Affiliations: [a] Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, Delft
University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands | Faculty of Business Administration, Information
Systems Department, Université Laval, PQ, Canada | Fundacion Universidad de las Americas Puebla, Business
School, Santa Catarina Martir, San Andres Cholula, Puebla, Mexico | Graduate School of Management, Clark University,
Worcester, MA, USA
Correspondence:
[*]
Corresponding author: Anneke Zuiderwijk, Faculty of Technology,
Policy and Management, Delft University of Technology, Jaffalaan 5, 2628 BX
Delft, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 15 27 86471; E-mail:
a.m.g.zuiderwijk-vaneijk@tudelft.nl
Abstract: Open data ecosystems are expected to bring many advantages, such as
stimulating citizen participation and innovation. However, scant attention has
been given to what constitutes an open data ecosystem. The objective of this
paper is to provide an overview of essential elements of open data ecosystems
for enabling easy publication and use of open data. To achieve this objective,
the literature has been reviewed and a scenario about the publication and use
of open data has been analyzed. It was found that various applications, tools
and portals are available which together can form an ecosystem. The best
functionalities of this ecosystem can be selected and utilized by open data
providers and users. To create an open data ecosystem at least four key
elements should be captured, namely, 1) releasing and publishing open data on
the internet, 2) searching, finding, evaluating and viewing data and their
related licenses, 3) cleansing, analyzing, enriching, combining, linking and
visualizing data and 4) interpreting and discussing data and providing feedback
to the data provider and other stakeholders. Furthermore, to integrate the
ecosystem elements and to let them act as an integrated whole, there should be
three additional elements 5) user pathways showing directions for how open data
can be used, 6) a quality management system and 7) different types of metadata
to be able to connect the elements.
Keywords: Open data ecosystem, open data, open government, ecosystem, architecture, infrastructure, innovation
