Measurement of Open Government: Metrics and Process

Abstract

When the Obama Administration released its Open Government Directive (OGD), agencies received specific guidelines regarding the development of Open Government Plans. The OGDdid not offer agencies guidance on how to assess the attainment of open and transparent government through the implementation of their plans. This paper describes the practical realities of measuring U.S. federal agency transparency and open government initiatives. The paper describes the development of a measurement framework, assessment tool, and methodology that is being used by the OpenTheGovernment.org organization and partners in 2010-11. The paper presents preliminary findings using a measurement tool the study team developed and discusses the lessons learned to date using this instrument. The paper also addresses the importance of open engagement with stakeholders, our experiences with online public comment tools, and issues associated with collaborative measurement development. The paper offers recommendations to those engaging in the measurement and assessment of open and transparent government.