8. Supporting data users
This step can be implemented as follows
The person promoting data sharing in the organisation together with the communications unit
- Support data use by providing user-friendly feedback channels.
- Collect feedback from data users.
- Organise various events in which data published by the organisation is utilised to promote data usage, including hackathons.
Supporting data use
This part describes the type of user support the organisation could provide to data users and how user satisfaction could be measured.
No official recommendations exist on user support and measuring user satisfaction.
The mere opening of data does not always lead to its use. In order for the information to be re-used, it is important to
- actively communicate about its existence,
- support its use in different ways and
- collect feedback.
Supporting data users and collecting feedback are important as they improve interaction between the organisation and users and are likely to promote the use of the data. For example, feedback can help improve the quality and usability of data. While the quality and volume of external feedback may vary, it may contain some very good insights.
Organisations that have already opened their data have usually attempted to prepare for responding to feedback or questions from data users. Users must be able to trust that their wishes are listened to and that the data will be developed user-centrically.
As far as possible, open feedback channels should be favoured in user support. This means that everyone can see the feedback submitted by other users, enabling all of them to benefit from it. Such channels help create an open data community and promote data use. They also improve efficiency, as there is no need to respond to the same messages and feedback several times. The organisation should select the feedback channels that suit the organisation and users best, also considering the organisation's resources.
The general experience is that very little feedback is given on open data. The City of Helsinki’s purchase invoice data was a dataset that triggered some of the largest volumes of user feedback and questions.
Ways of providing user support
Cooperation with developers
This part describes how an organisation can advance cooperation with data users and the developer community.
No official recommendations exist on cooperation with developer communities.
The needs and skills of data users vary. For example, some data users or developers might like to work together with the parties opening their data, while others do not need this type of collaboration and prefer to use the data independently. The organisation can respond to any cooperation needs by organising events for data users or by designating in the organisation a coordinator who engages in dialogue and cooperation with the user community. Chapter 2, Networks that promote cooperation, describes open data ecosystems and networks, of which there are many.
The organisation should work closely together with developers and be active on their channels. Developers and data science experts are in great demand and highly employable in Finland and around the world. Information about open datasets and the cooperation possibilities associated with them is often communicated through multiple channels, and in some cases information has spread effectively through informal networks and meetings.
The goal of developer cooperation is to facilitate data re-use and to enhance the impact of communication activities aimed at supporting it. In the developer community, different actors support each other.
Examples of user cooperation
Different hackathons are an example of events that can be organised to attract interest in the opened data. In addition to hackathons, it is advisable to also arrange activities that support data use over longer term.