Suzanne McClure
The Defence Data Research Centre (DDRC) facilitated 33 workshops for six UK sectors in England, Scotland, and Wales between June and November 2023. In the workshops, teams are provided with a bespoke set of LEGO® bricks and components that were specifically selected to address issues pertaining to organisational data. Participants built LEGO® models based on data-focused challenges and then each team explained the nuances of their design and construction. This sharing of their story was recorded, transcribed, and edited; the workshop transcripts comprise the DDRC workshop research dataset.
Results from quantitative textual, thematic, and sentiment analysis are combined with qualitative coding research outcomes to provide an overall view of the challenges confronting organisations today, both technological and human. The diagram illustrates the five overarching categories of concern: data, technology, organisational policies, personnel, and risk. The topics discussed in the workshops represent expressions of perceived risks and barriers to success, as well as the need for improvements in all five areas. The findings encapsulate challenges for organisations across all six sectors. By identifying these topics, a more comprehensive understanding is offered to assist organisations in refining and strengthening their data environment through various means such as a thorough review of data management practices; organisational policies and procedures; and risks associated with human error, external threats, and IT infrastructure. The diagram provides a summary of the opinions expressed by DDRC workshop participants and offers recommendations for issues such as improved data management practices, enhanced human resource protocols, and expanded organisational collaboration and communication to effectively address the challenges involved in creating an efficient and effective data environment.
Attitudes to Data infographic; click to enlarge.
