Open up and
set your
data free
Streamlined approaches to data sharing are set to revolutionise the way organisations in FE and HE operate and interact with each other, and with outside bodies.
The emerging design concept, known as the Data-Driven approach, offers an alternative way of building Information Computer Technology (ICT) systems and sharing the information they hold, making them more time, energy and cost effective. It also offers an open-ended opportunity for innovation through the cross fertilisation of data and ideas.
The concept focuses primarily on data rather than the systems that process it, and on the application programming interfaces (APIs) or routes that link the data from one system to another. One set of data is shared across the institution’s systems, removing the need for duplication – for example, between HR and finance departments. Through sharing mechanisms that are adaptable and fit for purpose, the approach offers greater flexibility not just internally, but externally as well.
Max Hammond, consultant and author of the 'Preparing for Data-driven Infrastructure' report published by Jisc in September 2012, explains that, it is intended for use by those in universities and colleges who influence the procurement of large systems, and relates to all data apart from research data.
Max Hammond
Consultant and author “Preparing for Data-driven Infrastructure”
Considerations and how to start:
Take machine interface design seriously at the design/procurement stage – for example develop your own APIs or opt to consume external data
Share internal data first – it does not have to be open or external to be beneficial
Consider APIs as a route to data – not a way to control software
Consider whether to standardise on RDF, RESTful APIs where appropriate
Beware of the hype about new technologies such as Linked Data, the Cloud and NoSQL databases. These approaches can all be strongly beneficial – but only in the right systems
Hammond believes the best way forward is to develop incrementally and gradually, “A total re-engineering of all systems is unrealistic, if not impossible,” he said.
The benefits of the data-centric approach include:
Interoperability – different systems across institutions can operate together more easily
Flexibility – systems that are easier to maintain, extend and
adapt
Innovation – making it easier to re-use data in turn makes it easier to try out new ideas and enables experimentation
Sustainability – making it easier to manage data that outlives the systems that create it
Efficiency - trusting existing data reduces the need to duplicate and de-conflict data
The Jisc report is published as the government pushes for more transparency and openness in the publicly-funded sector. Read the Open Data White Paper, ‘Unleashing the potential – UK Government’.
Paul Walk, director of Jisc’s Innovation Support Centre at UKOLN, University of Bath, said: “The drive for greater openness and transparency is coming to higher education and so having a Data-Driven approach makes sense. There’s often an opportunity to expose data outside the institution - this can be because the university or college is required to, but can also be because it is beneficial to enter into a business partnership.
“I would like to see a real decoupling between data services and applications so we can have a greater mix and match approach within institutions and to a lesser extent between institutions and other parties in the public and commercial sector.”
At Lincoln University, a three-year Higher Education Academy (HEA) funded project, called’ Student as Producer’, is providing a fascinating example of how a data-driven approach can support not just greater efficiency, but also genuine innovation. Now in its second year, the open data project is ensuring the student perspective remains core to the operation of the whole university, by enabling students to create a whole new university experience for themselves. Their relationship with education and learning is enhanced as they use the data to develop their own applications.
Rachel Bruce, innovation director, Digital Infrastructure at Jisc, said that the work at Lincoln was inspired by academic values that motivated the early academic hacker culture and created services which support research, learning and teaching. She said: “They have started to make information available and build a whole academic ethos around it. The data is available, students can hack it together any way they want and develop their own innovations. As Rufus Pollack said, ‘The coolest thing to do with your data will be thought of by someone else.’”
Innovative applications include:
The Roominator, where students tweet the name of the room they need to go to and the application gives them
directions
A Map of Energy Use, which uses data on the Lincoln University server about energy consumption and makes a map of hot, cold and neutral spots. The application can be used as a way to show improvements in energy efficiency at a glance.
Rachel claims that there is potential for still more innovation:
“Simply put though the approach allows the sharing of data, less re-keying and more integration across data sets and systems.”
Rachel Bruce
Innovation Director, Digital Infrastructure, Jisc
