DIPIM model: Comprehensive Process for Opening Public Data

Abstract

Research Question: This paper investigates which concrete steps are essential for opening data in public institutions to ensure comprehensiveness, adaptability and sustainability of the process. Motivation: The global movement toward open data is gaining momentum, but public institutions often lack clear, actionable guidance for effective implementation. Building on foundational works by Penteado, Maldonado and Isotani (2023), Charalabidis et al. (2018), and Zuiderwijk, Janssen, Choenni and Meijer (2014a), which highlight that existing frameworks are often overly technical, fragmented, and misaligned with institutional needs, this paper introduces the DIPIM model - a framework integrating international open data standards with Serbia’s legal and administrative context. The proposed model offers a practical roadmap for opening public data in a comprehensive, adaptable, and sustainable way—enhancing transparency, fostering innovation, and strengthening trust in public administration. Idea: This paper explores how public institutions can implement open data initiatives through a process-based model grounded in international practices and adapted to local contexts. It identifies key steps via thematic analysis of existing guidelines and validates them through expert insights to ensure relevance and practical applicability. Data: The research analysed ten international and national open data guidelines, and also included semi-structured interviews with five domain experts who possess both technical and procedural knowledge of open data processes. Tools: The research process followed Design Science Research principles. A qualitative thematic analysis was used to extract common patterns from existing guidelines, which were then consolidated into a new model, further expanded and aligned with the local legal context, and finally validated through expert interviews. Findings: The fivephase, 21-step DIPIM model offers a clear, actionable framework for opening public data across diverse institutional settings. Unlike existing models, it combines international best practices with local legal contexts, enhancing practical relevance. Expert evaluations confirmed its clarity and long-term applicability. This study offers a policy-aligned, practiceoriented approach, helping governments effectively plan and sustain open data initiatives, with significant implications for promoting transparency, trust, and innovation in public administration. Contribution: This paper contributes to the literature by developing and validating the DIPIM model, a comprehensive and actionable framework for opening data in public institutions, aligned with international practices and the Serbian legal context.