1. Identify data to publish

The first step to publishing your agency’s data as open data is to determine which datasets you will publish. Your agency probably maintains many different datasets, so which ones should you publish on the Open Data Portal?

You should consider all high value data at your agency for publication as open data to the extent permitted by law and subject to privacy, confidentiality, and security restrictions. Connecticut General Statutes Section 4-67p provides a detailed definition of high value data; in short, high value data is data that is critical to the operation of the agency.

💡 What to publish

High value data for executive branch agencies are listed in the CT High Value Data Inventory. Start by reviewing the high value data listed for your agency.

Make sure that all data published as open data:

  • Belongs to your agency;
  • Has no fees for access, adaptation, or use of the data;
  • Is free from legal, contract, or policy restrictions; and
  • Does not violate the privacy of individuals represented in the data.

Prioritize publishing data that is:

  • Subject to reactive disclosure through right-to-know, freedom of information, and/or public records laws;
  • Shared with other agencies for operational purposes;
  • Used for reports on federal, state, or nonprofit grants;
  • Used by your agency for trend, statistical, or performance analysis;
  • Frequently requested by the public or other government agencies; and/or
  • Considered high impact and high value by your agency, partner agencies, the public, and other stakeholders, especially if that data is not already publicly available in a machine-readable format.

Remember that your agency retains ownership and responsibility for this data regardless of whether it is published on the Open Data Portal.

Equity in open data

When considering what data to publish, consider the equity impact of making the data publicly available. What are the equity implications of publishing this data? Could the publication of the data have a negative impact on the people represented in the data? Could it have a disparate impact on certain groups?

Center equity in open data, by considering the perspectives of individuals and communities represented in the data and the social, economic, and racial context.

For more guidance on centering equity in all stages of the data life cycle, refer to the Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy’s (AISP) Centering Racial Equity Toolkit.