An open platform that brings data to life

Data4Citizen brings together the building blocks needed to collect, describe, share, analyse and make sense of data, in a coherent and extensible whole.

Philosophy

Our philosophy

Data is only as valuable as the understanding and decisions it makes possible. Data4Citizen starts from this conviction: a data platform must first and foremost serve the people who use it, whether they are public officials, elected representatives, researchers, entrepreneurs or ordinary citizens.

Three principles guide its design:

  • OpennessOpen formats, documented APIs and open-source software components wherever possible.
  • ClarityEvery piece of data is described, put into context and accompanied by visualisations.
  • ModularityEach organisation assembles the components it needs, with no imposed architecture.
Core

Core capabilities

What the platform brings to every project, whatever the context.

  1. Core

    Data collection and access

    Bring together data from business systems, files, sensors or external sources, and make it accessible in a consistent way.

    • Connection to a wide range of sources: databases, files, APIs, feeds.
    • Data formatted and documented as soon as it is ingested.
    • Access through a web interface and APIs, according to each audience’s permissions.
    Building blocks
    • PostgreSQL
    • Python
    • Data APIs
  2. Core

    Cataloguing and sharing

    Describe, classify and publish datasets in a searchable catalogue, together with their metadata, licences and terms of use.

    • Standardised, searchable dataset records.
    • Management of licences, versions and responsibilities.
    • Publication as Open Data or with restricted access, depending on the nature of the data.
    Building blocks
    • CKAN
  3. Core

    Analysis and visualisation

    Turn data into indicators, dashboards and maps that non-specialist audiences can understand.

    • Indicators calculated and kept up to date from the sources.
    • Charts, maps and thematic dashboards.
    • Export and sharing of visualisations.
  4. Core

    Building portals and observatories

    Build websites and thematic spaces that present data to a given audience: citizens, public officials, professionals.

    • Open Data portals and regional or sector-specific observatories.
    • Editorial pages, thematic features and embedded visualisations.
    • Visual identity and navigation tailored to each organisation.
    Building blocks
    • Drupal
Extensions

Features that depend on modules or integrations

These features rely on modules, connections to external services or project-specific configuration. Their availability is confirmed when we study your requirements.

  1. Module or integration

    Artificial intelligence and natural-language queries

    Let users ask questions about the data in plain language and receive answers backed by their sources.

    • Conversational assistant built on the published datasets.
    • Help with searching, understanding and summarising data.
    • Traceable answers that link back to the original data.
    Building blocks
    • Large language models
  2. Module or integration

    Integration with external sources and services

    Fit into an existing information system and work with other platforms, portals or reference datasets.

    • API exchanges with third-party services.
    • Harvesting and synchronisation with other catalogues.
    • Feeding existing websites and applications.
    Building blocks
    • Data APIs
Technologies

An open technology foundation

Depending on the project, Data4Citizen can draw on well-established components. Each one is chosen for the role it plays, never on principle.

CKAN
Open data catalogue, the reference for Open Data portals.
Drupal
Content management for portals and observatories.
Python
Data processing, analysis and automation.
Jupyter
Interactive notebooks to explore, analyse and share data.
Large language models (LLM)
Natural-language interaction and user assistance.
PostgreSQL
Robust relational database for storage and computation.
Data APIs
Programmatic access and interoperability with other systems.

Not every component is present in every installation. Technical teams can talk to us to find the architecture best suited to their context: get in touch.

Let’s look at your project

Open Data portal, observatory, dashboard, conversational assistant: tell us what you need and we will suggest the right combination.

Get in touchSee the use cases