Welcome to the Data in Action Toolkit
Background
Today, it is common to use big data sources like mobile, satellite, and text for development insights in World Bank research and development operations. And there is growing use of open data science tools and practices, making data innovation in the development community more collaborative, reusable, and standards-based. Along the way, we've learned many lessons.
The Data in Action Toolkit is a collection of materials to support the process of designing and delivering data products in the context of international development. The toolkit is not comprised of official World Bank project templates, but provides informal materials that have been used in dozens of multi-stakeholder workshops with leading experts from a diverse range of organizations in the development data community, including: SecondMuse, UN Global Pulse, Data-Pop Alliance, Giant, Amazon Web Services, LinkedIn, Facebook, MIT, University of Chicago, Vital Wave, USAID, Digital Impact Alliance, the National Science Foundation, and the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (GPSDD).
The Data in Action Framework
Data is not the same as knowledge, and many capacities are required to generate actionable insights. Often, this process is cyclical and interactive. For example, an analysis may shed light on new data needed, or the very act of consolidating data may reveal insights which inform an analysis or the need to access data in a different way. In any case, all phases of the cycle inform each other through a rich process of learning.
Source: Big Data in Action for Development. Washington, DC. World Bank. 2014.
The Journey: What to Expect
Practitioners that pursue a large data development program typically follow three phases.
1. Discovery | 2. Incubation | 3. Scale |
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In the rest of this toolkit, we delve deeper into this framework and many others. Read on to learn more.