Forging culture change can be lonely work. Working alone, or in a small team, your task is to encourage your boss, your colleagues or your community to invest in something new. Something they might not understand. Something that might be very different from what they’re used to.
This is especially true for those in governments around the world tasked with promoting open data, data that anyone can access, use and share. “Open data leaders often need to address very real fears from their colleagues and bosses,” said Emma Truswell, services business manager at the Open Data Institute. “These include national security, privacy concerns, the risk of embarrassment to the administration, and concerns about the quality of data.”
But they take these risks for good reason. Open data’s potential for improved policymaking, and social, economic and environmental benefits are becoming clearer to businesses, civil society and governments around the world.