Researching Public Information Needs (NL0065)

Brief Description of the Commitment

Identifying government information that is relevant to citizens and other stakeholders, and exploring possibilities for establishing agreements between information requesters (citizens, journalists) and information providers (government) to obtain this information.

Problem Definition

1. What problem does the commitment aim to address? • Little research has been conducted on the information needs of users of government information. This is problematic for citizens because they cannot be properly served. It is also problematic for governments because they lack guidance in making choices about which documents to actively disclose as a priority. • Information requests under the Open Government Act (Wet open overheid – Woo) are often complex and extensive. The handling of Woo requests frequently exceeds legal deadlines. Clear agreements are lacking regarding what requesters and providers of government information can expect from each other in terms of approach and prioritization.

2. What are the causes of the problem? • Research has been conducted on the information needs of citizens in life events such as marriage, birth, education, etc. This information is generally provided clearly, such as information on childcare, education, passports, or vacations (from a customer or user perspective). However, there has been much less research on the information needs of citizens in their role as engaged citizens. • There is a lack of comprehensive research available at the national level on Freedom of Information Act (Wob) requests, including their content, the nature of the requester, and the nature of the documents provided, etc. Investigating information needs is also challenging due to the wide variety of topics. One year, theme X may be of great interest, while in another year, it may be theme Y. Moreover, there are different user groups with different needs, such as citizens, journalists, NGOs, and researchers. • Some requests under the Open Government Act (Woo) are extensive, making it difficult to gather all relevant information. This is especially true when eare involved in the request. Additionally, the government’s information management is not well organized, making some documents difficult to locate.

Commitment Description

1. What has been done so far to solve the problem? • Customer journeys have been created for information related to life events such as marriage, etc. IMI, on behalf of RDDI, conducted an initial exploration in the “Societal Information Needs; Quick Scan 2021” (Maatschappelijke behoefen aan informatie; Quick Scan 2021) report. This has put the topic on the agenda, but the key questions have not yet been answered. • The new Open Government Act (Woo) states in Article 4.2A that in the case of extensive requests, the requester and the government should consult each other regarding prioritization. However, the analysis in the “Matglas” report suggests that this has been implemented to a limited extent so far.

2. What solution are you proposing? • Analysis of Wob/Woo requests for patterns in the content of inquiries. • Interviews with journalists and civil society organizations regarding information needs. • Analysis of the effectiveness of information protocols, mapping best practices and lessons learned. • Interviews with journalists, civil society organizations, and government officials regarding information protocols. • Meeting(s) with journalists, civil society organizations, and government officials to discuss the findings of this research and the possibility of reaching agreements on an information protocol.

3. What results do we want to achieve by implementing this commitment? • Understanding the information needs of citizens, journalists, and civil society organizations. • Assessment of the effectiveness of information protocols. • Proposals for pilots on information protocols, with a focus on agreements between ministries and journalists regarding the handling of Woo requests.

Commitment Analysis

1. How will the commitment promote transparency? By gaining a better understanding of the information needs, the government will have guidance on which information should be actively disclosed to the public as a priority. This ensures that citizens receive the information they require.

2. How will the commitment help foster accountability? By establishing agreements with journalists, the public accountability function can be strengthened.

3. How will the commitment improve citizen participation in defining, implementing, and monitoring solutions? Specific civil society organizations will be actively involved in the research.

Commitment Planning (Milestones | Expected Outputs | Expected Completion Date)

Interviews with journalists and civil society organizations about information needs. | Report analyzing patterns in the content of Wob/Woo requests. Meeting(s) with journalists, civil society organizations, and government officials to discuss the findings of this research and explore the possibility of reaching agreements on an information protocol. | Spring 2024

Interviews with journalists, civil society organizations, and government officials about information protocols. | Report analyzing the effectiveness of information protocols and mapping out best practices and lessons learned. | Summer 2024

Meeting(s) with journalists, civil society organizations, and government officials to discuss the findings of this research and explore the possibility of reaching agreements on an information protocol. | Fall 2024