Free e-learning course on open data
Learn how open data can create social and economic value for the sector.
An introduction to open data, and how can it help create value and drive innovation in the sports and physical activity sector
In England, one in four of us do fewer than 30 minutes of physical activity a week, while one in six deaths is caused by inactivity.
We know that one barrier that stops people getting active is how difficult it is to find information about and book activities online.
Publishing open data about where, when and what activities take place makes it easier for people to find and book activities online. Innovators can use this open data to build products and services that help people find the information they need to get active. It improves the customer experience, helps activity providers reach new audiences, and helps more people get active.
Sport England/ComRes, 2019
Governments, businesses and individuals use open data to bring about positive social, economic and environmental change.
You may have benefitted from open data without even realising. It helps us to understand what MPs claim expenses for with tools like MPsExpenses.info. It powers apps like Citymapper that help us to navigate public transport more efficiently. It is even used to tackle crime through services like BikeChecker.
Some people worry that ‘open data’ means sharing personal information, or commercially-sensitive information. It doesn’t. The Open Data Institute (ODI) created the Data Spectrum to help demystify the language of data. Ranging from closed to open, it shows examples of how to access and share data, and where it is appropriate to do so.
Whether state, commercial or personal, the important thing about data is how it is licensed.
OpenActive is a sector-wide initiative to support sports and physical activity organisations to publish and use open data.
Whether you run activities, help people find activities, or something in between, everyone has a role to play in OpenActive.
Show me moreLearn how open data can create social and economic value for the sector.
What are OpenActive data standards and why do we need them?
Open opportunity data includes information like what, where and when.
Watch past presentations that introduce OpenActive and how to get involved.