Helsinki Region Infoshare service aims to develop four essential areas: data production, accessing data, data sharing and data utilisation.

Producing data

The service aim is to advance the opening up of existing municipal data for wider availability. Comparability, accessibility and usability of the data material requires cooperation between municipalities, or data producers. This cooperation takes the form of harmonising data as well as further development of material, among other things. It is crucial to develop data production so that it supports even better an open, web-based data distribution model. At the same time, end users of the data are taken into consideration.

Opening data

The service includes opening up a feature designed to assist and coordinate data accessibility. Called the Clearinghouse, this feature acts as a bridge between producers and users of data. Among other things, it prioritises data being made available, assist data producers in making their data accessible, look after quality control, and collect and distribute user feedback to the producers.

Sharing data

The service includes a web service that ensures the availability, accessibility and usability of the open data sources. This service could be described as a data source search engine which leads the end user to the correct data. The service is also utilised in collecting direct user feedback on the data sources and their applicability.

Utilising data

Open data is meant for anyone interested in it: municipal administration, businesses, universities, academies, research facilities and citizens. The information can be applied in many ways. It can be used as such to aid decision-making, planning or research. Information can be added to existing or new applications. Or it can be combined and presented in an entirely brand-new way, too.

How the data may be used should not be predefined in any way, though – in the end, only imagination can set boundaries on how the information can be utilised. The main issue is to offer the data for a larger audience to use it as easily as possible in any way they want.