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The Government as a Platform (GaaP) business model is based on the fact that government entities, at all levels, have a wealth of data resources that can and should be used to bring about internal efficiencies, economic development and civic entrepreneurship. However, because of siloed planning and resource allocation practices, we have developed our information systems and governance in ways that prohibit the use of our data and digital assets for the greatest benefit to our communities and constituents.

Furthermore, our current governance structures act to restrict the use of public data and digital services to the extent that we have created a monopoly over the resources, which increases the costs of delivering end-user services to constituents. The GaaP business model uses data, information, and knowledge to develop platform services. The platform services connect data across disparate information systems and allow new services and products to be created from the commodity components of the platform.

Commodity components include refined digital knowledge services (e.g., Web services, microservices, and application programming interfaces) and refined knowledge assets (e.g., standardized and master data). Knowledge service development could be viewed as the scientific method behind the GaaP business model.