Collaborative method

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

We have observed three types of forum that user communities commonly use to facilitate collaboration:

1. Bespoke platforms

For some communities of users, specific platforms with bespoke features are needed in order to deliver against their purpose. This is particularly prevalent in communities where practical collaboration around data, or building communal data infrastructure, is the focus.

Often these platforms are built for, or by, an organisation which also runs the community group, enabling them to continue to adapt the platform to meet the needs of the users. For example, the aforementioned data.world open data community has its own bespoke platform to enable users to access data and collaborate more effectively.

2. Generic platforms

Where the purpose of the community is less niche or specific, generic platforms are often used to facilitate community activities. This is most common for communities wanting to share knowledge, as the activities involved can usually be enabled by a social media platform with forum capabilities. The Open Data Innovation Network is one such example of a knowledge sharing community, which uses Facebook as the primary means of connecting with group members.

Although there are fewer examples of practical collaboration and infrastructure communities using generic platforms, it is common for these types of communities to use multi-purpose platforms such as GitHub, to enable their activities. For example, Awesome Cancer Variant Databases is a community-maintained repository, hosted on GitHub, of cancer clinical knowledge bases and databases focused on cancer and normal variants.

3. Meet ups

While many communities use platforms that prefer written communication methods, some communities require more discussive, face-to-face methods of collaboration. These types of engagements can happen by virtual conferencing tools, such as Microsoft Teams, or as in-person meet ups, usually as part of an event. For example, Open Data Camp is a UK-based in-person community event for open data enthusiasts and practitioners, which follows an ‘unconference’ style, allowing participants to bring their own topics of interest for discussion over the course of the event.

Meet-ups allow communities to collaborate in real time and enable a more natural approach to problem solving or sharing knowledge.