Open Government
www.ouvert.gc.ca
Responses to our online consultation question 1 (Page 41)
This is what we have heard in response to our online consultation question 1: "What could be done to make it easier for you to find and use government data provided online?"
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Search engine optimization of the location of data sets and the addition of more meta data would be a first step. Use meaningful URLs, meta data, descriptions. Add additional related datasets when viewing a dataset.
We recommend a complete redesign of the site for modern 960 px web browsers with easy to navigate headers.
- Montreal Ouvert
Read More...Finding and using are two different activities. It may be easier to FIND government data when the raw data files themselves are hosted, indexed, and labeled in clear categories on an online page. It is easier to USE data when its already processed and structured for readability.
- Dr. Peter Jones
Follow the KIS method: Keep it as simple, clear and brief as possible for the public in terms of accessing the government data they need to get to.
- Wayne Hendry
Read More...In terms of finding existing data, a central portal is the most useful tool. The current data.gc.ca is a start, but falls well short of the similar sites in other countries. I would strongly suggest building Canada's data catalogue on top of open, standard software for this purposes, like the Open Knowledge Foundation's CKAN (or potentially data.gov's open-source release).
- Michael Mulley
Read More...First, I want to recognize that a tremendous amount of work has been done to get the present website and number of data sets up online.
FINDING DATA:
My advice on making data easier to engage Socrata to create the front end. Socrata has an enormous amount of experience in how to share government data effectively.
- David Eaves
