The Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen) has long been working on making data accessible – long before the implementation of the so-called open data law came into force in August 2022. In this article, we share insights on the value of open data, as well as method and process support describing how Arbetsförmedlingen works with open data. It can serve as a checklist for what organisations to consider when sharing data and can contribute to the development of the digital ecosystem.
Arbetsförmedlingen provides open data in order to:
- increase accessibility and usage of the government agency's data on the labour market
- promote innovation and development of digital services
- contribute to societal benefit through increased transparency and collaboration
By making open data sets available, their value can be maximized for concrete and practical application in digital services linked to employment, career transition, education, and more.
National Principles for Making Information Accessible
The Swedish Agency for Digital Government (Digg) has developed national principles for public government agencies. These principles are designed to assist in making information accessible and publishing it for reuse, in the format of open and shared data.
Arbetsförmedlingen’s Processes with Open Data
Based on the aforementioned principles, along with other guiding documents and requirements, Arbetsförmedlingen has developed internal processes for working with open data. A decision template is provided and available as a tool for method and process support, serving as a checklist of activities to be carried out prior to data sharing. This template also includes examples of metadata that must be documented in accordance with the metadata specification DCAT-AP-SE. More information in Swedish is available here.
Method and Process Support to Assist the Digital Ecosystem
The Jobtech Unit, which manages the platform JobTech Development, is happy to assist organisations interested in getting started with data sharing and making open data available. For example, we can provide methods and technology for open data sharing, along with insights and lessons learned to assist as many as possible along the way. Should you require assistance, please reach out to the Jobtech Unit.
The Value of Open Data
- Transparency and Openness: increasing the quality, efficiency, and transparency of public services; enhancing transparency regarding the organisation's operations and decision-making processes.
- Innovation and Economic Growth: opportunity for collaboration between the public and private sectors; driving force for economic growth through the development of innovative services and products, the creation of new business models in collaboration with others. Significant economic value of data as an open resource.
- Efficiency and More Innovative Public Administration: decision-makers can gain a better understanding of various societal issues and trends, enabling them to make evidence-based decisions that benefit the welfare of society as a whole.
- Democratic Participation: increasing opportunities for citizen involvement in democratic processes empowers the public to gain deeper insights and actively engage in conversations concerning public matters and decisions, resulting in inclusion and more informed decision-making; thereby enhancing citizens' participation in traditional decision-making.
- Increased Credibility and Reliability: advocating transparency for more informed decision-making and better utilization of existing resources; it also allows the public to examine and validate data, thus enhancing credibility.
Additionally, open data can play a role in:
- fostering a data-driven knowledge society
- encouraging and advancing the field of data journalism
- facilitating research with newfound opportunities
- providing resources for the development of AI