What Makes Public Sector Data Valuable for Development?

Abstract

Data produced by the public sector can have transformational impacts on development outcomes through better targeting of resources, improved service delivery, cost savings, increased accountability, and more. Around the world, the amount of data produced by the public sector is increasing rapidly, but we argue the full potential of data to improve development outcomes has not been realized yet. We outline 12 features needed for data to generate greater value for development and present case studies substantiating these features. We argue that a key reason why the transformational value of data has not yet been realized is that suboptimal data—data not satisfying these 12 features—are being supplied. The features are that the data should be of adequate spatial and temporal coverage (complete, frequent, and timely), should be of high quality (accurate, comparable, and granular), should be easy to use (accessible, understandable, and interoperable), and should be safe to use (impartial, confidential, and appropriate).

Missing Evidence: Tracking Academic Data Use around the World

“…Many researchers spend countless hours digesting data, using data to create new knowledge, and communicating this knowledge with the intent of impacting public discourse and public policies. There are numerous examples of datadriven analyses having real and important impacts on people's lives (Jolliffe et al 2023). One example from Brazil explicitly looks at researchers' ability to influence policy outcomes.…”