User testing is used in the private sector to understand the consumers of a specific product. It’s even more important in the public sector, because governments have a responsibility to serve everyone. This includes government open data programs.
Continue readingIntroducing a guide to co-design for local open data programs
If open data programs hope to effectively deliver information to the public, they must be rooted in user needs. In... View Article
Continue readingAn open data maturity scale for cities to find right-sized solutions
Local governments are often ambitious when it comes to innovating around open data and civic technology -- they envision highly developed tools and open data products that will change the way communities solve problems. But sometimes open data projects fall flat because of any number of challenges: data isn’t usable, data is hard for users to find, data is presented at the wrong skill level, data is shared through the wrong forum or platform.
Continue readingLessons from Tactical Data Engagement in Norfolk and Austin
Our new case studies dive into our Tactical Data Engagement (TDE) work with Norfolk and Austin, as we continue to explore how open data and user-centered design can be applied to find solutions for real local issues.
Continue readingExchanging open data strategies with civil society groups in Nepal
Kathmandu, Nepal’s open data ecosystem is a growing space, where I.T. professionals and advocates come together to support Nepal’s governments at all levels and work toward social impact. The Sunlight Foundation was invited by Development Initiatives and The Asia Foundation to provide a week-long series of workshops and consultations about user-centered design for Data for Development in Nepal partners.
Continue readingImpactful open data through user research
This blog was originally posted on the Laserfiche ECM blog. Over the past four years, the Sunlight Foundation’s Open Cities team has... View Article
Continue readingWhat makes a good open data use case?
Planning with use cases can ensure that open data will be used to productive and potentially impactful ends.
Continue readingTips for Creating User Personas
In addition to collecting all the user personas we could find in use in the public sector, we came up with some useful tips for those looking to create user personas.
Continue readingIntroducing the Open Data User Persona Library
Sunlight’s Open Cities team has collected dozens of user personas that city governments or public data providers have used to help map and understand their open data users. Having a clear understanding of who is using open data and how they’re using it gives data providers the power to tailor public information to residents’ needs for maximal impact.
Continue readingA Modular Approach to Tactical Data Engagement
Since our initial release of a Guide to Tactical Data Engagement in 2017, Sunlight Open Cities has conducted pilot studies of the framework in several cities around the U.S. Our work with Glendale, Madison, Austin, and Norfolk allowed us to refine the TDE approach, while keeping the key strategies of TDE at the forefront.
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