England
• Blog 21/10/2016 Guest post: what would the open data utopia actually look like?
  • Built environment and housing
  • Data infrastructure
  • Open standards and open APIs
  • Personal data and privacy
  Alex Starritt speaks with some open data leaders about the steps we need to take to reach an open data utopia 
• Blog 18/08/2016 How do we 'own' data?
  • Data infrastructure
  • Data publishing and use
  • Personal data and privacy
  • Ellen Broad
  We live in an age of data abundance. We produce data every day – as people, businesses, charities and governments – that might be used to generate valuable insights and services. Ellen Broad explores data ownership in this age of abundance
• Blog 19/01/2016 Comment: Blockchain technology is useful, but not for everything
  • Emerging tech
  • James Smith (Dr)
  • Jeni Tennison
  • Peter Wells
  The Government Chief Scientific Advisor is exploring blockchain technologies. We welcome the focus on data infrastructure but call for more scrutiny of risks, less hype and a focus on using blockchains to solve challenges
• Blog 11/12/2015 What is the impact of blockchains on privacy?
  • Emerging tech
  • Personal data and privacy
  • Jeni Tennison
  Data stored in blockchains cannot be changed, which means that personal data they contain cannot be removed. Jeni Tennison, the ODI’s Technical Director, explains why it’s really important that we design blockchains to protect people’s privacy.
• Blog 13/10/2015 Natural History Museum: 'We hope people will discover new species with our open data'
  • Arts, culture and heritage
  By digitising and releasing its collection of 80 million specimens for anyone to access, the Natural History Museum engages people around the world to discover, analyse and even 3D print them
• Blog, Guides 27/09/2015 Open Data Maturity Model
  • Data publishing and use
  The Open Data Maturity Model is a way to assess how well an organisation publishes and consumes open data, and identifies actions for improvement.
• Blog, Guides 06/08/2015 Five stages of data grief
  • Data infrastructure
  • Data publishing and use
  • Jeni Tennison
  The ODI has developed a new approach for organisations to identify and manage data ethics considerations: the Data Ethics Canvas
• Blog, News 15/07/2015 Citymapper executive to governments: 'Open more data so we can improve your cities'
  • Data infrastructure
  • Innovation
  • Anna Scott
  The size and number of businesses built on open data is growing every year. Citymapper is one of the best-known open data success stories
• Blog 13/03/2015 Burkina Faso's data revolution: government transition to open data
  • Humanitarian response
  • Peer networks
  • Cities
  • Liz Carolan
  The Avenue de l’Indépendance in Ouagadougou is home to the neat 2- and 3-storey buildings that house most of Burkina Faso’s government ministries. Halfway down the street this order gives way to the charred remains of what was, until 30 October of last year, the House of Parliament.
• Blog, Guides 27/02/2015 How To Use R To Access Data On The Web
  • Data publishing and use
  • Search and discovery
  Analysing or using data without software is incredibly cumbersome if not impossible. Here we show you how you can import data from the web into a tool called R. Reasons why R has become so popular, and continues to grow, are that it’s free, open source, with state-of-the-art practices and a fantastic community.
• Blog, Guides 18/12/2014 What is a CSV? A case study of CSVs on data.gov.uk
  • Data publishing and use
  • Jeni Tennison
  CSV stands for comma-separated values. It is a simple format for tabular data and relatively easy to process. We analysed more than 20,000 links to CSV files on data.gov.uk – only around one third turned out to be machine-readable.
• Blog 27/02/2014 Fig Data 11 Tips How Handle Big Data R And 1 Bad Pun
  • Emerging tech
  In our latest project, Show me the Money, we used close to 14 million rows to analyse regional activity of peer-to-peer lending in the UK. Conventional tools such as Excel fail (limited to 1,048,576 rows), which is sometimes taken as the definition of Big Data. Then again, I recently heard one of the leading experts, Ken Cukier, say: “there is no definition of big data”.