OPEN DATA:
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Dr. Muhammad Khurram Khan, D.Eng.
Center of Excellence in Information Assurance
King Saud University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Email: mkhurram@ksu.edu.sa
Web: http://faculty.ksu.edu.sa/khurram
First Open Data Forum, Abu Dhabi - UAE, 28-29 April 2014
MAIN TOPICS TO COVER
 Open Data
 Why Open Data?
 Power of Open Data
 Open Data Ecosystem in GCC
 Promoting Open Data Ecosystem in GCC
 Open Data Innovation and Entrepreneurship in GCC
DIKW MODEL
Data is at the root of all science and engineering developments. Data
alone is interesting but when it is analyzed, it becomes a powerful tool
A knowledge-based society is a key driver for socio-economic growth,
but the knowledge will have to be more accessible, more relevant and
localized
WHAT IS OPEN DATA?
“Open Data are all stored data which could be made accessible
in a public interest without any restrictions for usage and
distribution”
OPEN GOVERNMENT CONTEXT
Participation
Open Government
Data Principle
Transparency
*Open
Government Directive, USA, December 2009
Collaboration
WHY OPEN DATA?
Because…
 It belongs to everybody
 Usually, it’s been paid with public money
 It generates economic value
 It creates better citizens
 It promotes transparency (governments,
science, corporations, …)
WHY OPEN DATA?
OPEN DATA APPLICATIONS
To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk
Thomas A. Edison, US inventor (1847 - 1931)
POWER OF OPEN DATA
In the 1980s, the United States launched
satellites into space so the military could have
precise location data for training, monitoring, and
missions. Nearly two decades later, ordinary
citizens were given access to that data stream.
The $26.67 billion GPS market is possible only
because of that open location-data stream
During the Haiti earthquake, people on the
ground were uploading data via GPS which in
effect, created a detailed representation and
timeline of the city on Open Source Map that
was then used to aid relief efforts
The Climate Corporation combines Big Data,
climatology and agronomy to protect the $3
trillion global agriculture industry from
increasingly extreme weather with fully
automated weather insurance products
POWER OF OPEN DATA
TRUST & INTEGRITY OF OPEN DATA
OPEN DATA ECOSYSTEM
OPEN DATA ECOSYSTEM IN GCC
UAE
KSA
BAHRAIN
KUWAIT
OMAN
QATAR
AUTHORITY
Emirates eGovernment
eGoverment
Program Yasser
eGovernment
Authority
eGovernment
IT Authority
e-Government
PORTAL
government.ae
saudi.gov.sa
data.gov.bh
e.gov.kw
oman.om/opendata
www.qix.gov.qa
DATA FORMAT
XML, ExceL,
Word, PDF
Excel
Excel, PDF
PDF
XML, ExceL, Word,
PDF
XML, ExceL, Word, PDF
PARTICIPATION
FEATURES
Allowed but no
clear policy
NIL
Allowed but
no clear
policy
NIL
NIL
Allowed but no clear
policy
COLLABORATION
FEATURES
Allowed but no
clear policy
NIL
Allowed but
no clear
policy
NIL
NIL
Allowed but no clear
policy
PROMOTING OPEN DATA ECOSYSTEM IN GCC
Open Data Strategy and Framework
PROMOTING OPEN DATA ECOSYSTEM IN GCC
Public Participation and Collaboration
PROMOTING OPEN DATA ECOSYSTEM IN GCC
Cooperate, Share and Learn with Partners (Best Practices)
PROMOTING OPEN DATA ECOSYSTEM IN GCC
Open Data Innovation Challenge and Contest
“Innovate to transform open data in to value”
PROMOTING OPEN DATA ECOSYSTEM IN GCC
GCC Open Data Partnership Initiative
SMARTPHONE PENETRATION:
POTENTIAL SOURCE FOR OPEN DATA INNOVATION
Source: Statista
INNOVATION & ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN GCC:
QUADRUPLE HELIX MODEL
“Open Data is going to help launch more startups. It’s
going to help launch more businesses … It’s going to
help more entrepreneurs come up with products and
services that we haven’t even imagined yet”.
US President Barack Obama, May 9, 2013