Open government data (OGD): challenging the concept of a “Designated Community”

Purpose This paper aims to explore the curation of government-produced datasets for release as open government data (OGD) from the perspective of the digital curation and preservation concept of a “Designated Community”. Specifically, it explores how digital curation functions when there is no clear Designated Community to which curation services can be targeted. Design/methodology/approach The research was conducted through a case study of the City of Toronto’s efforts to revitalize their OGD program. Data was collected using three methods: semi-structured interviews, non-participative observation and document analysis. Findings The curators of OGD responded to the absence of a Designated Community through two complementary methods. The first was to draw from the discourse that defines the OGD domain. The second was to take a participatory approach that incorporated members of the community surrounding OGD and various other stakeholders into the process of developing a plan for the revitalization of the program. Research limitations/implications This study opens new directions for investigating the application of the Designated Community concept and its role in digital curation and preservation. Practical implications The approach used by OGD curators in this case has the potential to be used in other curation situations where there is no clearly defined user group. Originality/value The findings presented in this paper contribute empirical insights to on-going discussions on the concept of a Designated Community in digital curation and preservation.