Classification Schemes for Open Government Data Provision

Recent studies show that open government data (OGD) initiatives are gaining more and more attention among public administrations worldwide. However, although the attention for OGD provision increases, no guidelines exist that depicts the crucial elements for OGD provision via web portals and enables that in a systematic manner. The purpose of this paper is to classify the crucial elements for OGD implementation and provision. The outcomes are three classification schemes developed by using the creativity technique of morphological boxes: one for the strategic and two for the operational dimension. This classification is grounded in the results of a multiple case study analysis and relevant literature. The classification schemes provide a structured overview of the characteristics which have to be considered when implementing and operating an OGD portal. Thus, the schemes can serve as an aid for making decisions as well as for designing the necessary portal elements. Moreover, they prepare ground for further research in this emerging field.