We all know that data is an important tool for organizational planning and decision making. With organizations devoting countless resources to the collection, storage, and dissemination of data, it has become something to be hoarded, guarded and amassed. Individual businesses are becoming silos of valuable knowledge. However, within these silos the use of data is limited by the scope of the business itself. In contrast, the use of data becomes almost unlimited when removed from the context of one specific business. So why aren’t more organizations, specifically those in the public sector, sharing data? There is the obvious concern over sharing private client information, but this concern can be eliminated by the fact that client data is just as useful when aggregated by postal code, eliminating identifying information. Secondary concerns as displayed in the table below are often outweighed by the potential benefits that can be reaped through data sharing.
Motivators and Barriers for Interorganizational GIS Data Sharing Initiatives[i]
|
Motivators |
| Sharing the cost of implementation among participating organizations; improved decision making through exchange of information |
| Cost-effective |
| Improved data quality |
| High returns on investment |
| Reduced time spent in data collection and decision making; increased data availability; More diverse or dynamic maps |
| Improved user satisfaction |
|
Barriers |
| Institutional disincentives; historical and ideological barriers; power disparities; differing risk perceptions; technical complexity; political and institutional culture |
| Conflicting priorities among participating organizations; differences in GIS facilities, awareness and data handling skills; Concessions over access to information, leadership, data standards, equipment, and training |
| Staff turnover; lack of resources; incompatible old systems; lack of support from management |
| Coordination of system requirements |
| Lack of common data definitions, formats, and models |
| Differences in data quality; inadequate planning and consultation about data use; insufficient staff and technical resources |
| Networking costs; data confidentiality, liability and pricing |
To help us understand the possibilities of inter-organizational data sharing, Paul Beach from Sault Ste. Marie’s Community Geomatics Centre made the trip up to Thunder Bay to discuss “The Power of Data Sharing”. Through his work Paul has combined the capabilities of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and inter-organizational data sharing to combat outbreaks of the West Nile Virus, eliminate lead pipes from city homes, and even reduce the frequency of bear encounters. Data sharing and GIS utilization have also allowed the Sault to attract over $400 million of investment to the city. RFPs are completed in hours rather than weeks granting Sault Ste. Marie substantial advantage when competing for business. As Paul explained in his presentation these data sharing projects would not have been possible without buy-in from the community, and their success can be attributed to the cooperation of over 60 community partners.
Many participants, myself included, left Paul Beach’s presentation feeling inspired about the possibility of Data Sharing and GIS. It seemed almost impractical that we weren’t already following Sault Ste. Marie’s lead. Several small projects have been attempted in the past in Thunder Bay, but due to a variety of issues (as is expected with any new initiative), these projects have yet to see much success. Although our stumbles early on can be attributed to the learning curve, as time progresses and barriers to data sharing are lessened, we as a community have no excuse not to take advantage of this growing trend. It will not come easily, as was made evident through Paul’s presentation. It will take dedication and persistence from a variety of organizations and individuals.
As with any project, progress is hard to come by without someone to champion it. The success of Sault Ste. Marie’s data sharing initiative can be greatly attributed to that fact that Paul and his team were dedicated to making it work. So who will champion this initiative in Thunder Bay? That has yet to be fully determined. What has been proven however is data sharing’s seemingly unlimited potential; potential that will be squandered unless we are committed to making it work.
As I write this blog, several community groups including the Innovation Centre and United Way are working towards starting a Data Index Catalog of data sources in our community. I can only hope that this will be a step in the right direction towards proving and harnessing “The Power of Data Sharing”.