Open Data Policy Guidelines » Guideline 14

Require publishing data creation processes

Providing quality data and insight into the operations of the government via government information requires an understanding of how the data was created. A summary of the processes that were used to create a specific data set provides valuable context that might not be discernable via metadata alone and should accompany the data set’s release. Documentation of the workflow helps the public and government alike discern qualities about the dataset otherwise unavailable, such as (but not limited to): the sourcing, reliability, rarity and usability of the data. Additionally, documenting data creation processes can identify redundancy and areas for workflow and data creation improvements.

Examples of language for this guideline:

Here are examples of the language for this guideline as included in policies on this site. Please note that the selections of text below are imperfect, and you should check out their source policies to read them in context.