Publishing Government Data to the General Public 

So how do you do it?

Here are some practical insights:

Understanding the timely needs - Always be up to date. You should know what the current needs / hot topics / pain points. How? Take part in relevant discussion groups, explore the social media, talk to people. Timely publication of data is crucial for the success.

Find the right platform and formats – Before choosing a platform, it is helpful to define your needs and prioritize them. You should also think about the format in which you publish the data; For whom is it targeted? Is it for DSs who know how to handle tables or is it for the general population? 

If you need a platform that can hold big tables and have API access - Data.gov can be a great option. 

Documentation, Documentation, Documentation - When dealing with databases, you have to understand the meaning of each variable, where was it extracted from, under what circumstances, how was the data collected, what are the timeframes and what are the potential biases. For each table that you publish, add a detailed Readme file. It saved a lot of time both for the publisher and the users.

Build automation processes - When publishing updated tables over and over, automation processes are obligatory. Designed end to end automated process, including QA tests and anonymization rules, with readable logs as output.

Be aware of data governance and anonymization rules – the data you publish might contain sensitive information that needs to be protected for privacy reasons. You need to know the regulation and whom to advice. Don't be lightheaded with privacy and legal issues.

Always practice honest communication with the consumers - Provide an email address for communications. The public will use it for feedbacks on problems occurred in the data, for clarifications or for technical reason. Every email should receive full attention and be responded within a reasonable time.

Ultimately, transparency and data sharing empowers individuals to hold accountable, propels evidence-based policy discussions, and fuels a more inclusive and democratic society. 

The act of publishing governmental data to the general public is not just a technicality; it's not just about numbers and figures; it's about accountability and trust. 

To do it right, you need to be experienced with data, know how to handle it and how to build processes in a methodological manner.