About Open Data
Oregon's Open Data Program
Oregon's Open Data Program is a new program with executive leadership from the Chief Data Officer, and supports agencies in inventorying, prioritizing, and publishing data assets as open data. Oregon's Open Data Program is codified within ORS 276A.350-374. This statute requires that state agencies identify data used within agency information systems, contribute this information to an enterprise data inventory maintained by the Chief Data Officer, and that agencies publish data defined as “publishable” under the Statute to a centralized open data portal.
Open data, defined as “data that can be freely used, modified and shared by anyone for any purpose,” has increased in popularity and use throughout the last decade. Open Data is available at no direct cost and is made publicly accessible to a variety of users including other state agencies and employees, Oregonians, non-profit organizations, and any individual with an interest in accessing, downloading, and using data. Open data provides transparency and accountability for state agencies, and creates an opportunity for communication and relationship building with our constituents and engaged public. The State of Oregon publishes open data through two specific portals, data.oregon.gov, the State’s Open Data Portal, and ArcGIS Online, the State’s data portal for geospatial data assets such as map layers.
Oregon's Open Data Program at-a-glance
Oregon's Open Data Standard
Oregon's Open Data Standard provides the requirements for State Agencies' participation in the State's Open Data Program and outlines expectations for inventorying, prioritizing, and publishing open data.
Open Data Coordinator's Handbook
The Open Data Coordinator's Handbook provides detailed instructions to help appointed data coordinators in completing the deliverables of the Open Data Standard, including an agency data inventory, open data plan, and in architecting processes to publish open data.
Open Data Technical Standards Manual
The Open Data Technical Standards Manual provides quality, formatting, and description guidelines for release of publishable data on the web portal at data.oregon.gov, and requirements for agencies publishing open spatial data in compliance with the State’s Open Data Standard.
Additional Resources
Additional Open Data Resources will continue to be produced and released to assist agencies in creating and managing their open data programs. Below are links to currently available resources.
- Data Coordinator Appointment Memo Template
- Data Inventory Template (excel spreadsheet)
- This dataset is a inventory template for Boards and Commissions that are responsible for the licensing or regulatory oversight of specific professions. This example may also be used to help capture data related to licensing or regulation within other State agencies.
- This dataset is a inventory template for Boards and Commissions that are responsible for the licensing or regulatory oversight of specific professions. This example may also be used to help capture data related to licensing or regulation within other State agencies.
- Data Inventory Deadline Exception Memo Template (word document)
- Open Data Guidance: Privacy for Open Datasets
- External Resource: Future of Privacy Forum's Visual Guide to Data De-identification (not a State of Oregon link)
The Open Data Webinar Series
The Open Data Webinar Series was designed to build awareness and interest in Oregon's new Open Data Program. Links to recorded webinars and presentations are available below.
- April 16, 2021: The Open Data Coordinator/Health and Human Services Spotlight Presentation Slides Webinar Recording Link
- May 21, 2021: Conducting a Data Inventory/Public Safety Spotlight Presentation Slides Webinar Recording Link
- June 18, 2021: Preparing and Publishing Open Data Presentation Slides Tyler Technology Presentation Webinar Recording Link
Oregon
Independent Study
State employees wishing to learn more about the Open Data Portal and open data in general, now have access to the Data & Insights Education - training portal.
Examples of courses available on demand are listed below. They are available and free, for all state agency employees. Courses are updated overtime and new courses added, to reflect current topics in open data.
Introductory Courses
- Introduction to the World of
Data on Socrata
- The Story of Open Data
- Discover the Open Data Network
(ODN)
User\Client Resources
- Socrata Client Center
Open
Data 101 - Data Publication
- Clean and Tidy Data
- Create and Manage Your Dataset
Extra Credit - Transforming Data
- Transform Data with Socrata
Query Language
- Data Transform Listing
Open Data 201 - Data Use
- Explore Data with Chart -
OnDemand
- Map Your Data - OnDemand
- Data Analysis Tools and
Connections - Live
Open Data 301 - Data Automation and Beyond
- Automate Data Updates with a
Python Template - OnDemand
- Create and Update Your Dataset
with a Socrata Publishing API - OnDemand
- Assess the Health of Your Data
Assets - OnDemand
- Create and Update Your Dataset
with FME - OnDemand
Developer Resources
Questions?
Agencies with questions or feedback on the materials above are invited to email the Oregon Open Data Program at Open.DATA@das.oregon.gov