By Heather McIntosh

Alexander Howard, The Huffington Post’s senior editor of technology and society, interviewed Ania Calderón during the 3rd International Open Data Conference. Calderón, the General Director of Open Data at the Coordination of National Digital Strategy in the Office in the President of Mexico, discussed the role of open data in Mexico and the ways in which her work with open data seeks to inform better policy and foster development.

Calderón begins by stating that the need for information provided by the government to the public is not new. However, the Government of Mexico’s activities in and pertaining to open data are; in fact, conversations on open data policy have been going on for just under two years.

Calderón explains that in the early stages of open data and policy, the Government of Mexico’s focus was publishing. It was primarily interested in sharing data and then polishing and refining it after its release. Almost two years later, the focus has shifted: it is no longer just about delivering open data-it is now about delivering impact. This idea is fundamental to how the Government of Mexico is structuring open data policy at present.

To exemplify a specific instance of impact, Calderón explains the issue of maternal mortality; a problem that is not new, but continues to be pressing in Mexico. Her team approached the ministry of health to find a wealth of data being collected around maternal health and morality. However, it had yet to be used to try to increase understanding of the issue or create better interventions. Collaborating with data scientists and academics, they were able to better understand the influence of variables contributing to maternal mortality, such as level of education and number of prenatal visits, allowing them to address the problem in a more effective manner.

Howard and Calderón further discuss issues pertaining to open data and development, reinforcing that open data and data analytics are essential to facilitating the targeted interventions essential to development.

See the complete interview below: