LIS and Data Engagement

Graham Lally

Oxford Consultants for Social Inclusion

graham.lally@ocsi.co.ukhttp://www.ocsi.co.uk/

Coming up

Data Engagement

What is it?

How can it be done?

What are we talking about?

Go beyond just providing data - helping people to get the most use out of it too.

"A commitment to open data involves making information and data resources accessible to all without discrimination; and actively engaging to ensure that information and data can be used in a wide range of ways."

"[We need a way to]... get beyond simply publishing datasets, and get to supporting people to use data to create social, economic and administrative change."

- UK GovCamp 2012(See http://www.timdavies.org.uk/2012/01/21/5-stars-of-open-data-engagement/)

#ilovemylibrary

Libraries

Libraries Have:

• A lot of different content• A lot of different users

So they need to find ways to make finding, suggesting, using information and supporting users as easy as possible

Same challenge for LIS

But...

• New users and audiences have different backgrounds, skills, language, needs and questions

• Can get confusing quickly

• How can LIS approach it in a clear, structured way?

• What role(s) can LIS play?

A Charter of Engagement

1. Be demand driven

2. Provide metadata,     context

3. Support conversation     around the data

4. Support skills & capacity

5. Data collaboration

A Charter of Engagement

1. Be demand driven

2. Provide metadata,     context

3. Support conversation     around the data

4. Support skills & capacity

5. Data collaboration

1. Choosing data

2. Help to understand the     data

3. Help to talk about the      data

4. Help to do things with      the data

5. Help improve the data

1. Choosing data

What info do people need to make decisions (right now)?

• Anticipate needs• Get involved in discussions• Use website analytics - what pages do people visit?• Search metrics - what are people actually looking for?

Search Metrics

Choosing Data

Databridge UK 

1. Choosing data

• Resources & Signposting - where else could people look?

• Can people ask you where something is?Simple, separate form for people to ask where they can find data?

2. Help to Understand the data

• Understand users - get on the road!

• Is metadata easily accessible and clear?

• Is there information available on frequency of data updates, formats, reliability concerns, etc?

• Glossary or guide to the data

• Any other examples of data being used?

3. Help to Talk about the data

• Go to the conversation - what existing user groups are there?

• Be sharableo Hyperlinkso 'Share this' buttons for social mediao E-mail alertso News items/blog posts

• Be openo Can users comment at your site?o Can users reply to each other?

4. Help to Use the data

• Lead by example

4. Help to Use the data

• Lead by example

• Show examples of where data is being usedo Reportso News articleso Apps?

• Provide links to useful resources and supporto Localo Nationalo General

(e.g. http://www.improving-visualisation.org/case-studies)

5. Help to Improve the data

• What is missing?

• Why is it missing?

• How could it be added?

What do people still need for "social, economic and administrative change"?

What to do first?

• Remember, just a guide

• But breaks complex area down into easy-to-digest chunks

• Can focus on what's most useful or appropriate for you

Thanks

graham.lally@ocsi.co.ukhttp://www.ocsi.co.uk/