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Dr. Sandra Toze: Open Data – What has been accomplished

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“Digital technologies are transforming the structures of society: governments, business, educational institutions, entertainment, travel. Without question, the governance of information and the need for advanced information skills are essential to realize the potential of this field of enquiry.”
Dr. Sandra Toze, Director, School of Information Management, Dalhousie University

Dr. Sandra Toze Director, School of Information Management Dalhousie University

Dr. Sandra Toze
Director, School of Information Management
Dalhousie University

The potential of open data is enormous.  Much has been accomplished over the past few years, which has encouraged us to look back and reflect upon the knowledge that has been acquired to date. How can we measure and quantify what has been done and how can we use this information to plot the trajectory of open data? There is considerable rhetoric around this dynamic topic, which prompts the need for a deeper and more inclusive dialogue.   Open data has the potential to be disruptive even as it offers positive outcomes.  We recognize that there will be challenges, setbacks and curves to be experienced along the way.   Without question, open data offers an exciting journey that will continue to influence and transform our world and the way we interact within a digital environment.

Open Data

The definition of open data that has been agreed upon within this field in enquiry, is data that can be freely used, shared and employed as a foundation upon which to build, by anyone for any purpose. The definition encompasses many aspects of information management such as quality of data:  completeness, timeliness, the ease of electrical transferability, access, and machine readable.  It also involves standards.  One of the ideas we are looking at within Canada, is making sure that we can incorporate municipal, provincial and federal data seamlessly.  The power of data comes with the ability to link data from different places, in different sections, in different ways.  Which brings us back to standards, licensing, permissions. Questions like “who owns the data” are critical to our ongoing dialogue.

My goal is to demystify was is currently in place and look at ways in which we can measure and implement ongoing measurement tools to assess our progress so far and prepare for the next stage of the journey. For us to move forward with open data initiatives, we need in increase the overall data literacy, within our profession and within the public.  As educators, SIM is creating a data literacy course at the undergraduate level to respond to this need. We need to recognize that this gap must be filled for us to fully enjoy the benefits and influence of open data.

The promise of open data gives us the impetus to continue our research:

  • Positive internal outcomes such as measuring programs and improving efficiencies
  • Involving citizens more directly in decision-making processes and enabling collaboration on technological projects
  • Civil society groups and journalists hope to make use of open data to increase transparency and aid democracy
  • Advocates of open data hope to improve government’s internal and external communication, and lead to innovation and transformation of society

We live in a world that has the technological resources and capacity to amass data at an exponential rate. Working together, we have the opportunity to harness the power and potential of open data.

Dr. Sandra Toze
Director, School of Information Management
Dalhousie University
January 2019

Dr. Sandra Toze: Managing Information to Solve Problems, and to Learn

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“My research interests emerged from my professional experience and focus on understanding the ways in which the modern workplace is being transformed through innovative information and knowledge management practices, facilitated by technology and increased collaboration.”

Dr. Sandra Toze, Director, School of Information Management, Dalhousie University

 

Dr. Sandra Toze Director, School of Information Management Dalhousie University

Dr. Sandra Toze
Director, School of Information Management
Dalhousie University

 

A few weeks ago, I joined Dr. Sandra Toze at the 2018 ARMA Canada Conference held in Vancouver. This was Dr. Toze’s and my first face-to-face meeting and my first introduction to ARMA Canada, an organization dedicated to providing professionals with the research, tools, and training required to manage records and information within an established information governance framework.  After two days of stimulating dialogue, I came away with a renewed appreciation of where information has taken us in our current reality.

Dr. Toze is involved in cutting-edge research that will provide direction on how society can harness and use the power of information. We live in a world that has the technological resources and capacity to amass data at an exponential rate. Traditional work and career pathways have been transformed by virtual teams, collaboration and mobility.  New skill sets are required, specifically in the areas of information management and governance.

CEGE Connection is pleased to announce that Dr. Toze has graciously agreed to a series of interviews that highlight her research goals and insights concerning the potential of our digital age. We invite you to join this important conversation.

Rebecca Budd
Editor and Blog Coordinator,
CEGE Connection

 

Dr. Sandra Toze:

Advances in technology have transformed the way in which we view information management.  My first experience in the information management arena came when I worked as a librarian in financial services, an industry which generates vast quantities of information and massive data sets.  This was at a time when there were no easy or intuitive interface mechanisms. With a background in history and politics, my exposure to data was limited.  I quickly learned that working with data was different than working with information, you needed to understand how the data was collected and assessed. The “data” about data was critical.

Today, I am looking at how changes in the information landscape including collaboration, big and open data affect what we know about human information interactions. This is an evolving area of exploration.  How do people deal with data?  How do digital changes including social, mobile, analytics, cloud and automation affect how we find, interact and use information to solve problems, and to learn.

When I talk about data, I am talking about collection of numbers that we can manipulate statistically. When you see numbers on a spreadsheet, that is only part of the story.  The background story relates to how the data was collected?  What do these numbers represent?  These are critical factors that will lead to a robust understanding of what we can do with that data.  All of this is not necessarily intuitive.  How do we know with certainty that the collected data is accurate and without bias?

I look forward to sharing my research in the coming series of interviews with CEGE Connection.  Digital technologies are transforming the structures of society: governments, business, educational institutions, entertainment, travel. Without question, the governance of information and the need for advanced information skills are essential to realize the potential of this field of enquiry.

Dr. Sandra Toze
Director, School of Information Management
Dalhousie University

ARMA 2018