What Do Nonprofit Open Data Standards Look Like?

Facilitated by Marnie Webb, TechSoup Global

Marnie spends a lot of time thinking about interoperability of nonprofit data, and how the sector could move forward if there were standards that allowed nonprofits to share programmatic and other data. In this session, she'll share her vision for open data standards, and invite participants to toss ideas around.

Session Notes

Open Data

Intro: round robin

Hopeful, interesting, possibly dangerous

Finding standards that work for non-profits Open standard for practicing conservation Craigslist: value and effect of more data availability

Calling attention: "Look at this" actions Finding Data -> Insights about issues

Finding standards across the sector

opendata unconference

What do we open up, now?

How does the success model of nonprofits and the drive to be open sometimes conflict?

Existing businesses threatened by open data.

Discussion of bottom-up standards process.

Face to face meetings with relevant stakeholders, buy-in

Anonymity - to what degree can ope ndata identify someone

Discussion of importnace of opendata as a "next big wave" similar to social media - desire to create and present a primer for how to deal with opendata

All-encompassing standard vs. incremental standardss (mini,moving targets)

reactive decision making vs. proactive preparation for the coming shift in open data standards

(Text from green postits on the wall follows)

Open Standards Considerations

Top down vs. bottom up standards

Process: Open Transparent Two feet Drive larger players to the table with action and marketing Face to face Event management is important Consider how to manage iterations

How to set the default to open? Opt out rather than opt in open

What info matters to open? Agree on that.

Political clout matters in standards creation and maintenance

What parts can be open? What do you need to leave closed for business reasons? Time can be a factor, leave closed for now and open later.