Open Data and Open Tools: The Global Impact Study Inventory and Web Application

Abstract

What is Open Access to Research Data? Is it free and open access to raw data? Access to data collection tools and instruments? Access to data with tools to organize and analyze? These are the types of questions the Global Impact Study is considering as we develop an open approach to our research on the impacts of public access to information and communication technologies (ICTs). The approach we have adopted includes developing an open-access web application to enable meaningful sharing of the data in our inventory of public access ICT venues. Users can query, export, and map data on the location and characteristics of venues. In addition, the study is making public all source code used for the web application. This poster illustrates the types of data accessible through the application, query and visualization tools, and sample outputs. The green boxes call out some of the primary open data issues associated with the application’s main features. Based on what the web application allows, to what extent do you think our data platform achieves open access goals and principles? Global Impact Study Goal: To investigate the impacts of public access to ICTs in venues such as libraries, telecenters, and cybercafés. Timeline: 2007–2012 Primary Research Questions: 1. What are the social and economic impacts of public access to ICTs? 2. What is the magnitude of these impacts and how can we measure them? 3. What is the relationship between the costs and benefits of providing and using public access ICTs? Inventory Why: To capture the magnitude and distribution of the venues studied in the project What: Address, venue type, and venue characteristic data Where: Bangladesh, Brazil, Chile, Lithuania, Philippines How: Through publically available, administrative data Open data: Tapping all sources We know that there are limitations to our data collection methods and users may find inaccuracies or gaps in some of our data. However, public users can currently only download data. How can we enable users to correct and supplement our data and at the same time maintain the integrity of the data? This