PSI Online
The Socioeconomic Effects of Public
Sector Information on Digital
Networks:
Toward a Better Understanding of
Different Access and Reuse Policies
Summary of Session Three: Measuring
the Economic and Social Costs and
Benefits of PSI: Evaluation of the
Existing Approaches and Suggestions for
Future Work
5 February 2008, OECD Headquarters Conference Centre, Paris
Chairs: A) Eivind Lorentzen, B) Jean-Jacques Sahel
Rapporteurs: A) Juan Carlos de Martin, B) Tilman Merz
Overview
I. Questions for Discussion
II. Break Out Session A–
Government and PSI
Supply-Side Experts
III. Break Out Session B –
Industry Representatives
and Users
IV. Summary
I. Questions for Discussion
1. What are the commonalities and differences among the various analytical
methods identified and presented in Session two and in this Session?
2. What are the most effective metrics/indicators that can assess particular
kinds of information/policies? What approaches and metrics/indicators
effectively measure the network effects of the use of PSI online?
3. What are the main strengths and weaknesses of these approaches, e.g., their
accuracy, comprehensiveness, relevance, validity and reliability?
4. What still needs to be known about the application of these methods to the
evaluation of public information policies in the online environment?
5. What are theoretical frameworks, models and best practices used in
assessing other information products or services that can be applied to the
assessment of different policies of access to and reuse of digital PSI?
6. What are some future directions for the better study and measurement of
access to and reuse of PSI online?
7. What other questions or issues should be raised in this context?
II. Break Out Session A
– Government
Representatives and
PSI Supply-Side Experts
Session A
Session A – Overview
Revised Questions for Discussion
1. What are the main strengths and weaknesses of these
approaches, e.g., their accuracy, comprehensiveness,
relevance, validity and reliability?
2. What are theoretical frameworks, models and best
practices used in assessing other information products
or services that can be applied to the assessment of
different policies of access to and reuse of digital PSI?
3. What are possible future directions for the better study
and measurement of access to and reuse of PSI online?
Session A
Question 1 – Existing Approaches
1. What are the main strengths and weaknesses of these
approaches, e.g., their accuracy, comprehensiveness,
relevance, validity and reliability?
• At this stage, no methodology seems clearly superior or
general enough to be singled out.
• Need to proceed with more research using multiple
methodologies.
Session A
Question 2 – Relevant Frameworks
2. What are theoretical frameworks, models and best
practices used in assessing other information products or
services that can be applied to the assessment of different
policies of access to and reuse of digital PSI?
• Existing frameworks could facilitate/cross-fertilise PSI
analysis:
o
o
o
Open Access / Scientific Publishing
Open Source / Free Software
Assessing experience in specific sectors
(meteorological services, geo-information, etc.)
• Existing research on the role of the public sector
Session A
Question 3 – Future Directions
3. What are possible future directions for the better study
and measurement of access to and reuse of PSI online?
a) OECD PSI Manual
b)PSI “Repository”
c) Academic Research
Session A
a) OECD PSI Manual
Working towards a manual
for PSI data collection and
analysis of PSI policies
•
•
•
Progress in measurement of PSI
policies needed
Project would ideally involve
statisticians, national accountants as
well as PSI experts
A similar model was successfully used
by OECD DSTI in co-operation with
Eurostat in 1999 to produce a manual
on data collection and analysis in the
environmental goods and services
industry
Session A
a) OECD PSI Manual
An OECD PSI Manual would…
• take into account the OECD PSI Policy Principles;
• address different audiences, such as
• Practitioners
• Re-users
• PSI Holders
• National accountants;
• clarify the extent and kinds of PSI;
• make measurement practices more comparable;
• promote involvement of additional stakeholders
(regional, global, statistical entities, etc.).
Session A
a) OECD PSI Manual
Stakeholders from the following groups need to be
identified and involved
• PSI Holders
•
PSI Users and Re-users
•
NGOs
•
Libraries
•
Publishers
•
Sectoral bodies/communities (meteorological, geoinformation, etc.)
Session A
b) PSI Repository
Requires Clarification of Several Dimensions
• Content
•
Format (portal, database, forum, etc.)
•
Ideally not a passive repository but a platform for
proactive knowledge creation (e.g. Wiki, forum, etc.)
•
Link to existing EPSIplus Project (EU-specific, future
funding issues)
•
Language
•
How can a general PSI portal serve specific
communities?
Session A
c) Future Academic Research
Considerations
1. Specific topics (see following slide)
2. Research funders: EC, foundations, etc.
3. Workshop/conferences
4. Online journal
5. Awards for theses and dissertations
6. The PSI manual
Session A
c) Future Academic Research
Specific Topics
•
Special attention should be paid to research on
individual users and on social effects of PSI use/re-use
•
Network effects and network externalities (both
positive and negative) need new assessment methods
•
Role of automated knowledge extraction and re-use
•
Pilot projects to test different approaches
•
Promoting involvement of young researchers
Session A
III. Break Out Session B –
Industry Representatives
and Users
Session B
Session B – Overview
1. General Points on Future Directions and
Measurement of PSI Policy Impacts
2. OECD PSI Principles
3. PSI Definitions
4. Repository for Mutual Support in Measuring PSI
5. Data Collection
6. Mapping the Value Chain
7. Potential further Studies
Session B
1. General Points on Future Directions and
Measurement of PSI Policy Impacts
• Session aims to generate ideas on next steps for research,
measurement and analysis; also for follow-up to the OECD
policy principles
• Need to produce facts and analysis for policy makers,
businesses and users
• Need policy evaluation over time or across countries, using
the same methodologies
• Possibly focus on top-5 PSI sectors across a number of
countries – although these may differ by country
• Impact of PSI policy can depend on different political and
institutional contexts – including at the sub-national level
• Broad support for looking at comparative experiences, e.g.
telecoms liberalisation, environmental goods
Session B
2. OECD PSI Principles
• Broad interest in OECD PSI principles
• Theme is recommendation to “disseminate widely at
lowest cost possible”
• Importance of preparing framework and gathering
information for any future review (once approved)
• Pay attention to the immediate obstacles which the
application of the principles might pose for public
finances
Session B
3. PSI Definitions
• Importance of understandable and comparable
definitions, e.g. product definitions, to go forward
with the manual (on data collection and analysis)
• Important to make research more easily comparable
and more focussed
• Potentially an approach that classifies types of PSI by
function (end-use) is useful, rather than or in
addition to, a product or activity approach
Session B
4. Repository
Elements could include
• Coordination of the different levels of surveys
• Exchange of approaches to, and tools for, data collection
(questionnaires; model questionnaires; how to contact users)
• Exchange of survey results
• Database of best practices for PSI policy (e.g. on low-cost
diffusion of PSI)
• Efforts towards a classification of types of PSI (e.g. by product
or by function)
• Function as reference for survey design, classifications, and
other activities
Needs structuring and long-term management; not discussed
how it would be made operational
Session B
5. Data Collection (1/2)
• Accounting practices, different product/activity/functions
classifications make analysis of PSI market development difficult
• Some bodies can more easily collect data (e.g. national
competition bodies compared with academics)
• Care must be taken in designing and conducting surveys
Surveys
• OECD successfully develops model questionnaires (e.g. use of ICT
in businesses, use of ICT in households)
• Ensure consistency and adherence to best practices in surveys
• Survey design depends on understanding how people use PSI
• What information to gather? E.g. obstacles to re-use and use
• Grouping survey respondents: E.g. in analysing survey data, OFT’s
contractor grouped PSIHs by pricing regime
Session B
5. Data Collection (2/2)
Sampling methods – Survey points of contact with users and re-users
• Must take into account potential (currently unsatisfied) demand for
PSI use and re-use
• Potentially make public announcement about PSI research in fora
used by current and potential data requesters
• Publicly funded libraries serve as distributors of much government
information in North America and Scandinavia – good opportunity
to learn about users, particularly citizen users
• Data from applications based on Freedom of Information
legislation may provide information on PSI use and (potentially
unsatisfied) demand
Session B
6. Mapping the Value Chain
• Value created via re-use depends very much on the product
• Map PSI supply and demand, building on previous work
• Analyse value chains for re-use: Where are costs incurred, where is
most value created
• Model value chains in terms of activities/business processes
• Attach costs to value chain components
• Can reveal at which step of the value chain obstacles to value
creation lie
• How to value social and economic impacts: Obstacles to re-use and
use can be ranked by the number of people affected or by the
magnitude of the economic cost
Session B
7. Further Studies
a) Transition costs of changing policy regimes (e.g. from/to UK
trading fund model)
b) Substitution of PSI by non-government information: Pay
attention to where and why this is happening and quality of
created data
c) Examine PSI licensing costs across sectors/access
regimes/countries
d) Network externalities of PSI-based user-created content
e) Draw parallels to other areas and comparative situations: e.g.
impacts of telecommunications liberalisation
f) Include PSI policy in measuring government performance
Session B
IV. Summary
– Sessions A & B
Session A
Session B
IV. Summary – Sessions A & B
•
•
•
•
Importance of OECD PSI Principles and follow-up
Manual to improve measurement: strong case
Repository: strong case but some issues to be clarified
Academic research: strong case, new topics and
approaches proposed: Clarify PSI definitions, further
data collection, mapping the value chain
Session A
Session B