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opendatabusiness
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Fonte: http://www.theguardian.com/media-network/2015/aug/26/open-data-guide-tips-business
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All the data you need to power your business is free online
Todos dados que voce precisa para aumentar a potencia do seu negocio estao livremente online
Open data available online is improving and streamlining businesses across Europe. We show you how to make the most of it
Dados abertos disponiveis para melhorar e ??? negocios pela Europa. Mostramos para voce como extrair o maximo disso
Open data is one of the big advances of recent times. Businesses can now access vast data sets held by public bodies and large companies and use them to create software and, ultimately, make money. It’s not just for tech startups aiming to create a hot new app either. Open data can play a part in improving business intelligence, planning and research. Being able to access comprehensive and accurate information about a range of topics can only be an advantage in the business world.
Here’s our guide to structuring a plan and cherry picking the best of what’s available online.
Do your research
Faça sua pesquisa
There’s so much data available, that the only way to focus on what you need is to start asking and answering questions, refining searches and understanding what to access. Customer or client research will help, as matching needs to information is key when building apps or new software.
Businesses should do their best to find out what’s already been done. Research from the Open Data Institute (ODI) suggests the most commonly used open data sources are geospatial/mapping, transport and the environment. A lot has already been done, and businesses should ensure they understand the competition, or whether they can simply use other people’s work. Don’t worry yet if you think a dataset might not be available – there’s a good chance you’re wrong, or you will be able to create one from a combination of sources.
Find the right sources
Ache as fontes corretas
Open Knowledge, a not-for-profit international network, has been spearheading the open data movement since it was set up in 2005 and is now active in more than 30 countries. Its founder and president, Rufus Pollock, says through Open Knowledge, businesses can “access expertise” and “tap into a worldwide network of people who are creating, sharing information and using open data”. He also says the network will set businesses on the “right path no matter what your open data needs and experience”.
The European Union Open Data Portal provides access to a range of data sets produced by institutions and other EU bodies and is another must for data gatherers.
Finally, the ODI is an excellent source of guidance, information and training. It contains links to a variety of projects – such as Open Corporates, which aims to provide useful data on every company in the world.
Find a more detailed list of sources at the bottom of this page
Find the right tools
Ache as ferramentas corretas
People from non-technical backgrounds can use open data for research, presentations or just improving their knowledge. Many open data sources are CSV files or spreadsheets, are easily downloadable and can be manipulated with reasonable Excel skills. But much more can be done using online tools and cloud-based file systems. For instance, a Google Drive account allows users to store, share and crowdsource information plus a variety of other functions, such as scraping data from websites. Once you have some data, it often makes sense to visualise it, and tools such as Datawrapper, Quadrigram and Tableau are designed to be used by “non-technical” types.
Create your team
Crie seu time
For more technical projects, a fully-fledged data team with a range of skills and abilities will be needed. Businesses may need to outsource some aspects of their projects. They also need to think about the long-term implications of their work and understand that use of open data is still in its infancy.
Sonny Masero, chairman of Demand Logic, says the use of datasets will have a dramatic impact on many aspects of life, including the energy system. His business provides analysis of the energy usage of large buildings by plugging into the data held in their building management systems (BMS). It then analyses the data and provides advice to the client on how to reduce energy bills via an online dashboard. The company plans to make the data it collects open in the future and is also working on how to use meteorological data as this impacts energy consumption. To do this, the business has assembled a team with a broad set of skills. “Demand Logic’s data team covers a number of different aspects of big and open data from data acquisition, management, security, analysis, visualisation and exchange. The piece we outsource is data storage,” says Masero.
Consider the costs
Considere os custos
David James is founder of mxData, which used open data from sources including Transport for London (TfL) to create travel apps. His business offers its apps for free and makes money through advertising and partnerships. The business has 20 million downloads in 23 cities worldwide, and three million active users. However, James says this aspect of his business is still about positioning for the future and is not yet profitable. Furthermore, using open data can incur costs. “When you have a really successful app, you may use more data than [the data source] thinks is air use. In that case, there would be charges. Open data isn’t quite free,” says James.
Understand the value
Entenda o valor
Open data is largely free to use and can be adopted for proprietary purposes, but that doesn’t mean companies then own that data. Serial entrepreneur Steve Bailey, director of IT security consultancy Identity Methods, says open data can help a company get to market rapidly, but that entrepreneurs sometimes forget the importance of open data when selling a company. “When you sell a business, you have to declare that any warranties and indemnities are given free of any third party claims. If you neglect to mention open data then you could face a claim many years later. But if you do declare it, they will probably reduce the value of the IP,” says Bailey.
Get started
Comece
There is so much going on in this field that the only way to appreciate its potential is to dig in. These sources are a great place to start your data journey:
- European Union Open Data Portal – Provides a single point of access to a growing range of data from the institutions and other bodies of the EU. Data is free to use and reuse for commercial or non-commercial purposes.
- Open Knowledge – The international network is another “must go” place for businesses and developers looking for support and advice.
- Open Data Institute – Founded by Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the not-for-profit ODI is a good first port of call for businesses providing advice, training and ideas for data gatherers. It also has a programme for startups
- Data.gov.uk – UK government’s grandest effort at “opening up” and making available datasets on areas such as crime, health and education.
- London Datastore – Bringing data from the capital’s borough councils, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) and others, the Datastore is winning plaudits for its efforts to boost use of open data.
- Transport for London (TfL) – TfL’s real time data is well used by a host of travel and transport apps, vastly improving connectivity across the capital.
- Ordnance Survey – The venerable mapmaker now provides free access to maps of roads, water networks, electoral boundaries and more, making it one of the UK’s most frequently accessed organisations.
- NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre – Patient confidentiality means health data is not as readily available as some might like, but for those looking for health statistics, this is a good starting point.