North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management increases transparency and supports decision-making with public data marketplace

182

data assets

2,700

users

Api calls

Company profile

The North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management (OSBM) is responsible for providing objective information and analysis to ensure a balanced state budget and effective stewardship of public resources. Data is central to its role, helping to inform better decision-making and greater engagement with citizens and other stakeholders.

Sector

Local government

Location

USA

Bob Coats

Governor’s Census Liaison, OSBM

Challenges: take data sharing to the next level, cost-effectively

While OSBM first created an open data portal – Log Into North Carolina (LINC) – in the 1970s, technology, user expectations and the importance of data had moved on dramatically since then. We knew that we required a new, more modern and efficient platform.

"LINC aims to be the best place to find statistical data about North Carolina. This data informs policy, as well as important legislative and personal decisions. For example, we get a lot of inquiries from people thinking about retiring to the state. They want to know about proximity to services such as healthcare, as well as entertainment and even the best fishing spots."

Data experience: making data available and accessible to all

The LINC open data portal contains over 180 data assets, covering areas as diverse as population (including census data), labor force, education and agriculture, supplied by 20 state departments. Data series go back to 1969 and project forward to 2040. Users can also compare information about North Carolina with other states, providing instant, comparative analysis around key indicators.
This is used by three broad groups, each with very different needs and skills:

Such as citizens, those looking to move to the state, or school children researching projects. Normally they are looking for specific information, such as the number of people in a county or the acreage of soya beans grown in the state.
Such as public employees at OSBM, within state departments and inside municipal government. They need more detailed data to make informed decisions around areas such as policy, budgets and future plans.
Such as researchers and data scientists. This group requires a robust platform that enables them to access and download bulk data for trend analysis, often automated through APIs.

The latest version of LINC, which went live in 2019, is designed to deliver on the needs of all groups. It combines an easy-to-use interface with the ability to quickly create powerful data experiences, visualizing information through maps, charts and graphics. Data is accessible via API calls and can be automatically updated in real-time, as sources change, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic.

An important part of LINC is our demographic data, built on federal census information, such as population figures. It is vital to ensure this information is completely accurate as it drives federal funding for a decade. Accordingly OSBM works with counties and municipal governments across North Carolina, using LINC to share the results of the 2020 census and providing them with advice, information and tools to ensure that it is accurate.

Creating data stories: bringing data to life

Putting data in context is central to increasing its impact and making it understandable to all. Consequently, we are showcasing how data drives life in North Carolina by producing regular data stories on topical subjects. Often linked to specific events, such as Black History Month, these stories use data to enable users to explore a subject through accessible data visualizations that bring information to life. In addition to creating our own data stories, OSBM showcases those created and submitted by the community, widening the reach of data to all.

Huwise: the technology foundation of LINC

When creating the new LINC, we had very specific requirements around efficiency, ease of management and comprehensive functionality. After a thorough tender and research process, we chose to partner with Huwise, thanks to its understanding of the overall vision and concrete plan on how to achieve it.

We also has a growing customer community in North Carolina, including the North Carolina, and the towns of Cary and Morrisville.

Working together with Huwise we developed LINC, adapting the interface and functionality so that it met user needs through feedback collected during ongoing roadshows.

Even though the pandemic meant that collaboration had to become virtual, our teams built a strong relationship, continuing to work
together moving forward.

At OSBM we use three key Huwise features:

US Census connector

Thanks to this specific connector, we can easily import US Census data and distribute it using the Huwise platform to different levels of end users.

User registration and engagement

As part of building a strong user community, We use Huwise to encourage users to register on the portal using a clear signup process as well as engaging and empowering them to use different features to create and save charts and maps.

Ability to create subdomains

While LINC includes topline demographic statistics, we have created the more detailed North Carolina State Demographer data platform for specialist users, using Huwise’s subdomain feature.

Huwise and OSBM’s data management solutions

The Huwise data marketplace platform integrates with our data storage solutions to provide seamless access to information. Data is then shared, both through data experiences and via APIs accessed by a range of government agencies and municipalities across North Carolina.

Results: showing the importance of data to life in North Carolina

The new LINC provides a nimble, powerful platform that provides data to all types of users across the state and beyond. Groups as diverse as schoolchildren and data specialists are accessing, creating and visualizing compelling data experiences and downloading data to meet their differing requirements.
At a public level this increases transparency and engagement, showing clearly what is happening in the state at a statistical level, and explaining policy decisions. Government employees are able to plan more effectively, based on access to comprehensive, up-to-date data. And running LINC is now more efficient and cost-effective, with the platform requiring less time to manage and update.
LINC now contains over 180 data assets and has over 2,700 users. Data continues to grow, with an ongoing outreach program with state departments and offices to bring their information onto the platform. LINC has seen 180,000 average monthly API calls in the last three months and overall there have been 17,400 downloads since the portal was launched.

"As a state government we want to demonstrate that we are responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars and are operating efficiently. Good data drives smart decisions, and that’s what LINC provides. Working together with Huwise has driven the project forward, helping us realize our vision for open data in North Carolina."

From the platform’s conception, the OSBM team’s success with LINC is based on focusing on their end users’ needs. They designed a robust, attractive product that can be easily utilized by anyone, from tech-savvy data researchers to novice community members who are just curious to know more about the state. Leveraging this platform, OSBM is proactively engaging its community of users and telling stories about the state’s data.

Chloé Charland

CSM

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