Is Your Organization Ready for the Third Age of Open Data? - Managing Technology - Dennis D. McDonald's Web Site

"Having been through several technology adoption cycles during my career I’ve developed a three-part typology to represent organizational adoption of open data systems and processes (For an extended definition of the term 'open' as used here see The Open Definition, a project of Open Knowledge): Open Data 1.0 This is the initial stage when a government entity, stimulated by desire to improve operational transparency and citizen engagement, begins to put data files online via a centralized website catalog providing basic downloading and data visualization tools. Initially data content is driven by availability and the IT department is assigned primary management responsibility. Such efforts may be characterized by extended negotiations and educational sessions with different departments that need instruction — and convincing – that making 'their data' easily available to the public is to their advantage. Open Data 2.0 Many organizations have already entered the above stage and are going into this stage which is characterized by a more integrated approach to open data program management ... At stage 3.0 open data programs as such disappear and are absorbed into the day-to-day workings of the sponsoring organization:  [1] Data are viewed by program executives as a key resource to be managed in how the program interacts with all its stakeholders. [2] Internal and external user groups interact directly with the data managed by program systems. [3] The term 'open data' disappears as 'open' is viewed as the norm and special exceptions are made for 'closed data' that take into account for privacy, security, and competitive concerns ..."