Benchmarking open data efforts through indices and rankings: Assessing development and contexts of use

Abstract This paper aims to provide a broad perspective on the development of benchmarking open data efforts through indices and rankings over the years, both at the level of countries and allowing for a cross-country comparison. The methodology follows a systematic search for the relevant resources, their classification and identification of six open data benchmarks to be further analyzed, the identification of their key components through decomposition, their description, and identifying the similarities and differences. Three major groups of indices and four periods that characterize the efforts to benchmark and measure the development of open data are identified, where the first measure…

An Approach to Data Quality Evaluation

This research proposes a new approach to data quality evaluation comprising 3 aspects: (1) data object definition, which quality will be analyzed, (2) quality requirements specification for the data object using Domain Specific Language (DSL), (3) implementation of an executable data quality model that would enable scanning of data object and detect its shortages. Like the Model Driven Architecture (MDA) the data quality modelling is divided into platform independent (PIM) and platform-specific (PSM) models. PIM comprises informal specifications of data quality, PSM describes implementation of data quality model, thus making the data quality model executable. The approbation of the proposed…

Data Quality Model-based Testing of Information Systems

This paper proposes a model-based testing approach by offering to use the data quality model (DQ-model) instead of the program’s control flow graph as a testing model. The DQ-model contains definitions and conditions for data objects to consider the data object as correct. The study proposes to automatically generate a complete test set (CTS) using a DQmodel that allows all data quality conditions to be tested, resulting in a full coverage of DQ-model. In addition, the possibility to check the conformity of the data to be entered and already stored in the database is ensured. The proposed alternative approach changes the testing process: (1) CTS can be generated prior to software developmen…

Data Quality Model-based Testing of Information Systems: the Use-case of E-scooters

The paper proposes a data quality model-based testing methodology aimed at improving testing methodology of information systems (IS) using previously proposed data quality model. The solution supposes creation of a description of the data to be processed by IS and the data quality requirements used for the development of the tests, followed by performing an automated test of the system on the generated tests verifying the correctness of data to be entered and stored in the database. The generation of tests for all possible data quality conditions creates a complete set of tests that verify the operation of the IS under all possible data quality conditions. The proposed solution is demonstra…

Open government data portal usability: A user-centred usability analysis of 41 open government data portals

Abstract Open government data, as a phenomena, may be considered an important and influential innovation that has the potential to drive the creation of public value via enabling the prevention of corruption, increase in accountability and transparency, and driving the co-creation of new and innovative services. However, in order for open government data to be fully taken advantage of, it must be found, understood, and used. Though many countries maintain open government data portals, the usability of said portals can vary greatly; this is important to understand as the usability of a portal likely impacts the eventual reuse of the data made available there. Acknowledging the importance of …

An Extended Data Object-driven Approach to Data Quality Evaluation: Contextual Data Quality Analysis

This research is an extension of a data object-driven approach to data quality evaluation allowing to analyse data object quality in scope of multiple data objects. Previously presented approach was used to analyse one particular data object, mainly focusing on syntactic analysis. It means that the primary data object quality can be analysed against secondary data objects of unlimited number. This opportunity allows making more comprehensive, in-depth contextual data object analysis. The given analysis was applied to open data sets, making comparison between previously obtained results and results of application of the extended approach, underlying importance and benefits of the given exten…

Towards a Concurrence Analysis in Business Processes

This paper presents first steps towards a solution aimed to provide concurrent business processes analysis methodology for predicting the probability of incorrect business process execution. The aim of the paper is to (a) look at approaches to describing and dealing with the execution of concurrent processes, mainly focusing on the transaction mechanisms in database management systems, (b) present an idea and a preliminary version of an algorithm that detects the possibility of incorrect execution of concurrent business processes. Analyzing business process according to the proposed procedure allows to configure transaction processing optimally.

Application of LEAN Principles to Improve Business Processes: a Case Study in a Latvian IT Company

The research deals with application of the LEAN principles to business processes of a typical IT company. The paper discusses LEAN principles amplifying advantages and shortcomings of their application. The authors suggest use of the LEAN principles as a tool to identify improvement potential for IT company's business processes and work-flow efficiency. During a case study the implementation of LEAN principles has been exemplified in business processes of a particular Latvian IT company. The obtained results and conclusions can be used for meaningful and successful application of LEAN principles and methods in projects of other IT companies.

Transparency-by-design: What is the role of open data portals?

Abstract Transparency in the public sector is one of the most important topics of the current debates on accountable, participatory, and responsive governance. An open government addresses these major topics and aims to encourage the relationships and flows of information between involved stakeholders. This article explores the role of open data portals in supporting these efforts and provides findings regarding the features in the design of these data infrastructures. On the basis of evidence from the concept of transparency-by-design, we argue that transparency is facilitated by open data portals and their features enabling to work with datasets. We therefore propose the list of the categ…

A multi-perspective knowledge-driven approach for analysis of the demand side of the Open Government Data portal

Abstract Open data are freely available and can be used by every stakeholder for its own purposes. However, the practice demonstrates that it is important to ensure that the source from which they are available is usable and facilitates the re-use of data to the widest possible range of stakeholders. This task is carried out by open government data (OGD) portals. Therefore, this study proposes a multi-perspective approach where an OGD portal is analyzed from (1) citizens' perspective, (2) users' perspective, (3) experts' perspective, and (4) state of the art. By considering these perspectives, we can define how to improve the portal in question by focusing on its demand side. In view of the…

Timeliness of Open Data in Open Government Data Portals Through Pandemic-related Data: a long data way from the publisher to the user

The paper addresses the “timeliness” of data in open government data (OGD) portals. It is one of the primary principles of open data, which is considered to be a success factor, while at the same time it is one 0f the biggest barriers that can disrupt users trust in data and even the desire to use the entire open data portal. However, assessing this aspect is a very difficult task that, in most cases, becomes an impossible for open data users. There is therefore a lack of comparative studies on the timeliness of data of different national open data portals. Unfortunately, 2020 gave the opportunity to find out this. It became easy enough to compare how long is the data path from the data hol…

Data Quality Model-Based Testing of Information Systems: Two-Level Testing of the Insurance System

In order to develop reliable software, its operating must be verified for all possible cases of use. This can be achieved, at least partly, by means of a model-based testing (MBT), by establishing tests that check all conditions covered by the model. This paper presents a Data Quality Model-based Testing (DQMBT) using the data quality model (DQ-model) as a testing model. The DQ-model contains definitions and conditions for data objects to consider the data object as correct. The proposed testing approach allows complete testing of the conformity of the data to be entered and the data already stored in the database. The data to be entered shall be verified by means of predefined pre-conditio…

Towards Data Quality Runtime Verification

This paper discusses data quality checking during business process execution by using runtime verification. While runtime verification verifies the correctness of business process execution, data quality checks assure that particular process did not negatively impact the stored data. Both, runtime verification and data quality checks run in parallel with the base processes affecting them insignificantly. The proposed idea allows verifying (a) if the process was ended correctly as well as (b) whether the results of the correct process did not negatively impact the stored data in result of its modification caused by the specific process. The desired result will be achieved by use of domain sp…

Smarter Open Government Data for Society 5.0: Are Your Open Data Smart Enough?

Nowadays, governments launch open government data (OGD) portals that provide data that can be accessed and used by everyone for their own needs. Although the potential economic value of open (government) data is assessed in millions and billions, not all open data are reused. Moreover, the open (government) data initiative as well as users’ intent for open (government) data are changing continuously and today, in line with IoT and smart city trends, real-time data and sensor-generated data have higher interest for users. These “smarter” open (government) data are also considered to be one of the crucial drivers for the sustainable economy, and might have an impact on information and communi…

Towards a Business Process Model-based Testing of Information Systems Functionality

Data quality evaluation: a comparative analysis of company registers’ open data in four European countries

A Step Towards a Data Quality Theory

Data quality issues have been topical for many decades. However, a unified data quality theory has not been proposed yet, since many concepts associated with the term “data quality” are not straightforward enough. The paper proposes a user-oriented data quality theory based on clearly defined concepts. The concepts are defined by using three groups of domain-specific languages (DSLs): (1) the first group uses the concept of a data object to describe the data to be analysed, (2) the second group describes the data quality requirements, and (3) the third group describes the process of data quality evaluation. The proposed idea proved to be simple enough, but at the same time very effective in…

Open Data Quality Evaluation: A Comparative Analysis of Open Data in Latvia

Nowadays open data is entering the mainstream - it is free available for every stakeholder and is often used in business decision-making. It is important to be sure data is trustable and error-free as its quality problems can lead to huge losses. The research discusses how (open) data quality could be assessed. It also covers main points which should be considered developing a data quality management solution. One specific approach is applied to several Latvian open data sets. The research provides a step-by-step open data sets analysis guide and summarizes its results. It is also shown there could exist differences in data quality depending on data supplier (centralized and decentralized d…

Risks of Concurrent Execution in E-Commerce Processes

The development of ICT facilitates replacing the traditional buying and selling processes with e-commerce solutions. If several customers are served concurrently, e.g. at the same time, the processes can interference each other causing risks for both the buyer and the seller. The paper offers a method to identify purchase/sale risks in simultaneous multi-customer service processes. First, an exact model of buying-selling processes is created and the conditions for the correct process execution are formulated. Then an analysis of all the possible scenarios, including the concurrently executed buying-selling scenarios, is performed using a symbolic execution of process descriptions. The obtai…

Digitalization in Sports to Connect Child’s Sport Clubs, Parents and Kids: Simple Solution for Tackling Social and Psychological Issues

Today, the topic of child’s sporting has become a crucial, not only because, in the 21st century, computer games and social networks are the most common way of spending a child leisure time (shift from sports to eSports took place), but also because in 2020, Covid-19 and the associated restrictions give parents even more stress on visits to sports clubs. In addition, sports may lead to unpleasant situations when a child is not successful enough in the particular discipline and is publicly criticized, thereby undermining his willingness to sport. We suppose that the trends of digitalization and some aspects of Industry 4.0, would be able to solve these issues at least partly, without requiri…