Promoting Open Data services to decision-makers: Providing interactive data through Web Maps and Web Applications for Oradea city and Bihor county

Abstract

Maps are known since antiquity, the oldest examples are from the 6th to 5th centuries BC. From the Babylonian world map, known as the Imago Mundi, maps evolved continuously. In the present day, maps allow us to visualize data in new and informative ways and to present it in an interactive manner. In recent years, web mapping technology has become a necessity for urban planning, and not only, by helping the population to take better and informed decisions. When communicating with decision-makers or only to take the best decision we need first to assess the answers to all the following questions “What and Why and When and How and Where and Who” and what better way to do this than by using Open Data? The governmental and administrative institutions have data in the form of historical maps, topographic maps, digital terrain models, statistical analysis, and other types of data. Our goal was to make these data available for the public in an easy and interactive way, by creating web maps, applications, and a website that gathers all these data.