Open Definition

Business Profile

Core Value Proposition

Open Definition provides a framework to define and ensure openness for data, content, and knowledge, enabling anyone to freely access, use, modify, and share for any purpose (subject to provenance and openness).

Target Customer

Open data publishers and managers, open knowledge communities, license authors, policy makers, researchers and educators involved in sharing or defining open data/content

Key Differentiator

A standardized, license- and format-oriented definition of openness that connects open data/content/knowledge to established open-licenses principles, with machine readability and open format criteria, and a lineage linked to the Open Source and Free Cultural Works definitions.

Implementation Timeline

Not explicitly stated in the content; adoption of the Open Definition criteria could provide immediate groundwork for licensing and format decisions, with value realization potentially within weeks to months depending on implementation scope.

Pain Points

1Lack of a clear, universal definition of what 'open' means for data, content, and knowledge
2Fragmentation and incompatibility across different open data/content pools and licenses
3Overly restrictive or inconsistent licensing that impedes use, redistribution, and modification

Key Features

11. Open Works criteria: must be in the public domain or under an open license; accessible as a whole; machine readable; open format
22. Open Licenses criteria: permissions for use, redistribution, modification, separation, compilation; non-discrimination; application to any purpose; no mandatory fees
33. Acceptable conditions: attribution, integrity, share-alike, notice, source, prohibition of technical restrictions, non-aggression
44. Emphasis on machine readability and open formats to enable processing by software tools
55. Provisions to ensure rights apply to all recipients and prevent license-based fragmentation or vendor lock-in

Target Customer Industries

Decision Makers

1Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
2Head of Open Data / Data Manager
3Licensing Manager / Legal Counsel
4Policy Advisor / Government Data Officer
5Director of Knowledge Management

Client Results

1Improved interoperability and quality of open data/content across pools
2Broader ability to access, use, modify, and share open knowledge
3Standardized approach to licensing that supports use without gatekeeping or excessive fees

Competitive Advantages

1Clear, actionable criteria for what constitutes open works and open licenses
2Alignment with established open-licensing concepts (Open Source, Free Cultural Works)
3Inclusion of machine readability and open formats to enable practical reuse
4Non-discrimination and no-cost access support broad participation
5 multilingual translations and global accessibility support wider adoption

Key Benefits

1Defines openness for data, content, and knowledge

2Promotes interoperability and quality across open material

3Enables free access, use, modification, and sharing

4Supports open licenses and open formats

5Accessible globally through language translations

Additional Product Information

Product Description

The Open Definition is a project of Open Knowledge Foundation that defines openness for data, content, and knowledge, providing criteria for open licenses and formats to ensure freedom to access, use, modify, and share.

Target Market

Publishers and managers of data and knowledge, open data communities, policymakers, researchers, and educators seeking to publish or consume open data/content

Unique Value Proposition

A standardized framework that defines openness across data, content, and knowledge, anchored in clear licensing and format criteria, to enable interoperability and broad reuse worldwide.

Technical Requirements

Emphasizes machine readability and open formats; requires open licenses and broad permissions to enable processing and reuse; accessible via the internet for download

Pricing Model

Not specified

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