Supporting information

Jump to:

• Bolton Research and Intelligence Network (BRAIN)
• What is the question?
• Open data, managing and finding datasets
• Accessibility of data publications
• Ethical and responsible use of data
• Digital and data roles & responsiblities in the public sector

Bolton Research and Intelligence Network (BRAIN)

BRAIN is a virtual network under the Bolton Vision to embed use of good evidence and intelligence in decision making across Bolton by:

• increasing collaboration (formal / informal)
• enhancing capacity and capabilities
• reducing duplication
• providing expert challenge and support during development of priorities and actions

If you work with data, evidence or intelligence directly or in a more strategic role for a Bolton Vision organisation, why not join us?

Further useful information

• BRAIN overview
• Understanding the social and economic value of sharing data - from the Open Data Institute

What is the question?

In order to make the most of data, evidence, and intelligence, it helps to gain a better understanding of the challenge or question you are trying to find the answer to.

• Future councils playbook - a set of workbooks from Local Digital, to help define the problem space

Open data, managing and finding datasets

Open data is data that is openly accessible, exploitable, editable and shared by anyone for any purpose. There are two dimensions of data openness:

1. The data must be legally open, which means it must be placed in the public domain or under liberal terms of use with minimal restrictions.
2. The data must be technically open, which means it must be published in electronic formats that are machine readable and non-proprietary, so that anyone can access and use the data using common, freely available software tools.

Bolton Council has signed up to Open Data Manchester's Declaration for responsible and intelligent data practice. This provides a statement of intent, and a means for developing and maintaining best practice in Greater Manchester for collecting and using data lawfully and ethically, and doing so transparently and sustainably.

Good managment of data is important whether it is open data or data that remains within an organisation, but can make it easier to identify datasets that would be beneficial to open up and be confident it is safe to do so. Well managed data, whether open or not, is easier to find and use when it is needed so it can better improve decision making.

Further useful information

• Bolton Council open data
• The Governement data quality framework - guidance from the Government Data Quality Hub
• Metadata standards for sharing and publishing data - standards and guidance on how to improve data sharing
• Improving data discoverability with the government data marketplace - blog from gov.uk Central Digital and Data Office
• Guidance on designing spreadsheets for accessibliity - from Central Digital and Data Office
• UK public sector APIs
• Data Standards Authority - works to improve how the public sector manages data. The DSA does this by establishing standards to make it easier and more effective to share and use data across government.
• Mapping data ecosystems - guide from the Open Data Institute. a data ecosystem map can help identify the data stewards responsible for managing and ensuring access to a dataset, the different types of data users and the relationships between them. This can help to communicate where and how the use of open data creates value.

Accessibility of data publications

• Accessible charts - a checklist of the basics - from the Government Analysis Function
• Chart design guidance - from the Government Analysis Function
• ONS principles for data visualisations - includes points relevant to clarity and accessiblity
• Making analytical publications accessible - from the Government Analysis Function
• Writing about data - a concise summary of existing guidance to help you communicate your analysis in a clear and engaging way - from the Government Analysis Function

Ethical and responsible use of data

Legal frameworks set out what uses data can be put to, but data ethics is about considering what uses it should be put to. Using data legally, ethically, and repsonsibly and clearly communicating this helps build trust in an organisation's data use.

• Responsible data stewardship - from the Open Data Institute
• Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation - Part of Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
• AI Ethics and Governance in Practice - a series of workbooks from the Alan Turing institute to help the public sector apply AI ethics and safety to the design, development, and deployment of algorithmic systems
• Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard Hub - toolkit to helps public sector organisations provide clear information about the algorithmic tools they use, and why they’re using them. Produced by Central Digital and Data Office and Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation. Algorithmic tools solve a problem by breaking it down into smaller steps and follow a set of rules; they often run through the steps and rules many times to find the solution that performs best out of many attempts. Some algorithmic tools may be considered or referred to as AI (artifical intelligence).
• Guidance on Generative AI from LOTI the London Office of Technology and Innovation
• Guidance for civil servants on the use of generative AI - from the Cabinet Office and Central Digital & Data Office

Digital and data roles & responsibilities in the public sector

• Digital, data and technology roles in government and the skills needed to do them
• Analyst/ IT engineer national job profiles under Agenda for Change (NHS)
• NHS national competency framework - for data professionals in health and care

• Local governement data maturity tool - from the Local Government Association
• Data maturity assessment for government - from Central Digital & Data Office
• The local government digitalisation almanac - from the Local Government Association