Project at a Glance: Data.gov
Project: Data.gov
Challenge: The incoming Obama administration had placed an emphasis on government transparency, including the availability of government data wherever feasible. Such data would not only provide citizens more visibility into government affairs but also could spawn new businesses around the repackaging of the data.
Solution: Data.gov is a registry of government data, both in its raw machine-readable formats and as part of online Web applications that can format search results for users. It establishes the baseline for agency data formats as well as a one-stop location for developers to find out what government datasets are available.
Impact: The site was set up in less than two months by the Federal CIO Council, in time to mark end of the third month of the new administration. Thus far, the site has gotten more than 30 million hits and has been widely touted as a successful example of bringing more transparency to government affairs.
About the Author
Joab Jackson is the senior technology editor for Government Computer News.