Upgrade: the Human Services Data Specification version 1.1

by Tim Davies of the Open Data Services Cooperative

After two years of testing, feedback, and deliberation across the Open Referral initiative, we’ve just upgraded the Human Services Data Specification to version 1.1.

Check HSDS v1.1 out here. If you have questions or feedback, you can comment there directly on the site or discuss the changes in our Github issue tracker; you can also join the conversation in the Open Referral Google Group.
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Meet the Open Data Services Cooperative

This post is from Tim Davies, founding member of the Open Data Services Co-operative.

We’re really delighted to announce the Open Data Services Co-operative’s new collaboration with Open Referral on the Miami Open 211 project, and on wider developments of the Human Services Data Specification (HSDS).

At the Open Data Services Co-operative, we’re passionate about helping people publish and use open data for social impact, particularly where data standards are involved. We believe that data standards are a key part of shared infrastructure for collaboration. As infrastructure, standards need a lot of behind the scenes design, development and maintenance work. When standards operate well, most users will hardly notice them. When standards are neglected, all sort of opportunities for connection, collaboration and engagement break down. But standards are not just technical — they are fundamentally social: about connecting people as well as information. Continue reading

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