The open data mistake everyone is making. Are you?

How to reclaim trust through ethical data practices in public digital services

May 30, 2025

The Big Story

Open data starts with informed consent

How to reclaim trust through ethical data practices in public digital services. Because open data without consent is just extraction

Like you, the Button team gets excited about open data—those beautiful datasets that power innovation across sectors. But here's what we've learned working with public sector teams across Canada: transparency doesn't just happen because you build an elegant interface.

Trust follows care, not code.

Through co-designing government services, we've noticed a troubling pattern. Teams assume people will share feedback willingly. That collecting data to "improve services" justifies itself. But when consent becomes a legal checkbox buried in vague language and pre-checked boxes, it stops being consent at all.

Real informed consent means people understand what they're sharing, who's asking, and—crucially—what choices they have, including saying no.

When teams get this right, something interesting happens. It doesn't slow the work down—it makes it stronger. People provide more honest, detailed responses when they trust how their data will be used.

This is especially critical with equity-seeking communities, where institutional mistrust has been earned through experience. Good consent isn't just ethical—it's strategic.

Want to talk more about turning your data collection into trust-building? Organizations with strong consent practices get more honest, detailed responses and deeper community engagement. Button provides the expertise and frameworks to make informed consent a strategic advantage, not a compliance burden.

Community Engagement

Join Button’s Canadian-First Virtual Lunch n’ Learn!

As trade tensions mount, something powerful is happening across Canada's government offices. From municipalities to federal agencies, there's a quiet but determined shift toward Canadian-first procurement. It feels patriotic. It feels prudent. And frankly? It feels urgent.

But here's what nobody's talking about:

🍁 When policy changes overnight, how do you adapt your digital ecosystem without getting overwhelmed?

🍁 How do you handle vendor transitions while maintaining duty of care? And what happens when there's simply no Canadian alternative available?

🍁 This is exactly what we're addressing in our upcoming free, virtual session.

We're bringing together leaders who are navigating these real-world tradeoffs right now. This isn't another theoretical discussion – it's a private, closed-door roundtable where you can share what's actually working (and what isn't) as you tackle:

✅ Tooling changes and vendor shifts – When do you make the call to swap out existing systems?

✅ Political pressure vs. practical constraints – Balancing legislative authority with duty of care

✅ Building modular systems – Creating ecosystems that adapt to constant change

✅ Risk management – Navigating uncertainty while maintaining service delivery

This free event has Chatham House Rules (no recording, total confidentiality), with a small group of vetted leaders sharing real stories, real solutions, and real impact. In a space to discuss what you can't say publicly. Because change is constant in government tech. The organizations that thrive are the ones that plan for it—and learn from others who've been there. You're exactly the kind of leader we want in the room.

Your June Event Calendar!

Kelowna

June 10-12 | Local Government Management Association (LGMA) Annual Conference 2025 
A professional development conference for local government practitioners and experts across British Columbia.
TIME: 7 AM PT - 7 PM PT
PLACE: Delta Hotels Grand Okanagan Resort, 1310 Water St.
COST: From $950 +GST
DETAILS

Victoria

June 10 | TEDx Victoria 
An inspiring day of ideas worth spreading featuring local and global changemakers in the heart of the B.C. capital.
TIME: 9:30 AM PT
PLACE: McPherson Playhouse, 3 Centennial Square
COST: $108
DETAILS

Vancouver

June 16 | Embracing Complexity in Planning, Intervention and Evaluation 
A professional development workshop on complex systems thinking in planning and evaluation.
TIME: 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM PT
PLACE: Morris J Wosk Centre for Dialogue, 580 West Hastings St., Room 320
COST: Free
DETAILS

Calgary

June 6 | From Hype to Impact: How AI is Changing Business Intelligence 
Explore how artificial intelligence applications in business intelligence and analytics.
TIME: 10 AM - 1 PM MT
PLACE: Platform, 407 9 Ave. SE
COST: Free
DETAILS

Toronto

June 18 | Assembling Change: How cities and citizens are reshaping public discourse 
A University of Toronto School of Cities discussion on urban civic engagement and public discourse.
TIME: 6 PM – 8:00 PM ET
PLACE: U of T: Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus, 108 College St., 7th Floor, East Winter Garden
COST: Free
DETAILS

Montreal

June 14 | Design for Democracy - Community Idea Jam 
A full-day collaborative workshop focused on democratic design and community engagement.
TIME: 9 AM – 9 PM ET
PLACE: Walter Montréal, 85 Rue Saint-Paul Ouest Montréal
COST: $48
DETAILS

Button News

May’s Lunch n’ Learn Recap: Are chatbots ever okay?

This month, we asked a question that seemed simple enough: Are chatbots ever okay? Turns out, it wasn't so simple after all.

We brought together folks from government, nonprofits, and industry to dig into something we're all wrestling with—the role of chatbots in public-facing services. One participant captured the mood perfectly: "They're everywhere, but do they actually help?"

Looking back to move forward

We started where these conversations should start—with ELIZA, PARRY, Jabberwocky, and ALICE. These early programs weren't just technological curiosities; they were the first attempts to make machines feel conversational. They set us on a path toward today's task handlers, triage bots, and FAQ helpers. Sometimes they work beautifully. Sometimes... well, we've all been there.

What we keep coming back to

Here's something the room agreed on quickly: people want to feel heard. When a chatbot gets in the way—endless loops, missed context, robotic responses—it doesn't just frustrate users. It chips away at their trust in the entire system behind it.

But (and this feels important) we also heard stories where chatbots genuinely helped. Users completing complex tasks in a single interaction. No transfers, no waiting on hold, no starting over. Research backs this up too—well-designed bots can match experienced support staff and often outperform newer team members on routine questions.

The human-friendly difference

The difference between helpful and harmful seems to come down to being human-friendly, not just functional. We're talking about plain language instead of bureaucratic speak. Clear options instead of confusing menus. A tone that sounds like it comes from a person, not a policy manual.

Small details matter more than we might expect. Giving the bot a name. Being upfront about what it can and can't do. Letting people know when they're about to be transferred to a human. These aren't just nice touches—they're fundamental to building trust.

When the stakes are high

We spent time on the harder cases too. Legal services. Income support. Healthcare navigation. In these spaces, even small miscommunications can cascade into dire consequences for real people.

Some public service teams are responding by building their own chatbots from scratch, training them on verified content rather than general-purpose AI models. It's more work upfront, but it gives them something precious: control over what their bot knows and how it responds.

A curious contradiction

Here's something that surprised us: even when chatbots perform well, many people still prefer thinking there's a human on the other end. That expectation shapes how we interact, what we're willing to share, and how patient we are when things don't go perfectly.

It makes us wonder—are we designing for how people actually behave, or how we think they should behave?

What this means for us

At Button, we keep coming back to a simple idea: good technology should serve people, not the other way around. This conversation reminded us that chatbots don't need to be impressive to be helpful. They need to respect people's time, attention, and need for clarity.

They need to make the system more human, not less.

What's next

Thanks to everyone who joined and shared so openly. These aren't easy questions, and there aren't perfect answers. But talking through them together—that feels like progress.

We'll keep this series going with more design questions that public teams are quietly wrestling with every day. See above for our June 4 session! Because the best solutions often come from admitting we don't have all the answers yet.

Worth Your Attention

What We’re Reading: Working With Data in the Public Sector: From Fear to Enthusiasm

Authors Anne McIntyre-Lahner and Ronald Schack tackle a critical challenge facing public administration professionals: data anxiety. This practical guide transforms the intimidating world of data analysis into an accessible toolkit for government practitioners at all levels.

The authors introduce a data fear/comfort continuum, acknowledging that professionals experience varying degrees of discomfort with data tasks. Rather than dismiss these concerns, they provide concrete fear-fighting techniques for real-world scenarios—from in-the-moment anxiety management to systematic approaches for data sharing and reporting.

A standout feature is the self-assessment instrument that helps individuals and organizations identify specific problem areas. The book effectively demonstrates how individual data fears can cascade through entire organizations, potentially undermining evidence-based decision-making.

Further Reading

Stay on top of vital digital services news and tips by checking out insights from our previous newsletters

BUYING CANADIAN IS NOT ENOUGH: A practical technology roadmap for going from foreign vendor lock-in to harnessing Canadian innovation.

STREAMLINING FEATURE APPROVAL IN GOVERNMENT APPS: The Button secret for streamlining feature approvals for seamless, consistent user experiences across government applications.

NAVIGATING THE AI LANDSCAPE IN PUBLIC SERVICE: A decision-making framework for open-source vs. proprietary models.

REKINDLING DIGITAL TRUST: Button helps our partners build digital trust with their citizens every day. Learn how with our video, blog and white-paper guides today!

🔥 THE NEWEST HOT BUTTON REPORT: Learn how to rebuild trust with your stakeholders. Download the full, free report now.

Curious what a Canadian-first tech stack could look like for you?

We’ll happily walk you through three smart swaps that improve resilience, and reduce exposure without breaking your workflows.

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