---
id: "worksheets:exercise/identifying-data"
type: "Solving Public Problems worksheet"
title: "Identifying the Data"
url: "https://worksheets.solvingpublicproblems.org/exercise/identifying-data"
date: "2024-07-11"
summary: "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..."
source: "Solving Public Problems worksheets (worksheets.solvingpublicproblems.org), The GovLab and the Burnes Center for Social Change"
licence: "none stated"
---

# Identifying the Data

Exercise group: Defining Problems with Data · Recommended exercise

## 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.

## Questions

1. What is the problem that I want to study, and what data can best represent this problem?
2. 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?
3. What format do I want these data to be in?

## Source

Solving Public Problems, Chapter 6, p. 169

## PDF version

https://directus.theburnescenter.org/assets/dfb33b4c-7c7b-4e5b-9f6b-96f7f96b543b

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Original page: https://worksheets.solvingpublicproblems.org/exercise/identifying-data · Licence: none stated