Many of us are hard at work to build "data culture" at the organizations and communities we serve.
But isn’t it time that we—a community of impact and measurement geeks—started measuring the impact of our own efforts to foster data cultures? This session, which will include activities for interaction and participant-driven learning, introduces IREX's new
data readiness tool.
Unlike other existing similar tools (see World Bank’s Open Data Readiness Assesment or CCSSE’s institutional data readiness tool), this one emphasizes the
human elements of data use, like understanding how different actors value their existing data, or whether leaders have the soft skills to ethically and accurately interpret data. The tool also features a new survey method to
visualize data flows (and blockages) within an organization or system, to help identify opportunities for better data sharing and use.
Although one of IREX's tools will be introduced, this session is
not a place for self-promotion. With the help of our panelist and co-facilitator Agnieszka Rawa from the Millennium Challenge Corporation, we'll host a meaningful discussion about:
- Why does it matter to measure data cultures? Why is this important for donors like the MCC?
- What other efforts to measure data culture and use exist?
- How should we defined "data culture"? Could our indicators be improved?
We’ll close with a call to action for participants to join a “user group” testing and applying this tool as they foster stronger cultures of data use in their own organizations.
