Hands On With Google Data Studio

CHAPTER 9Going Public

In this chapter, you'll learn about public data sources that are available for you to access and use for your own reporting. We'll explore resources for public data, how to access those resources, and ways to use Data Studio to visualize that data.

Shared Data Sets

We are moving from creating information and insights for our own personal use to creating insights that we can share with a larger community. Whether that community is at a local, regional, national, or global level, there are opportunities to access data, organize it, and turn it into information for others to learn from and use.

The generation of data continues to increase, and so do public sources of data. “Open Data” initiatives have been developing over the last few years in a quest to make governments more transparent.

In addition to governments, science and health‐based organizations have been putting more data in reach of those with Internet access. This sharing initiative has also spread to private businesses and organizations who can see the value of sharing some of their own research data sets.

Data set sharing is important for reproducing and checking studies. Also, the growing field of data journalism requires access to data sources to validate their work.

Chances are, if you are interested in a subject, particularly if it has an economic or public policy aspect, someone has compiled data and published it somewhere. Along with the individual publishers, such as government agencies ...