Steps Towards an Actionable Future
The Open Data Charter Team process and reflect with ‘La Sobremesa’ and what’s next for our work in open data
By The Open Data Charter Team
2022: A new Open Data Charter team
When we started thinking about the work that creating a work plan with a whole new team would entail, we decided the best way forward was to get professional help for its development. In 2021 the ODC team underwent many changes and many more were to come in 2022.
“The opportunity for the whole team to participate in the discussions and decisions was critical, including myself, the ED — not merely there to lead the process, but being a participant in the discussion,” shared Natalia Carfi. “That’s when we started thinking about possible contractors or consultants that could help us in this process.”
La Sobremesa came to mind immediately. We have known Anca and her work for a long time, and the type of work that La Sobremesa does fit what we were looking for. We needed someone who understood the civil society sector and the open data community, the challenges of a growing team and someone who could give us advice from their own experience with other processes. All of that, La Sobremesa embodied.
Fresh perspectives
“When we started the working sessions with La Sobremesa, I was faced with two challenges: firstly, to adapt to an organisation that was new to me and, as a whole team, and secondly, to contribute to the transformation that the organisation was going through. The workshop sessions helped us get to know more about the organisation, its history and our goals in a structured manner, but also as a team, to align on the kind of organisation we wanted to be,” said Mercedes de los Santos, ODC’s Project Manager.
As a fully remote team, the workshop helped our team become more aware of the path we wanted to walk and our individual contributions to meet our objectives. The discussions brought clarity to our messaging and communication strategy. They also helped to clarify our purpose for projects, as we continue to work closely with governments to open up their data.
The importance of an actionable and sustainable plan
We know that non-profit organisations serve crucial roles in society. They provide services and advocate for reforms that governments and the private sector do not. Financial sustainability remains a challenge for non-profit organisations across the globe and this is no different for open data, where we are seeing a scarcity in funding availability even though its benefits remain relevant to countless stakeholders across sectors. Strong value propositions and diversification in portfolio are one approach to ensuring that.
In the face of these challenges, ODC is exploring new approaches to sustainability within the goals found in our vision, mission, and strategy. Our first step is to seek your input. We are turning 7 this year and we know how important the international open data charter principles have been in supporting the work of open data advocates over the past decade. We know there is still a long way to go towards that vision of access, transparency, accountability, and interoperability. What would you like to see from the ODC as we continue to push for open data around the world? It would be a gift to hear from you all throughout our birthday month.
Send us an email or tweet @opendatacharter and hashtag #ODCturns7 in your answers, or let us know at the Implementation Working Group meeting.
