Towards an Open Data Development Model for Linking Heterogeneous Data Sources

Open data is providing opportunities as well as challenges for research and development in the field of knowledge and systems engineering. The prospects for both researchers and application developers accessing and integrating publicly available data from various sources are unprecedented. However, many open data platforms are built in such a way that it is difficult or, sometimes, impossible to extract value from the data, integrate data from various sources, transform or improve the quality of the data through continuous use and reuse, track provenance, and share research findings. In this paper we present open data development model (ODDM) that addresses some these difficulties. The model shows how various stakeholders can check-out data from an open data repository, use and reuse the data, add new functionalities, appraise, transform, and publish or check-in the improved data for other researchers to benefit. We discuss how we intend to apply the model in practice to build a new generation of open data repository for interdisciplinary research, and highlight key issues for debate and discussion.