MEDFIELD, MA (June 20, 2011) – Innovative, cheap ways to use real-time data plus removing restrictions to it will help companies make better decisions, streamline and improve government, and empower the public, according to “Data Dynamite,” published today.

The book, subtitled “how data will transform our world,” was written by “data dude” W. David Stephenson, and published by Data4All Press. It is available in e-book and print versions.

The book draws parallels between a potential explosion in uses for data if it becomes accessible to everyone and if new tools make it easy to share and understand, and how publishing of new works bloomed after Luther translated the Bible into German so ordinary people could understand it and printed it rather than having monks copy it. Stephenson says legitimate reasons made it hard for government and companies to gather, process, and disseminate data in the past. Technology removed the barriers, but the old “data scarcity” mentality prevails on the part of management and must be ended.

The book calls for a 4-step process to liberate data:

“Data Dynamite” details a wide range of pioneering examples of liberating data, including:

It also outlines principles of liberating data, describes characteristics of companies that liberate data, and concludes with a 13-point “Liberating Data Manifesto.” An entire chapter describes the innovative strategies U.S. CIO Vivek Kundra used while he was the District of Columbia CTO.

Stephenson is principal of Stephenson Strategies, Medfield, Ma, and has an international reputation as a consultant and thought leader in both data and Web 2.0 strategies, especially open data and disaster management strategies that empower the general public.

The book is available from all leading e-book sources, and costs $9.99. The print version retails for $16.99 and is available through Amazon and local bookstores.

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