Publishing on the Open Data Directory

An overview of how to get access and publish your data asset on the Victorian Open Data Directory.

Before you start

Before publishing your data asset on the Open Data Directory, you will need to make sure it is appropriate for sharing with the public and choose the right publishing method for your organisation’s needs.

For step-by-step information on how to do this, visit Releasing your data under the Open Data program guide.

Creating your account and receiving training

The VPS Data Directory is a secure, internal Victorian Government system. Access is for VPS employees only. To view, edit and administer content on the VPS Data Directory you need to apply for access. VPS organisations should also consider their internal data custodianship model as a way to allocate roles to individuals within their organisation.

Once your internal team has identified who will be publishing on the Open Data Directory, the relevant Data Administrator can create new accounts for them. For a guide on how to create new accounts as a Data Administrator, check the Data Administrator procedure manual.

You will then need to receive training on how to use the system. You can sign up for this by contacting DataVic.

Once you have an account connected to your @vic.gov.au email address, you may view data records on the VPS Data Directory.

Creating your content in the Data Directory

The VPS Data Directory is set up to support VPS departments and agencies to take control of their published data assets. It is a self-service environment, but support is available from the Data Victoria team.

To add and edit your description of your data asset (the metadata record), you will need Editor Access to the Data Directory. To add, edit and publish content, you will need Administrator Access.

If you don’t have the correct level of access, speak to your Data Administrator to have your access level changed.

With your organisation’s consent, the Data Victoria Administrator can administer your records and publish them at your request. You will need to contact DataVic to access this service.

For step-by-step instructions on how to publish your content in the Data Directory, refer to the procedure manual. If you don’t have a copy of this manual, contact DataVic.

Managing your data assets

Ensure that your internal data custodianship model mirrors the model you are using in the Victorian Government Data Directory

The VPS Data Directory allows departments and agencies to create their own internal data catalogues. Access to individual records can be restricted. Permissions allow you control over who can see the data record of your data asset.

It is very important to think through how you organise your data records in the VPS Data Directory. The starting point for organising your agency’s space on the VPS Data Directory is your internal data custodianship model. Learn more about information management for data assets.

Manage your content appropriately

For departments and agencies managing their own environment within the Data Directory environment, each data record is owned by an organisation. Each organisation has its own workflow and authorisations, allowing it to manage its own publishing process.

To ensure the currency of data on DataVic, departments and agencies must be diligent in managing their published data. This includes timely responses to the creation of new records, adding dataset updates to current records and the retirement of content when appropriate.

Departments and agencies that provide data on an infrequent basis will need to advise the Data Victoria operations team of any updates to data using the service desk function when appropriate.

Department and agency specific content reports can be provided. These reports can be scheduled and delivered on any preferred timeline. Contact DataVic to set up a delivery schedule.

Automated harvesting of your existing internal data register

The ideal model of data supply from a department or agency to DataVic is by direct harvest from one data suitable platform to the other. This allows for all the governance structures and approval processes to be contained within the relevant agencies' own data management environment and not duplicated in the Data Directory. It has the added benefit of maintaining the integrity of the source metadata information.

If a department or agency has a well-structured and managed asset register or data catalogue, there may be an opportunity to establish direct links between these platforms and DataVic.

Contact the DataVic operations team to discuss the discovery phase and next steps.

The discovery process

To ensure that any proposed integration meets all department and agency risk assessment and information management procedures, a discovery process is required.

The discovery phase works to ensure that only relevant data records are harvested to DataVic with appropriate classifications. This phase provides a robust harvest model covering appropriate publishing, editing and deletions and adherence to the WoVG minimum metadata schema guidelines.

Contact DataVic to discuss the discovery phase and next steps.

If you have an existing data harvesting arrangement with DataVic

Changes to your supply, harvest or platform configurations

Once a platform integration has been approved and created, regular meetings will be scheduled with the DataVic operations team to discuss the performance of the data harvest, treatment of user feedback and any planned system upgrades that may affect data supply in the future.

Participating departments and agencies will be required to nominate someone to act as a data supply engagement contact.

Contact DataVic for further information.

Changes to the metadata schema used by your organisation

There is a VPS minimum metadata schema. This contains the minimum metadata required to describe a data asset. Sometimes, agencies have more metadata fields or need to record information specific to their domain.

Where the internal data management requirements differ from the minimum metadata standards, you should contact DataVic. This ensures consistent listing and publishing of your data asset is possible through the VPS Data Directory onto DataVic.

Identifying key contacts in your organisation

Technical support

Users of government data often have questions about data assets that interest them. Data Victoria needs open data publishers to provide a technical contact with their organisation who can assist consumers from time to time.

User feedback

Public feedback provides invaluable insights into how open data users are working with your agency’s data assets. It is a window into our citizens’ worlds and may support the collection of more useful data for external users.

Sometimes, open data users will make comments about a published data asset. You must nominate a person or team within your organisation to receive and respond to this public feedback.

Data administrators and custodians

For those departments and agencies managing their own environment within the Data Directory environment, each data record is owned by an organisation. Each organisation has its own workflow and authorisations, allowing it to manage its own publishing process

The Data Directory uses permissions-based roles to manage the content within the publishing workflow process.

The two roles within an organisation are:

  • Data Administrator (ADMIN) – full rights to create, edit, retire and publish Data Records, and create and administer user accounts within an Organisation
  • Data Custodian (EDITOR) – rights to create, edit and update metadata records.

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