[open-development] OECD Development Assistance Committee Open Data?

Wed Feb 2 14:17:10 UTC 2011

Hi Tim,

Sorry to come in late to this thread. Please shoot me an email if you
need any further help with this.

Cheers,
Jess

2011/2/2 Tim Davies <tim at practicalparticipation.co.uk>:
> Hello Brian, Karin
> Many thanks. I've managed to get the list of what the codes are from IATI
> Standard (and out of the free-text in IATI files themselves to build
> on-demand code-lists).
> In an ideal world I was hoping there might be somewhere with a nice URL for
> each code, and details of the supporting documentation of how that code is
> to be applied - but I'm guessing we're a fair way off that at the moment...
> That said - if the code lists were available in a standard form (and under
> open license), it might be something Data Incubator
> (http://dataincubator.org/) could be used to host in the short-term, if
> hosting directly on OECD site etc. was tricky - given (I've just discovered
> on checking it...) it's already hosting a copy of the OECD Statistical
> Glossary (which alas doesn't seem to include DAC codes...)
> All the best
> Tim
> On Wed, Feb 2, 2011 at 11:31 AM, Brian Hammond
> <brian.w.hammond at btinternet.com> wrote:
>>
>> Tim,
>>
>>
>>
>> You are right that the DAC codes lists are in a mix of formats. I am not
>> sure what their plans are for open format publishing of such lists and their
>> history.
>>
>>
>>
>> However, for IATI purposes, you would do best to visit
>> http://iatistandard.org/ where we have pulled in links to all the current
>> versions of the DAC (and other) codes that are in the IATI standard. I think
>> this is a probably a better source than AidData, who also have to get their
>> lists second-hand from the DAC (but Jess can correct me if necessary).
>>
>>
>>
>> Working on the history of the lists is less easy, as revisions tend to be
>> made by the relevant DAC working party and published in PDF. The exception
>> is the DAC Aid recipients list, for which there is a complete history on the
>> DAC website (www.oecd.org/dac/stats) which also provides access to their
>> online data.
>>
>>
>>
>> I will be seeing DAC colleagues next week and will ask about any plans for
>> a more accessible update and history of codes. This is something that I have
>> also been discussing with them on behalf of AidData. So please include me on
>> the list for further exchanges on this topic.
>>
>>
>>
>> Regards, Brian
>>
>>
>>
>> From: Karin Christiansen
>> [mailto:karin.christiansen at publishwhatyoufund.org]
>> Sent: 02 February 2011 11:08
>> To: Tim Davies; open-development at lists.okfn.org; Jessica Sloan;
>> brian.w.hammond at btinternet.com
>> Subject: RE: [open-development] OECD Development Assistance Committee Open
>> Data?
>>
>>
>>
>> Hi Tim, OCED are struggling a bit on open data licensing I think (but
>> there might be others on this list more up to date).
>>
>>
>>
>> Am copying in Brian Hammond just in case he isn’t on this list.
>>
>>
>>
>> However in terms of the code lists, Jessica Sloan, from AidData, basically
>> have all lists from their work and will surely be able to help.
>>
>>
>>
>> Karin
>>
>>
>>
>> From: open-development-bounces at lists.okfn.org
>> [mailto:open-development-bounces at lists.okfn.org] On Behalf Of Tim Davies
>> Sent: 02 February 2011 9:10 AM
>> To: open-development at lists.okfn.org
>> Subject: [open-development] OECD Development Assistance Committee Open
>> Data?
>>
>>
>>
>> Hey all
>>
>>
>>
>> I'm working on a demonstrator tool to explore some of the recently
>> released DFID IATI (International Aid Transparency Initiative) data - and
>> the IATI data makes a lot of use of code lists, particularly from OECD's
>> Development Assistance Committee (http://oecd.org/dac/).
>>
>>
>>
>> As far as I can tell (and from asking others who have been working to
>> create the DFID data), the code lists (for Rio Markers; Sector Codes etc.)
>> are not published by OECD in any easily open form - instead being scattered
>> across spreadsheets, word documents and PDFs, with somewhat confusing
>> revision histories (hard to work out if you're working with the most recent
>> version).
>>
>>
>>
>> OECD also have a significant library of aid data.
>>
>>
>>
>> Is anyone aware of initiatives in OECD / DAC on open data? Or at least
>> exposing data in more consistent and structured ways?
>>
>>
>>
>> It strikes me that for open development data initiatives - having a stable
>> maintained place for DAC code lists etc - could be pretty useful...
>>
>>
>>
>> Tim
>
>
> --
>
>
> http://www.timdavies.org.uk
> 07834 856 303.
> @timdavies
>
> Co-director of Practical Participation:
> http://www.practicalparticipation.co.uk
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