PSIKEY

Submitted by: Adrian R D Norman

Describe your idea. How does it work and who does it help?

Public sector information cannot be re-used until (1) it has been found and (2) the holder and re-user agree the commercial and other terms on which it is made available. The key to unlocking PSI, PSIKEY, is to set up a market similar to those which the City hosts for stocks and shares, insurance and shipping.

At present, PSIKEY is an idea in search of funding to create a prototype. It is an idea "on how to reuse, represent, mashup or combine the information the government holds to make it useful". It should be considered along with PSIDER, which can automatically harvest metadata for storing in PSIKEY. PSIDER is a candidate for the "New £20,000 prize for prototypes".

PSIKEY will list all PSI holdings in a standard format and thereby provide all pertinent metadata on which a re-use contract can be based. This list is like the British Library's union catalogue of books in UK libraries, which in effect made it possible to borrow and read any title in any collection without having to contact possible holders individually and fruitlessly.

PSIKEY records the agreed terms of every bargain. The early deals set precedents for others to follow and ensure compliance with the non-discrimination regulation in the 2003 EU Directive on Re-use of PSI. Representatives of holders and re-users will negotiate model agreements. (The Office of Public Sector Information has effectively done so for the IARs listed by Inforoute.)

PSIKEY will not be limited to the UK. Re-users will be world-wide. The European Directive applies to holders in nearly 30 Member and associated States (and the PSI held by the Commission). Most OECD and Commonwealth nations hold PSI which could be re-used.

Holders and re-users, the sellers and buyers in the market, can update and search respectively the information in the PSIKEY database without significant transaction costs. Most consequent deals will be made on standard terms or follow a precedent, again avoiding high transaction costs. Nevertheless, the re-user may have to pay the cost of providing the information under the agreement.

What information or services do you need?

Comprehensive information asset registers (IARs) from all 10 thousand holders of re--usable PSI.

Comments

[Harry on 03 October 2008 at 12:59 PM]

I think what in the "What Information or services do you need?" section is probably what this software is meant to deliver? was there a mix up?