Open Data Policy

This document describes our policy on open data.

• It includes our definition of open data.
• It describes our best practice for how we create and publish datasets that are available for open reuse.
• It details the several steps we take to ensure this best practice.

The policy also includes our Code of Conduct for those that wish to use our data.

Additionally, this document also describes how we utilise data that is already open and available.

Intended audiences

This document is for anyone interested in how we produce, publish and use open data.

Document history

This is the first issue of this policy. It was first published in July 2015.

Feedback on this policy

Feedback should be provided via webmaster@ocva.org.uk

Document owners

This policy is owned by OCVA (Oxfordshire Community & Voluntary Action).

Other information policies

Our open data policy sits alongside policies around Confidentiality, Equality, Website Terms of Use and staff terms and conditions.

Reuse of this policy

This policy is published under Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

This policy is also available for reuse via GitHub, courtesy of MACC

About Us

Company / Charity number(s): 1108504 / 5363946

Registered office: The Old Courthouse, Floyds’ Row, Oxford, OX1 1SS

Open data context

What is open data and why are we working with it?

What is open data?

We subscribe to the following definition of open data:

Open data is data that can be freely used, reused and redistributed by anyone.

It is subject only, at most, to the requirement to attribute and sharealike.

Open data are the building blocks of open knowledge.

Open knowledge is what open data becomes when it’s useful, usable and used.

Why open data?

We are committed to a strong community and voluntary sector in Oxfordshire. We believe that open data can assist with this ambition, through enabling transparency of our actions, in the form of open data.

Our open data goals

When publishing data about our work, we have three main aims:

• That our data is useful
  We wish to publish data that brings value to those building a stronger community and voluntary sector.
• That our data is meaningful
  We wish to publish data that adds to the ongoing dialogue and discussion about the sector.
• That our data is accessible
  We wish to publish data in an open and accessible way, and provide regular narrative and understanding to the stakeholders.

In this context, we aim to operate an open data policy that is robust and practical, leading to greater engagement in the issues faced by the community and voluntary sector in Oxfordshire.

Our open data commitments

What is meant by open data at OCVA?

When considering open data, we commit to the following:

We will publish data openly

• We will publish data on key aspects of our sector in an open and accessible manner.
• We will update this data regularly and often.
• We will provide documentation and descriptions of the data we publish, including a licence.

We will use open data

• We will analyse, utilise and discuss our own data
• We will utilise other openly available datasets to provide insight into the voluntary sector of Oxfordshire.

We will support those using our data

When making our data openly available, we maintain a set of expectations, known as our Code of Conduct. If you utilise open data published by us, we request that you consider this.

We will support the sector with open data

In our work with voluntary sector organisations across Oxfordshire, we will provide advice and guidance in terms of publishing and using open data.

This policy provides information relevant to each of these commitments. We describe the key aspects, actions and mechanisms that we use to deliver our open data policy.

Publishing open data

How will we publish open data?

Our principles and best practices

The act of providing open data is to publish and share. We understand that this involves responsibility and due diligence.

When we publish data openly, our aim is to ensure it is of a quality to be accessed, used and understood. In doing so, we place the following expectations on our data publication.

It can often be the case that whilst data is made available openly, it is poor in structure, out-of-date, or has bad quality amongst other aspects. It is the intention of this policy to mitigate against such factors, via these criteria.

Privacy

Quality

Meaningful and manageable

Encoded

Format

Licence

Documentation

Available

Updated

Feedback

Using open data

How will we utilise open data?

Our use of open data sets

Alongside publishing our own datasets, we wish to take an active role in the analysis and discussion of the insights that can be gleaned.

For this reason, we will establish the following as part of our open data policy.

Data release news

Alongside the formal notes and documentation on our datasets, we will post to our main website newsblog, providing narrative and information on data being released and updated.

Data analysis news

Any data visualisations or progress with our open data tool project will also be shared on our main website newsblog.

Using other datasets

When we utilise other datasets in our commentary and analysis, we will always provide clear attribution and guidance as to the source of the data, and any actions we may have taken. Any tools we build will also provide clear attribution.

Data use Code of Conduct

What do we expect from those who use our data?

Our expectations of you

We encourage others to access, use and discuss our open data. We strive towards a strong community and voluntary sector in Oxfordshire, and value the contributions and insights that can be gleaned through use of data.

When doing so, we would hope the following basic Code of Conduct is observed:

Accessing our data

Much of the datasets we publish are succinct and easily available for download. When accessing our data, we request that you do not place unnecessary burden on our servers by making repeated data requests over a short period of time.

Attribution

When using our data, we request that our licence is observed.

When producing any material that uses our data, please ensure an attribution to OCVA is included.

Derivation

When making use of our data, always state any steps that were made to undertake calculations or analysis that are not present in the source.

Violations

When using our data, you must not:

• make an application that pretends to be from OCVA;
• present the data in a misleading or incorrect manner or to misrepresent or change the data;
• use this site for party political purposes, as the site is part-paid for with public money so it is not appropriate to engage in party-political activity here;
• use the data in or to support a criminal or illicit activity;
• use the data on an application to inflame or make comments that are racist, sexist or homophobic, or which promote or incite violence or illegal activity.
• make copies from which to recreate our business and charity contact data (customer relationship management, CRM, constituent relationship management, contact management) for your own business or non-profit purposes or aims.

Discussion

We encourage discussion of our data, and the uses of it. In doing so, we request you are respectful of others.

Feedback

If you spot any mistakes, errors or points for clarification, please feedback via our designated channels.

We also encourage requests and ideas for new data that we may publish. Again, please do so via our feedback channels.

Appendix 1: Open data workflows

The following workflows and checklists are used by our staff in the preparation, publication and update of open data. These are linked to our open data best practices, detailed in our open data policy. Over time, we will update and enhance these workflows.

Data privacy

When preparing any data for publication, we would always undertake the following:

Data segmentation

When preparing data for publication, we would always undertake the following:

Data codes checklist

When preparing data for publication, we will always consider the following:

Data formats checklist

When preparing data for publication, we will always undertake the following:

Open data licence

When publishing data, we will always ensure a relevant licence is provided.

Our default licence is a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Data publication schedule

When publishing – and updating – data, we will always seek to ensure that this is done in a timely manner.

Open data publishing channels

When publishing data openly, we will always check the following:

Open data feedback mechanisms

When seeking, collecting and receiving feedback on our data, we will always consider the following:

Attribution checklist

When using datasets published by other organisations, we will always ensure the following attribution considerations are provided within the context of any material we produce unless such use is within any data tool we build. (For details on how usage will be attributed from within our tools please refer to any user or publication notes about such tools.)

List of datasets published by OCVA. This list will be updated and maintained.

Appendix 2: Open data sets