What do we mean by ‘open platforms’?

A ‘platform’ is an ambiguous term that could mean a lot of different things — here we use it to refer to a system that connects producers and consumers, enabling them to interact with each other.  Platforms enable data to be accessed and used in all kinds of ways, including – when a platform is ‘open’ – uses by external systems which can be ‘built upon’ the platform, many of which would not or could not be provided by the platform operators themselves.

By ‘open platform,’ we specifically mean three things: 

– A system that facilitates the management, publication, and access of open data

– A system powered by technology that is freely available through open licenses

– A system in which interoperability and integration are the primary design objectives

Posted in: Overview, Strategic Questions