Information Technology Policy Manual 2022

redistribution.

Publishable Data – data which is not protected or sensitive and which can be prepared for release to the public.

Defining the Vision of the Greensboro’s Open Data Program and Initiatives

Open data created and maintained by the City of Greensboro is a public good and should be released to and leveraged in service of Greensboro’s residents, businesses, and institutions. Greensboro’s Open Data Program is a set of systems, technologies, and policies for maximizing the value of Greensboro’s data. The open data program increases the value of city data by: • Releasing data in service of transparency and community engagement, so that residents understand what their city is doing. • Enabling city staff and the public to use the data in analyses and software applications that help Greensboro deliver services more efficiently. • Providing businesses and other organizations with relevant data at no cost, so that Greensboro continues to maintain a thriving local economy. • Removing silos between city departments, thereby fostering data-sharing and enabling efficiency improvements for city service delivery. Greensboro’s Open Data Program is intended to increase community engagement, economic well being, internal data sharing, data-driven decision-making, and government transparency. These outcomes are the result of efforts by the open data program and its stakeholders to supply city data and market it both internally and externally. Note that these outcomes are also affected by numerous intervening factors such as other city activities, city finances, and the state of the economy. More immediate outcomes of the open data program include an awareness of open data among both city staff and the public, as well as consistent growth of the supply of data.

The City of Greensboro will develop and implement best practices that allow it to:

(1) Release all potential open City data, making it freely available in open formats without any licensing fees, with no restrictions on use or reuse, and fully accessible to the broadest range of users to use for varying purposes;

(2) Publish high quality, updated data with documentation (metadata) and permanence to encourage maximal use;

(3) Establish and maintain an open data web portal that provides a central location for published City data;

(4) Encourage innovative uses of the City’s publishable data by departments, the public, and other partners.

The development and implementation of these best practices shall be overseen by the Open Data Leadership Team. The requirements of this policy shall apply to any City Department, office, administrative unit, commission, board, advisory committee or other division/department 52 | P a g e