# User-centric data publishing (Alpha)

## User-centric data publishing (Alpha)

- [User-centric data publishing](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/user-centric-data-publishing.md): A toolkit to help you publish data openly, in ways that work for your users
- [Introduction](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/user-centric-data-publishing/introduction.md): A toolkit to help you publish data openly, in ways that work for your users
- [Who is this toolkit for?](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/user-centric-data-publishing/who-is-this-toolkit-for.md): This toolkit aims to support people to publish data for the first time, with user needs at the heart of their efforts
- [How to use this toolkit](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/user-centric-data-publishing/how-to-use-this-toolkit.md): Tips for navigating through the toolkit content
- [Dictionary of data terms](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/user-centric-data-publishing/dictionary-of-data-terms.md): This section aims to break down some terms that may be unfamiliar to you, if you are new to data publishing
- [Contents](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/contents.md)
- [Section 1. Building the foundation for open data](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-1.-building-the-foundation-for-open-data.md): This section offers insights, tools and guidance to help organisations lay the foundations for publishing open data
- [A basic introduction to open data](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-1.-building-the-foundation-for-open-data/a-basic-introduction-to-open-data.md): What is open data and why do we care about it?
- [Understanding our rights to access data](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-1.-building-the-foundation-for-open-data/understanding-our-rights-to-access-data.md): It is helpful to think of data as existing on a spectrum of rights relating to how we can access it, from closed, to shared, to open
- [Open data maturity](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-1.-building-the-foundation-for-open-data/open-data-maturity.md): A useful starting point for those who want to publish open data can be to undertake an open data maturity assessment, to assess how well prepared you are to publish open data
- [Resources: Open data maturity](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-1.-building-the-foundation-for-open-data/open-data-maturity/resources-open-data-maturity.md): Resources to help you improve your organisational maturity in open data
- [Ethics and transparency](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-1.-building-the-foundation-for-open-data/ethics-and-transparency.md): In considering how mature your organisation’s data practices are around collecting, maintaining and publishing data, you should also consider the impacts of your work with data may affect others
- [Section 2. Planning for impactful open data initiatives](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-2.-planning-for-impactful-open-data-initiatives.md): When planning to improve access to data, organisations must understand the data landscape in which they operate
- [An introduction to the Data Landscape Playbook](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-2.-planning-for-impactful-open-data-initiatives/an-introduction-to-the-data-landscape-playbook.md): How can understanding your data landscape help you to deliver more impactful publishing initiatives?
- [Play one: Explore the problem and how data can address it](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-2.-planning-for-impactful-open-data-initiatives/play-one-explore-the-problem-and-how-data-can-address-it.md): Successful data access initiatives are underpinned by a clearly defined vision that outlines the impact you want to achieve in a specific community, market or region
- [Play two: Map the data ecosystem](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-2.-planning-for-impactful-open-data-initiatives/play-two-map-the-data-ecosystem.md): Data access initiatives commonly require engagement with multiple stakeholders as they address complex challenges through collecting, sharing/publishing or using data
- [Play three: Assess the policy, regulatory and ethical context](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-2.-planning-for-impactful-open-data-initiatives/play-three-assess-the-policy-regulatory-and-ethical-context.md): How does the policy, regulatory and ethical context affect the impact you hope to create in your data publishing work?
- [Play four: Assess the existing data infrastructure](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-2.-planning-for-impactful-open-data-initiatives/play-four-assess-the-existing-data-infrastructure.md): As part of their efforts in collecting, using and sharing data to tackle specific problems, data access initiatives need to build or maintain strong data infrastructure
- [Play five: Plan for impact when designing your data initiative](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-2.-planning-for-impactful-open-data-initiatives/play-five-plan-for-impact-when-designing-your-data-initiative.md): Consider the impact you want to create when planning to publish data openly
- [Section 3. A user-centric approach to publishing](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-3.-a-user-centric-approach-to-publishing.md): This section offers insights, tools and guidance for data publishers to meet the needs of data users more effectively and to encourage productive engagement with data users
- [Understanding the user journey](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-3.-a-user-centric-approach-to-publishing/understanding-the-user-journey.md): This section provides guidance about how to consider user needs in a more systematic way
- [The use case](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-3.-a-user-centric-approach-to-publishing/understanding-the-user-journey/the-use-case.md): Articulating how a data user will interact with a data product or data system is essential for understanding user requirements — and for communicating user needs to others
- [Understanding different user needs](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-3.-a-user-centric-approach-to-publishing/understanding-the-user-journey/understanding-different-user-needs.md): You can't have a user-centric approach without knowing who your users are
- [Targeting intended audiences](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-3.-a-user-centric-approach-to-publishing/understanding-the-user-journey/targeting-intended-audiences.md): There are different approaches you can take to engaging your audience - not just for feedback on what already exists but perhaps also for new ideas and suggestions.
- [Engaging effectively with data users](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-3.-a-user-centric-approach-to-publishing/engaging-effectively-with-data-users.md): A dynamic relationship ensures value is realised for everyone involved, and that there is transparency and openness within a productive open data ecosystem
- [Two-way communication and feedback](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-3.-a-user-centric-approach-to-publishing/engaging-effectively-with-data-users/two-way-communication-and-feedback.md): Two-way feedback in the communication loop should be aimed at improving relationships between data publishers and data users.
- [From data to story](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-3.-a-user-centric-approach-to-publishing/engaging-effectively-with-data-users/from-data-to-story.md): How can you publish data in a format that meets the needs of your users?
- [Building communities around open data use](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-3.-a-user-centric-approach-to-publishing/building-communities-around-open-data-use.md): It can be difficult for new data publishers to know where to look for data users, or to start building their own communities of practice around the data they publish.
- [Characteristics of an open data user community](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-3.-a-user-centric-approach-to-publishing/building-communities-around-open-data-use/characteristics-of-an-open-data-user-community.md): There are common characteristics inherent in any community of data users
- [Purpose](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-3.-a-user-centric-approach-to-publishing/building-communities-around-open-data-use/characteristics-of-an-open-data-user-community/purpose.md): Having a common community purpose is important in helping members of communities to understand what they can do together as part of the community, as well as what other members might expect from them
- [Community enabler(s)](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-3.-a-user-centric-approach-to-publishing/building-communities-around-open-data-use/characteristics-of-an-open-data-user-community/community-enabler-s.md): For open data user communities to run effectively and sustainably, there must be a clear understanding of what enables the community group structure
- [Collaborative method](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-3.-a-user-centric-approach-to-publishing/building-communities-around-open-data-use/characteristics-of-an-open-data-user-community/collaborative-method.md): It is not only important to consider why open data user communities exist and what enables them to operate, but also how community members meet and collaborate with one another
- [Other observations](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-3.-a-user-centric-approach-to-publishing/building-communities-around-open-data-use/characteristics-of-an-open-data-user-community/other-observations.md): While the characteristics of purpose, enabler and collaborative method have appeared as the most consistent in our observations, there are some other important characteristics to observe too
- [The current landscape of open data user communities](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-3.-a-user-centric-approach-to-publishing/building-communities-around-open-data-use/the-current-landscape-of-open-data-user-communities.md): As part of our research work, we have created a register of all the open data user communities we are aware of and mapped out the characteristics of each one
- [Engagement with data communities](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-3.-a-user-centric-approach-to-publishing/building-communities-around-open-data-use/engagement-with-data-communities.md)
- [Resources: User-centric publishing](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-3.-a-user-centric-approach-to-publishing/resources-user-centric-publishing.md): Printable, templated resources from this section
- [Section 4: Publishing guidance for new data publishers](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-4-publishing-guidance-for-new-data-publishers.md): This section helps you to consider how to make your data fit for purpose, and available on the web
- [Open data licensing](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-4-publishing-guidance-for-new-data-publishers/open-data-licensing.md): Our definition of ‘open data’ is data that anyone can access, use and share, but importantly, open data must be published under an appropriate open licence for it to be truly open
- [The FAIR principles of data access](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-4-publishing-guidance-for-new-data-publishers/the-fair-principles-of-data-access.md): An open data licence is not enough to guarantee that open data will be useful. To meet our users' expectations of the data we publish, the data must be fit for purpose
- [FAIR data assessment tools](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-4-publishing-guidance-for-new-data-publishers/the-fair-principles-of-data-access/fair-data-assessment-tools.md): There are a number of freely available tools that you can use to help you consider whether the data you are looking to publish meets the expectations of the FAIR principles
- [Data quality and metadata](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-4-publishing-guidance-for-new-data-publishers/data-quality-and-metadata.md): Even when published under an open licence and adhering to FAIR data principles, data must still be quality in order to be usable
- [Tools and frameworks to help you assess open data quality](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-4-publishing-guidance-for-new-data-publishers/data-quality-and-metadata/tools-and-frameworks-to-help-you-assess-open-data-quality.md): There are two key resources which we'd recommend you utilise when thinking about assessing open data quality
- [Publishing data on the web](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/section-4-publishing-guidance-for-new-data-publishers/publishing-data-on-the-web.md): Publishing data doesn't have to be hard
- [Thank you](https://open-data-institute.gitbook.io/user-centric-data-publishing-alpha/thank-you.md): for using the User-centric data publishing toolkit