(This is a cross-post by Julia Keserü from the Sunlight Foundation, taken from both the Global Open Data Initiative blog and the Sunlight Foundation blog.)
Open Data has enormous unfulfilled promise to change how governments work and to empower citizenship. As more governments and issue experts discover new potential in the public release of data, civil society groups still need clear guidelines and mechanisms for cooperation.
The Global Open Data Initiative (GODI) is our attempt to more clearly outline the institutions, organizations, and policies that make up the global open data community and to help move forward. In serving as a global voice for open data, GODI hopes to act as a repository of information and evidence regarding open data policies and practices.
In order to do be able to do so, we now need your input. What are the challenges within your work with open data? What definitions and guidelines do you rely on to inform your work? Are there any resources that would be useful to your work but still missing? What are your experiences interacting with governments and funders about open data? What are your struggles that a global initiative might help resolve?