Today, the White House issued its Open Government Directive. You can find it here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/assets/memoranda_2010/m10-06.pdf.

As you may recall, one of President Obama's first acts in office was to ask the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to develop such a Directive. We now have it nearly 11 months later after a lot of discussion, including some not-so-successful online discussions, wikis, etc. At the same time, it is not quite clear how the Directive was crafted. I have only just reviewed it, read a few responses, and have a few first impressions.

First, and I've said this before, the goals of transparency, citizen participation, and collaboration are admirable. A wave of better, more efficient government could follow if information were shared in real time, quickly digested, analyzed, and meaninfully acted upon.

The Directive tasks government agencies to get going and sets some hard deadlines. People will be scrambling. The real impact--for good and bad--will be seen once the Directive is put into action, over 45 days, 120 days, and into the years to follow. Right now, the emphasis is on making data available, releasing data, publishing data.  Arguably, the Directive is short on guidance for using data and analyzing data. On the Huffington Post, Professor Peter Shane writes that what we also need is "skillful engagement with information." We need to focus on results: better education, improved energy efficiency, a strengthened healthcare system, responsive government, and on, and on. Technology and data are only parts (though important parts) of the puzzle.

The Directive also calls for a "Culture" and "Policy Framework" for open government. Policies and cultural change could be positive, but not if they result in picking specific technologies per se as a means of achieving openness. We also need to keep in mind other issues, such as security and privacy, which can sometimes be at odds with openness.

At least for now, I cautiously find the Directive a positive development, but everyone interested in technology innovation and policy should be prepared to watch the unfolding of the agency-level implementation of the Directive. Other thoughts or responses?