Getting started with open data

If you’re new to open data, this page can help you get started. After reviewing this page, you can learn more about the process for publishing open data in the Data Publication Steps section of this handbook, and you can find detailed guidance on other open data topics in the Open Data Resources section.

Get familiar with the Open Data Portal and the Geodata Portal

The very first step to getting started with open data is to get familiar with the CT Open Data Portal and the CT Geodata Portal.

Browse the websites to get familiar with how they’re set up. Check out the homepage, the data catalog, or a dataset or map to get a sense of the types of content published on these portals. Try searching for data published by your agency to see what open data your agency is already making available.

Determine how you want to use the Open Data Portal or the Geodata Portal

Will you be helping to maintain data that is already published? Do you want to publish new data? Do you need to review the metadata of data that has already been published? Do you want to develop a data story?

Think through how you might use the Open Data Portal or the Geodata Portal to make data from your agency more accessible. If you’re not sure how you can use these platforms, reach out to the Open Data Coordinator or the GIS Coordinator to learn more and discuss the possibilities.

Request an account

If you don’t already have an account on the Open Data Portal or the Geodata Portal, contact a site administrator by emailing dapa@ct.gov to request an account and to discuss how you would like to use the platform.

Review the sections of this handbook that are relevant to your open data goals

If you’re planning to publish new data, make sure to review the Data Publication Steps and Detailed Data Publication Steps sections. If you’ll be working on a data story, check out the Data Story section. To learn how to automate data updates to the Open Data Portal, review the Automation section. Check out all the sections of the handbook using the navigation panel on the left of the screen.

Ask questions!

The CT Open Data Portal and the CT Geodata Portal are managed by the Data and Policy Analytics team in the Office of Policy and Management. For questions about these platforms, pelase contact the team by emailing dapa@ct.gov.

You can also join the Open Data channel in Microsoft Teams. Connecticut state employees can request to join the Open Data channel using this form.