The Impact of Open Government

Mapping the landscape

Alpha Version

Type of Intervention tested Organization Methodology Countries
Fiscal and budget transparency
Voter turnout
Evidence-based electoral decisionmaking
Enhanced engagement other than voting
Answerability to Public Inquiries
More inclusive decision-making processes
Hiring and firing of civil servants
Increased equity in service delivery
Increased quality in service delivery
Reduced corruption
Otder local gov't and service provider accountability
Improved Health Outcomes
Better regulatory compliance
Enhanced trust in government
Types of Open Government Outcomes and Impact Examined Transparency Citizen Engagement and Participation Responsiveness Accountability Social, Economic, Environmental change  
Transparency Interventions: Community-based information provision
Meet the candidate Sessions EGAP Metaketa RCT Uganda link link
Disclosure of legislator performance EGAP Metaketa RCT Benin link link
Report card of politician performance J-PAL RCT India link link link link
Information on resource allocations IPA RCT Uganda link
Information on resource allocations Global Integrity Participatory assessment, action research Mexico link link
Information on resource allocations EGAP RCT link link link
Transparency Interventions: ICT-based information provision
Open budget portal ODImpact Case studies Brazil link link link
Facebook posts about parliamentary performance MIT/mySociety RCT Kenya link
Disclosure of underused or misused budgets EGAP - Metaketa RCT Uganda link link
Public disclosure of contracting data CGD Mixed Methods Various link
Public disclosure of vote tallies ODImpact Case studies Indonesia link link
Open Data NYU GovLab Action Research US, Australia, Mexico, Italy, South Korea link
Open Data MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Opening Governance Experimental Action Research Various This is an ongoing project
Open Data Open data research network Case studies Various This is an ongoing project
Citizen Engagement and Participation Interventions: Community-based mobilization and monitoring, primarily low tech
Community Score Cards, Interface Meeting, Action Planning R4D RCT, surveys, interviews Indonesia, Tanzania link link link link
Community Scorecards of elected official performance EGAP RCT Uganda link
Community Scorecards in health centers (Bjorkman/Svensson replication) IPA/3ie/GOAL RCT Uganda link link link link
Community monitoring of traditional leaders EGAP RCT Malawi This is an ongoing project
Community driven development IPA RCT Philippines link
Civic engagement skills (Bangladesh) MIT/GPSA RCT Bangladesh link link link link link
Civic engagement skills (Philippines) MIT RCT Philippines link link link link link
Public participation in fiscal monitoring Gift Mixed Methods Various link
Public participation in regulation creation J-PAL RCT Vietnam link link
Civic Engagement MAVC Mixed Methods Various This is an ongoing project
Vertical integration of social accountability mechanisms AU ARC Action Research Various This is an ongoing project
Mix of empwoerment and accountability interventions IDS Mixed Methods 4-6 countries including fragile contexts This is an ongoing project
Social audit of traditional leaders EGAP RCT link link link link
Citizen Engagement and Participation Interventions: primarily ICT-based mobilization and monitoring
SMS encouragement to vote J-PAL RCT India link link
Citizen-driven ICT complaints mechanism MIT Mixed Methods Guatemala link link link link
ICT townhalls MIT Quantitative http://www.mitgovlab.org/projects/democracy-online/ link link
Parliamentary monitoring, publication, and engagement via Facebook for youth MIT/mySociety RCT Kenya
ICT monitoring of solid waste collection EGAP RCT Uganda link link link
Online complaints mechanism mySociety Quantitative data Various link link link link link
Civic tech MAVC Mixed methods Various This is an ongoing project
Responsiveness/legal reform interventions ('teeth')
FOI Law EGAP RCT UK link
FOI Law MIT/MySociety RCT Uruguay link link link
FOI Law Carter Center Mixed Methods Liberia, Guatemala link
Land registries ISS Case studies Various link link
Anti-corruption law and strategy ISS Case studies Various link
Mix of public sector reforms focused on open govenrment ESID Mixed Methods Ghana, Malawi, Rwanda and Uganda link
OGP reforms related to fiscal transparency GIFT Mixed Methods Various link
OGP reforms OGP Case studies Costa Rica, Albania, Mexico, Philippines This is an ongoing project
OGP reforms OGP/Brookings Literature review Various link link
OGP reforms Global Integrity Case studies Various link link link link
Focus on the reformer ISS Case studies Various This is an ongoing project
SDG-related governance reforms 3ie RCT Various This is an ongoing project