Open Data At The World BankAn Overview

Development Data Group

Open Development

Open Knowledge

Enable researchers, students, local communities to collect data, measure results, increase knowledge

Open Data

Share tools and essential information on the global economy and Bank’s operations

Open Solutions

Work together to find solutions to development problems

• data freely availableOpen

• data easy to use and re-useAccessible

• data easy to findSearchable

Open Data

Motivation

• Part of a broader move, including new Access to Information Policy

• Aim is to stimulate use of development data to help solve development problems

• Builds on global Open Data initiatives

Everything changed on April 20…

Before… After…

Subscriptions Free!

Custom query tool New website, downloads, API

Restrictions on use Minimal restrictions on use

English +Spanish, French, Arabic, Chinese

Not searchable Searchable

Scattered datasets Data catalog

Legally Open

You are free to use our data for commercial and

non-commercial purposes at no cost…

Terms of use

• Users are encouraged to use the data.– extract, download, and make copies– Share with third parties.

• Attribution • No Endorsement• No Association• No Warranties

Technically Open

Technically Open

Open Data videos

English, Spanish, Multilingual

HOW TO FIND DATA

data.worldbank.org

In five languages

English, Spanish, French, Arabic, Chinese

WDI is primary source for data.worldbank.org

Data By Country & Region

Data By Country

Data By Topic

Data By Topic

Data by Indicators

See the data

Embed chart, map, or graph

Chart an indicatorEmbed!

Map an indicatorEmbed!

Map an indicatorEmbed!

Easy to share

Data catalog

• One-stop listing of sources• Download entire dataset,

access query tool• Global, regional, specialized

datasets• 40+ data compilations

– 20 datasets included in dataBank, 7000 indicators

– 11 datasets accessible through an API, 3000+ indicators

– 1200 indicators in multiple languages

Bulk downloads in Excel, CSV, XML

Reports available In five languages

External applications use World Bank data

External applications use World Bank data

In 37 languages…!

Google Public Data Explorer

databank.worldbank.org: custom queries

Thousands of indicators in dataBank

Using the data retrieval system allows users to create customized tables

Custom charts

databank.worldbank.org: custom queries chart

Customized maps

databank.worldbank.org: custom queries metadata

DataFinder: iphone/ipad app

The Microdata Library is a service established to facilitate access to microdata that provides information about people living in developing countries. It includes:

– Acquisition of microdata – Detailed documentation of how the data have been collected and compiled – cataloguing of the information – Preservation of the data – Dissemination

• The Central Microdata Catalog operates as a portal for microdata documented in compliance with international standards and practices.

microdata.worldbank.org

World Bank Opens Microdata Library – A New Way toAccess Survey Datasets

microdata.worldbank.org

What we’ve learnt: engage with users

Link to social media

Widgets for blog posts and sites

Respond to feedback

Get users to the data quickly

Track (and share) metrics

Create communities around the data

Use Open Tools for Open Data

Use the tools you give to others

Open Data for meaningful data mash-ups

maps.worldbank.org

• Project locations geo-referenced on a pilot basis from publicly available documents

• Basis for displaying projects on maps• New “Mapping for Results”

application allows overlay with other indicators, such as those for measuring the MDGs

What they are saying…

What they are saying…

Creating incentives for data use

• First global competition to create innovative software applications for development

• Must use some World Bank data, and address one of the MDGs

• Aim is to bring together software developers and development practitioners

• Cash prizes available

Supporting others to do Open Data

Supporting others to do Open Data

data.worldbank.orgdata@worldbank.org

@worldbankdata

Open Data at the World Bank

Open about what we doOpen about what we knowOpen to new engagement

Supporting others to be open

Data support

• Metadata– Definitions– Sources

• Helpdesk – data@worldbank.org• Feedback directly from the site