Exercises

These exercises are designed to help you create and develop your public interest project. Each topic has one ore more exercises. If you have any questions about them, email us at hello@solvingpublicproblems.org

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Identifying the Data

Source: Solving Public Problems, Chapter 6, p. 169
ABOUT THIS WORKSHEET:

In the era of big data, you need to understand what information you are looking for to help define your problem.What is the problem that I want to study, and what data can best represent this problem?What format do I want these data to be in?What could be some good sources to find the data I am looking for? If the data are not publicly available, whom should I contact to get access to them, or what steps should I take to collect the data myself?

TIPS:
  • Conduct a data audit: compare existing open data sets from across agencies with the types of information needed to answer priority questions.
  • Talk to those who hold the data: take political considerations into account and be sure to articulate how the data will be productively used to justify the effort required to collect and/or publish the data.
  • Engage with data and domain experts: partner with relevant staff inside and outside government to ensure you have the data expertise needed to use the data.
  • Prepare and clean the data: work with data experts to ensure that the data are timely, complete, and relevant.

Give your worksheet a name:

Hit save once you have completed filling out the worksheet. If you set a password, you can come back and edit it anytime!
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Having trouble with this exercise? Get in touch with us: hello@solvingpublicproblems.org

What is the problem that I want to study, and what data can best represent this problem?

What could be some good sources to find the data I am looking for? If the data are not publicly available, whom should I contact to get access to them, or what steps should I take to collect the data myself?

What format do I want these data to be in?

Hit save once you have completed filling out the worksheet. If you set a password, you can come back and edit it anytime!
If you like to receive your responses via email, please enter your email address below too.
Having trouble with this exercise? Get in touch with us: hello@solvingpublicproblems.org