Beyond the hype: using story-telling to explore the use of new forms of data in local government

Abstract

New forms of data like 'big data' and 'open data' are increasingly common buzz words for the future of policy development in the United Kingdom and abroad. Despite numerous theoretical papers that discuss the potential for these kinds of data, there is limited evidence on the challenges of day-to-day use of new forms of data in policy. The aim of this study is to explore the practical catalysts and limitations of using data in local policy projects. This research used story completion exercises to examine data projects in the Bath and North East Somerset area of the United Kingdom. Local policymakers, civic hackers, and 'armchair' data enthusiasts were recruited through an actor-network theory driven approach. A short story completion prompt was developed to explore how a theoretical community organiser, e.g. 'Sam', would access data in their local government. A story completion method was chosen as a way to probe opinions on the use of data that may be unpopular or in rare cases unethical. It was hoped that participants would finish the story prompt with how they thought a typical data project would run. Once this study's data collection is complete, the stories will be analysed thematically. Early results suggest common themes around the necessity of being flexible in how local data is accessed, the key role of personal relationships to gaining access to data, as well as the role of data protection laws in limiting data sharing. Exploring the use of data in local government through story-telling offers an opportunity to better understand the current state of data use in local government. As well, this research will build on a growing body of literature around the influence of community organisations and individuals in the world of government data projects.