Kassen, Maxat. “A promising phenomenon of open data: A case study of the Chicago open data project.”

From «The GovLab Selected Readings on Open Data«

Kassen, Maxat. “A promising phenomenon of open data: A case study of the Chicago open data project.”Government Information Quarterly (2013). http://bit.ly/1ewIZnk

• This paper uses the Chicago open data project to explore the “empowering potential of an open data phenomenon at the local level as a platform useful for promotion of civic engagement projects and provide a framework for future research and hypothesis testing.”

• Kassen argues that “open data-driven projects offer a new platform for proactive civic engagement” wherein governments can harness “the collective wisdom of the local communities, their knowledge and visions of the local challenges, governments could react and meet citizens’ needs in a more productive and cost-efficient manner.”

• The paper highlights the need for independent IT developers to network in order for this trend to continue, as well as the importance of the private sector in “overall diffusion of the open data concept.”