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ODON’s Open Data Maturity Model (ODMM) — v1.4

Source: https://odon.at/en/open-data/#odmm
Last updated: 2026-05-05

The ODMM assesses datasets along two independent dimensions: Legal Openness and Technical Openness. Each dimension has four levels. A dataset is assigned the level whose indicators all apply — or, for the first level of each dimension, the level that applies when any restriction is present.

L1 — Closed / Undefined

Definition: No clear legal permission for reuse
Indicators:

  • No explicit license is provided
  • Terms of use are missing or unclear
  • Default copyright applies

Classification rule: If any restriction is present → L1

L2 — Restricted

Definition: License exists but limits reuse significantly
Indicators:

  • A license is explicitly provided
  • License is publicly accessible
  • License contains restrictive clauses (e.g. no commercial use, no derivatives, usage limited to specific groups or purposes)

Classification rule: All indicators must apply

L3 — Open with Conditions

Definition: Reusable with minimal obligations
Indicators:

  • License is clearly stated and accessible
  • Allows commercial use and modification
  • Only light obligations (e.g. attribution, share-alike)

Classification rule: All indicators must apply. Typical licenses: attribution-style licenses

L4 — Fully Open

Definition: No legal barriers
Indicators:

  • Explicit open license or public domain dedication
  • Allows commercial use, modification, and redistribution
  • No mandatory obligations (or only trivial ones)

Classification rule: All indicators must apply. Typical licenses: public domain / CC0-like

Technical Openness

T1 — Extraction Required

Definition: Data can only be accessed via manual effort or AI-assisted extraction; accuracy, completeness, and reproducibility cannot be guaranteed without human verification
Indicators:

  • Not directly machine-readable (e.g. scanned PDF, image, handwritten document)
  • No structured format; extraction requires manual effort or AI-assisted parsing
  • Accuracy, completeness, and reproducibility of any extract cannot be verified without human review

Classification rule: If any restriction is present → T1

T2 — Accessible but Limited

Definition: Technically accessible, but with barriers
Indicators:

  • Machine-readable format exists
  • Data can be downloaded or accessed
  • One or more limitations: proprietary format (e.g. XLSX only), poor structure (merged cells, inconsistent schema), or no metadata / documentation

Classification rule: All indicators must apply

T3 — Structured & Standardized

Definition: Data is well-structured and usable
Indicators:

  • Non-proprietary, structured format (CSV, JSON, XML)
  • Consistent schema and data structure
  • Consistent encoding and formats
  • Basic metadata available (field descriptions, update frequency)

Classification rule: All indicators must apply

T4 — Fully Open & Interoperable

Definition: Data is optimized for reuse and integration
Indicators:

  • Meets all T3 requirements
  • Uses open standards (e.g. standard vocabularies, formats)
  • Stable identifiers (IDs, URIs)
  • Versioning or update tracking available
  • Available via API and/or bulk download

Classification rule: All indicators must apply