At the end of January, the 91 Data Working Group met to hear the latest on digital developments in London from Theo Blackwell, London’s first Chief Digital Officer, and set its priorities for the year.
London leading the way
Theo kicked off the meeting with an update on the new that met for the first time last year and his vision for the future, including the development of a new data platform for London, the development of agile data governance to support new projects but also to ensure that they are compliant and ethical, encouraging digital literacy across London and creating a Community of Practice. He stressed that none of this would be possible without partnership working and referenced the work already done on ethics, working with the London Office of Technology and Innovation (LOTI), which recently appointed .
Projects for the year
Data is essential to understanding environmental impacts, assessing future risks and finding innovative ways to mitigate those risks and discover commercial opportunities. Alteryx shared work they are already doing with two London boroughs involving data analytics. It could be used on a range of projects including the best places to put EV charging points or solar panels. The team from KCL expressed their interest in developing other projects under the net zero umbrella and on developing digital skills.
Data Standards aren’t the most exciting topic, but they are as essential to digital developments as functional tracks as junctions were to the development of the railways. Without them, it is difficult to create a genuinely interoperable project, and a lack of clarity on standards can put people off starting projects at all. Legislation is emerging that will impose data standards on the planning process, and there has been a recent consultation on the sort of standards that might be used to secure the ‘golden thread’ of data for managing fire safety in buildings, so this is an issue no one can ignore.
This is one area where the working group wants to make a real difference this year, working with the GLA and other relevant bodies such as the and the and taking into account work already done by DCMS and the Geospatial Commission. Rather than reinvent the wheel, we’re going to focus on the question that Theo asked at the meeting: ‘What is City’s role in standards?’ as a discussion topic at the next working group meeting?
And finally…returning to the Principles
The London Data Charteris an opportunity for anyone who wants to promote the use of data to help London’s recovery to sign up to the Principles. We want these Principles to evolve with the group – so this year will also include a review of those Principles led by Holly Lambert from Pinsent Masons, one of the group’s newest members.
Sue Chadwick is Chair, 91data working group, Member, London Data Board, Chair, RED Foundation Data Ethics Steering Group and Strategic and Digital Planning Advisor. Pinsent Masons