About the project

Project Objectives

To encourage the best use of Open Data in Scotland

1. Find: Help users find a data source they can use
   • by providing a complete and up-to-date listing of Open Data in Scotland
   • or recording a request/ suggestion if it is missing
2. Learn: Understand how Open Data is in Scotland
   • establish a comparable scorecard/barometer for assessing OD sources
   • help identify where provision can be improved
3. Showcase: Promote the projects using these data
   • demonstrate where and how Open Data use is returning value
   • build a view of what good Open Data use looks like
4. Connect: Close the feedback loop
   • encourage good information flows between the 3 main stakeholder groups in the Open Data ecosystem: publishers, super users, and public users

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Project Plan

• 23Q1 Demonstrate dataset provision
• 23Q2 Showcase Open Data projects
• 23Q3 Use Open Data
• 23Q4 Improve infrastructure

See the 2023 Project Board for what we're working on just now.

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History of the OD_BODS project

• 2020 Feb-Aug--- Ian started an audit of Scottish Open Data
• 2021 Jun--- At CTC23, a group of people worked on collating the sources and adding analysis, working from Ian's original audit. The OD_BODS team is born.
• 2021 Sep--- OD_BODS is presented at the Scottish Open Data Unconference 2021 (SODU21) to positive feedback and suggested that the project should continue
• 2021 Oct--- Plans are put into place to continue the project for 12 months with intention to present at SODU22.
• 2021 Oct--- CodeTheCity sponsors the opendata.scot domain for 2 years.
• 2021 Nov--- After a productive CTC24, the opendata.scot site is live with all 427 of the originally identified datasets listed.
• 2022 May--- Successful introduction of pipeline automation at CTC26 means the listing of data updates weekly on a Friday.
• 2022 Sep--- We reach 1500 listed datasets on the back of CTC27
• 2022 Nov--- Shortlisted at the OpenUK awards in 3 categories for Software, Young Person and Individual. A massive congratulations to Jack Gilmore for winning the Young Person's category!
• to date --- We'll be working in-between and in concentrated efforts at CTC civic hacking events where we welcome everyone to join us if they can spare 2-12 hours of work over a weekend. Everyone and all skills welcome - there is plenty to share and learn!

For a more techical history (something like release notes) see our Project Log