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Why it matters
Why it matters
Understanding the data challenge early on will help teams arrive at the right solution and avoid the common pitfall of solving for the wrong problem. Teams should invest ample time asking analytical questions to gain more comprehensive insight into the underlying problem. Teams should also develop a strategy to answer those questions and explore potential solutions. By doing this foundational work up front, teams will be able to operate their data project more efficiently and have greater long-term impact.
Checklist
Checklist
Form a problem statement based on your current understanding of the challenge at hand. Remember, this can be revised.
Develop lines of inquiry about the problem. Explore why the problem is worth addressing and what data roadblocks you would need to overcome. Examine the root cause of the problem and start thinking about potential solutions.
Refine your problem statement based on your lines of inquiry.
Analyze case studies and research from other states and organizations to get a better sense of best practices and what’s worked before.
Understand the stakeholder landscape. Who is affected by the data project, who will drive a project’s success, and who is interested in its impact? Be sure to understand the level of project interest and influence for all stakeholders.
Conduct stakeholder interviews to learn more about the problem and to explore lines of inquiry.
Refine your problem statement based on the interviews.
Key Questions
Key Questions
What is the current problem as you see it? What do you already know or not know about the problem?
What questions do you have about the problem, the issue area, and your specific project? What do you need to answer these questions?
Has any other government (local, state, federal level) encountered a similar problem? What can we learn about what they have tried?
Are there legislative priorities that you should be aware of? Who is leading these efforts?
Who are the key stakeholders and equity champions? Allies? Legal resources? "Make or break" stakeholders?
Did common themes arise in stakeholder conversations? Issues? Challenges? Obstacles?
Does your state have equity-focused criteria for evaluating programs or projects?
Tools + Resources
Tools + Resources
Foundations of a Successful Data Project: Thoughtfully Analyzing Data Challenges (Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation)
Are you solving the right problem? (Harvard Business Review)
Playbook: Open Data Scope-a-thon (Sunlight)
Data Science Project Scoping Guide (Data Science for Social Good)
About the Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation
About the Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation
The Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation at Georgetown University seeks to improve people’s daily lives by helping governments utilize data, design, technology, and policy to better meet the needs of their residents. An anchor of Georgetown University’s Tech and Society Initiative, the Beeck Center works alongside public, private, and non-profit organizations to identify and establish human-centered solutions that help government services work better for everyone, especially the most vulnerable and underserved populations.
About the national governors association
About the national governors association
The National Governors Association is the voice of the leaders of 55 states, territories, and commonwealths and supports governors in their work to develop innovative solutions to today’s problems. Through the NGA Center for Best Practices, Governors work with policy teams to identify priority issues and deal with matters of public policy and governance at the state, national and global levels.
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