open data institute
2019 HIGHLIGHTS
OPEN DATA INSTITUTE
2019 HIGHLIGHTS
VIEW FROM THE CEO
Jeni Tennison
Dear partners, supporters, friends, colleagues…
In 2019, we focused on how to make the way data is opened and shared fairer and more trustworthy. We explored this through a range of projects, things like: piloting data trusts to help people share data in more trustworthy ways creating a toolkit to help the public sector build services involving data, and helping companies develop their data ethics practice and capability.
With our partners and clients, we worked on data across sectors including health and physical activity, engineering, agriculture and banking. And we didn’t just do this in the UK: in 2019 our work has taken us to places like India, Ethiopia, the US, and across Europe.
We trained more than 4,000 people and reached over 800k people through our events and blog posts. We helped data startups realise almost £17m of impact and investment, and create over 100 new jobs.
We couldn’t have done this without support from Luminate R&D funding from Innovate UK and support from our partners and members.
VIEW FROM THE CEO – Jeni Tennison
Dear partners, supporters, friends, colleagues…
In 2019, we focused on how to make the way data is opened and shared fairer and more trustworthy. We explored this through a range of projects, things like: piloting data trusts to help people share data in more trustworthy ways creating a toolkit to help the public sector build services involving data, and helping companies develop their data ethics practice and capability.
With our partners and clients, we worked on data across sectors including health and physical activity, engineering, agriculture and banking. And we didn’t just do this in the UK: in 2019 our work has taken us to places like India, Ethiopia, the US, and across Europe.
We trained more than 4,000 people and reached over 800k people through our events and blog posts. We helped data startups realise almost £17m of impact and investment, and create over 100 new jobs.
We couldn’t have done this without support from Luminate R&D funding from Innovate UK and support from our partners and members.
We want a world where data works for everyone
We work with companies and governments to form an open, trustworthy data ecosystem
engagement and ethics
We found creative and practical ways to engage people in both data ethics and data rights
In 2019 we wanted to get a better understanding of how much people knew about how personal was being accessed, used and shared – and how they felt about it.
We partnered with the RSA and Luminate to run focus groups and workshops exploring people’s understanding of data about us. In the course of our research, we found those we spoke to knew and cared more than people are given credit for, and wanted greater agency, rights and protection over their digital lives.
We published a report: About Data About Us, and a short animation which brings to life some of the perspectives we heard. The project was featured in SmartCitiesWorld and was shared widely through social media.
In 2019 we found creative and practical ways to engage people in data ethics and rights
In 2019 we wanted to get a better understanding of how much people knew about how personal was being accessed, used and shared – and how they felt about it.
We partnered with the RSA and Luminate to run focus groups and workshops exploring people’s understanding of data about us. In the course of our research, we found those we spoke to knew and cared more than people are given credit for, and wanted greater agency, rights and protection over their digital lives.
We published a report: About Data About Us, and a short animation which brings to life some of the perspectives we heard. The project was featured in SmartCitiesWorld and was shared widely through social media.
People have told us they want greater…
…over how data about them is used
People have told us they want greater…
…over how data about them is used
Data Ethics Canvas
We updated our Data Ethics Canvas and talked to people to see how they feel
To help organisations identify and manage ethical issues throughout projects that use data.
It’s now been used by at least 80 organisations in 57 countries and we’ve trained over 130 people
Through a YouGov survey we explored current attitudes towards the ethical use of personal data The findings showed that the majority of people feel it is important that data about us is used ethically, but they don’t trust most public and private organisations to do so.
We also continued to engage people in debate through our Data as Culture art programme and the Data Stories project with the University of Southampton.
Data Ethics Canvas
We updated our Data Ethics Canvas…
To help organisations identify and manage ethical issues throughout projects that use data.
It’s now been used by at least 80 organisations in 57 countries and we’ve trained over 130 people
Engagement
and we talked to people to see how they feel
Through a YouGov survey we explored current attitudes towards the ethical use of personal data. The findings showed that the majority of people feel it is important that data about us is used ethically, but they don’t trust most public and private organisations to do so.
We also continued to engage people in debate through our Data as Culture art programme and the Data Stories project with the University of Southampton.
14k
Subscribers to The Week in Data
15k
‘ODI Fridays’ lunchtime lecture viewers
2.5k
Event attendees
350k
Web visits – 66% from people outside the UK
We creatively explored different ways of sharing and accessing data
Data Access Map
There are many different approaches and models for accessing data
As part of our R&D programme we created the Data Access Map to help people and organisations explore the various options and navigate this difficult terrain.
At the ODI we use the Data Access Map to tell stories about the wide world of data access and to explain difficult concepts about data.
DATA ACCESS MAP
There are many different approaches and models for accessing data
As part of our R&D programme we created the Data Access Map to help people and organisations explore the various options and navigate this difficult terrain.
At the ODI we use the Data Access Map to tell stories about the wide world of data access and to explain difficult concepts about data.
Data Trusts
Data trusts was one data access model we explored in more detail
Through our R&D programme and through dedicated funding from the UK’s Office for AI, we’ve been exploring how data institutions, in particular data trusts, could help to increase data sharing while retaining trust from both people and organisations.
Our report, Data trusts: lessons from three pilots reviewed the learnings and potential of the data trust model.
The pilots were built around real data-solvable challenges: Reducing illegal wildlife trade by making global wildlife data more accessible; Tackling food waste by using data to track and measure how much food is wasted in supply chains; and Improving city services by exploring whether new citizen services could be developed through better data use.
DATA TRUSTS
Data trusts was one data access model we explored in more detail
Through our R&D programme and through dedicated funding from the UK’s Office for AI, we’ve been exploring how data institutions, in particular data trusts, could help to increase data sharing while retaining trust from both people and organisations.
Our report, Data trusts: lessons from three pilots reviewed the learnings and potential of the data trust model.
The pilots were built around real data-solvable challenges: Reducing illegal wildlife trade by making global wildlife data more accessible; Tackling food waste by using data to track and measure how much food is wasted in supply chains; and Improving city services by exploring whether new citizen services could be developed through better data use.
Data trusts
“A data trust is a legal structure that provides independent stewardship of data”
The definition of a data trust we used sparked lively debate and discussion around the topic in the UK and internationally.
In April, we shared our findings at an event – Increasing trust in data: could ‘data trusts’ help? – at the RSA in London, attended by 200 people.
DATA TRUSTS
“A data trust is a legal structure that provides independent stewardship of data”
The definition of a data trust we used sparked lively debate and discussion around the topic in the UK and internationally.
In April, we shared our findings at an event – Increasing trust in data: could ‘data trusts’ help? – at the RSA in London, attended by 200 people.
toolkit
We created a toolkit for using data in public services
We worked with local authorities across the UK to find and showcase data-enabled innovation in local public services. We funded four projects using open geospatial data to improve mobility, poverty and inequality.
From this and previous work, we developed the Data and Public Services Toolkit The tools are designed to be used collaboratively by all involved in developing public services, not just people with technical skills.
The toolkit includes the Data and Public Services Business Case Canvas; the Data Ethics Canvas; and the Data Ecosystem mapping tool
toolkit
We created a toolkit for using data in public services
We worked with local authorities across the UK to find and showcase data-enabled innovation in local public services. We funded four projects using open geospatial data to improve mobility, poverty and inequality.
From this and previous work, we developed the Data and Public Services Toolkit The tools are designed to be used collaboratively by all involved in developing public services, not just people with technical skills.
The toolkit includes the Data and Public Services Business Case Canvas; the Data Ethics Canvas; and the Data Ecosystem mapping tool
“We love the Open Data Institute's new Toolkit”
Jenni Parker
Founder and Directly, Humanly
Jenni Parker, Founder and Director, Humanly
an ODI Member
“We love the Open Data Institute's new Toolkit which helps develop improved public services with data”
research and development
We entered the third year of our research and development programme
The £6M programme, funded by Innovate UK aims to support innovation improve data infrastructure and encourage ethical data sharing.
We focused on topics that address current data challenges for the public, businesses and policymakers, including: digital twins; collaborative data maintenance; data sharing in the private sector; open cities; data infrastructure and international trade.
Research and development
We entered the third year of our research and development programme
The £6M programme, funded by Innovate UK aims to support innovation improve data infrastructure and encourage ethical data sharing.
We focused on topics that address current data challenges for the public, businesses and policymakers, including: digital twins; collaborative data maintenance; data sharing in the private sector; open cities; data infrastructure and international trade.
“Being a member helps us keep up with the latest research and learn from and connect with our peers”
Bill Roberts
CEO, Swirrl
Bill Roberts,
CEO, Swirrl
an ODI Member
“Being a member helps us keep up with the latest research and learn from and connect with our peers”
4,250
People trained
20
Countries worked with
innovation
We continued our work supporting innovation and startups
OpenActive
Stewarded by the ODI, OpenActive is a community-led initiative launched in 2016, with the ambition to help the 17.7 million (39.4%) ‘underactive’ adults in England to easily discover and take part in suitable activities.
The initiative is supported by Sport England and formed by organisations and engaged individuals working within the sport and physical activity sector.
OpenActive
Stewarded by the ODI, OpenActive is a community-led initiative launched in 2016, with the ambition to help the 17.7 million (39.4%) ‘underactive’ adults in England to easily discover and take part in suitable activities.
The initiative is supported by Sport England and formed by organisations and engaged individuals working within the sport and physical activity sector.
over 3 years Open Active has reached:
683
Activity types listed, from abseiling to zumba
98
Community members listed on the OpenActive website
10
Startups directly supported by the OpenActive Accelerator
230,000+
Open opportunity data sessions: a session is an opportunity described by its name, date, activity type and location
Data Pitch
One of our most impactful programmes championing data sharing in the private sector is Data Pitch, which, after three exciting years, drew to a close in 2019.
Data Pitch helped businesses create value and take advantage of data-based solutions by linking up startups and entrepreneurs – who have the initiative and ideas to create solutions – with large data-holding organisations with data-related challenges to be solved.
Data Pitch
One of our most impactful programmes championing data sharing in the private sector is Data Pitch, which, after three exciting years, drew to a close in 2019.
Data Pitch helped businesses create value and take advantage of data-based solutions by linking up startups and entrepreneurs – who have the initiative and ideas to create solutions – with large data-holding organisations with data-related challenges to be solved.
£4.5M
Impact we helped 29 startups achieve
By 2019 Data Pitch had achieved:
47
Companies in two rounds of applications
13
Accelerated companies drawn from 13 countries
112
Additional jobs created
by Data Pitch startups and SMEs
€22.4m
In measured impact, including total amount of sales, investments and efficiencies unlocked by accelerated companies
“We value the collaborative work that the ODI does to address today’s global data challenges”
Matthew White
Senior Business Development Manager, 1Spatial
Matthew White, Senior Business Development Manager, 1Spatial
an ODI Member
“We value the collaborative work that the ODI does to address today’s global data challenges”
Private sector
We partnered with companies transforming how they work with data
We worked with a range of private-sector organisations to help them make better use of data across sectors such as finance, retail and the built environment.
The ODI Commercial Partnership programme enables us to connect organisations across different sectors, who share a common vision of a collaborative and open future.
private sector
We partnered with companies transforming how they work with data
We worked with a range of private-sector organisations to help them make better use of data across sectors such as finance, retail and the built environment.
The ODI Commercial Partnership programme enables us to connect organisations across different sectors, who share a common vision of a collaborative and open future.
private sector partnerships
Arup is an independent firm working across every aspect of today’s built environment. In 2019 we strengthened our partnership and explored how data can improve people’s experience of cities and the built environment, with the aim to capture and share best practice, success stories and lessons learned.
Deutsche Bank AG is a global multinational investment bank and financial services company. In 2019 we continued our partnership, building on previous stakeholder research to help identify, test and implement solutions to make data more accessible and open, and transform organisational culture.
Pinsent Masons is an international law firm that joined our commercial partnership programme in 2019. The partnership builds on our past joint work alongside the Office for AI on the data trusts pilot project. We are now working with Pinsent Masons to explore the next stage in the evolution of data trusts.
Refinitiv is one of the world’s largest providers of real-time and historical financial market data. In 2019 we continued our work in partnership with Refinitiv to help in its mission to place trust in data at the core of its model, and to explore ‘alt data’ in the financial and investment sectors.
Co-op is one of the world’s largest consumer co-operatives. In 2019 we built on our partnership and worked closely with their data team to explore data protection and trust in data, focusing on integrity, transparency and meaningful consent.
training
Training
Training
3,200
eLearning
1,000
Face-to-face
Training
In 2019 we trained over 4,250 people bringing our total lifetime reach to over 28,000 people.
We also refreshed our Data Skills Framework to reflect new requirements from organisations working with data.
We offer online, blended and face-to-face courses designed to help people and organisations use data as part of its everyday language.
In 2019 we trained over 4,250 people bringing our total lifetime reach to over 28,000 people.
We also refreshed our Data Skills Framework to reflect new requirements from organisations working with data.
We offer online, blended and face-to-face courses designed to help people and organisations use data as part of its everyday language.
3,200
eLearning
1,000
Face-to-face
collaboration
We collaborated with a diverse range of sectors and industries
In 2019, the ODI has joined forces with Full Fact and international fact checkers to use artificial intelligence to dramatically improve and expand the global fight against misinformation having won the Google AI Impact Challenge in partnership with Full Fact.
This involved working with media outlets, civil society, platforms and public policymakers worldwide to help them understand how AI can help people decide what information to trust and bring the benefits of automated fact-checking tools to everyone.
With Full Fact and other civil society partners, we urged the UK government to overhaul its use of data, outlining the opportunities and risks around investing in data.
Better access to data can help organisations make more informed decisions.
We worked with the Lloyd’s Register Foundation to explore increasing data sharing in the engineering sector.
The aim was to help to build a global ‘safety evidence base’ to generate insights to improve decision making around policies, practice and investments – and ultimately – inform the public’s understanding of risk.
In October 2019, we published a manifesto and report encouraging organisations to use, publish and share data to increase safety within the sector.
Working with the University of Surrey and the UK’s National Archives, the ARCHANGEL project explored how blockchain and machine learning could address challenges around trust, integrity and authenticity of archived records.
We collaborated in exploring, developing and prototyping these technologies to underpin trust in digital archives. The work culminated in 2019 in the pilot of a system across five countries, and in a report ARCHANGEL: guaranteeing the integrity of digital archives
With funding from The Wellcome Trust the ODI started work on a nine-month project to scope a series of health-data challenge prizes.
The prizes will aim to address prevalent health challenges across UK, India and sub-saharan Africa by equipping and motivating data scientists to innovate with health data for public good. The prizes will be designed not only to stimulate health-data innovation, but also ensure data innovation is trustworthy through actively engaging and enabling patients and clinicians to participate in health-data innovation.
With funding from the Gates Foundation and working in collaboration with Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI), this project built on our previous work to develop effective agricultural data ecosystems in key regions including India and Ethiopia.
In 2019, we worked closely with partners to scope requirements for the next phase of practical advocacy tools, guidelines and learning programmes to support the management, sharing and governance of data across agricultural data ecosystems
thought leadership
Thought
leadership
Political adverts, trustworthy data institutions and tackling fake news
The impact of our work is increased when we reach and influence policymakers and others who drive change. We reached 20m people through over 200 media stories in 2019, focusing on increasing trustworthy access to data.
Examples include our Co-Founder, Sir Nigel Shadbolt, writing for The Telegraph about the ‘murky world’ of political adverts on social media, and our CEO Jeni Tennison, discussing our work on data trusts in the Financial Times and describing how ‘new institutions are needed for the digital age’.
Jeni was also invited to speak at the World Bank’s inaugural Data Day and deliver the 2019 annual lecture at the Information Law and Policy Annual Lecture and Conference, discussing the risks and opportunities in data policy for the UK in a post-Brexit world.
We had a strong online following in 2019, with our own blog receiving over 140,000 unique page views, subscribers to our fun, tongue-in-cheek newsletter The Week in Data increasing by 55% to nearly 14,000, and our Twitter following increasing by 12% to nearly 58,000.
Thought
leadership
thought leadership
Political adverts, trustworthy data institutions and tackling fake news
The impact of our work is increased when we reach and influence policymakers and others who drive change. We reached 20m people through over 200 media stories in 2019, focusing on increasing trustworthy access to data.
Examples include our Co-Founder, Sir Nigel Shadbolt, writing for The Telegraph about the ‘murky world’ of political adverts on social media, and our CEO Jeni Tennison, discussing our work on data trusts in the Financial Times and describing how ‘new institutions are needed for the digital age’.
Jeni was also invited to speak at the World Bank’s inaugural Data Day and deliver the 2019 annual lecture at the Information Law and Policy Annual Lecture and Conference, discussing the risks and opportunities in data policy for the UK in a post-Brexit world.
We had a strong online following in 2019, with our own blog receiving over 140,000 unique page views, subscribers to our fun, tongue-in-cheek newsletter The Week in Data increasing by 55% to nearly 14,000, and our Twitter following increasing by 12% to nearly 58,000.
We reached 20m people through over 200 media stories in 2019, focusing on increasing trustworthy access to data.
membership
Our global network contains over 2,000 businesses, startups, data experts and government leaders who are discovering and sharing innovative solutions to accessing, sharing and using data.
ODI Members are given exclusive invites to ODI networking meetups, events run by other members and the chance to promote their work through blogs and talks. They get discounts on our annual summit and training courses.
1,978
Supporters
150
Individual
members
130
Organisational
members
Mike Thacker, Director, Porism
an ODI Member
“ODI membership exposes us to a great range of people and innovative approaches”
“ODI membership exposes us to a great range of people and innovative approaches”
Mike Thacker
Director, Porism
membership
Our global network contains over 2,000 businesses, startups, data experts and government leaders who are discovering and sharing innovative solutions to accessing, sharing and using data.
ODI Members are given exclusive invites to ODI networking meetups, events run by other members and the chance to promote their work through blogs and talks. They get discounts on our annual summit and training courses.
150
Individual
members
130
Organsiational
members
1,978
Supporters
ODI Summit
We explored data’s impact at the ODI Summit
Convening nearly 600 people the ODI Summit 2019 took place in November in Kings Place, London, where we explored data’s impact – both positive and negative.
Our annual summit is our flagship event, bringing people together from a range of sectors and job roles. Our keynote speakers were journalist, writer and campaigner Caroline Criado Perez and AI technologist Kriti Sharma.
We covered topics including the data skills revolution; data-driven open innovation; data trusts and other institutional models; data ethics and fairness; cultivating open data ecosystems; data rights or ownership; and unlocking digital competition.
A range of organisations from the private, public, academic and charity sectors joined us, across industries including telecoms; manufacturing and engineering; media and entertainment; healthcare; retail and consumer; and finance and insurance.
“Google are now members of the ODI, building upon earlier discussions and collaboration”
Dan Brickley
Developer Advocate, Google
ODI Summit
We explored data’s impact at the ODI Summit
Convening nearly 600 people the ODI Summit 2019 took place in November in Kings Place, London, where we explored data’s impact – both positive and negative.
Our annual summit is our flagship event, bringing people together from a range of sectors and job roles. Our keynote speakers were journalist, writer and campaigner Caroline Criado Perez and AI technologist Kriti Sharma.
We covered topics including the data skills revolution; data-driven open innovation; data trusts and other institutional models; data ethics and fairness; cultivating open data ecosystems; data rights or ownership; and unlocking digital competition.
EXPLORE
600
Attendees
60
Speakers
14
Sessions
813
Online contributors
2,745
Tweets
Sponsors: 1x Gold 2x Silver 7x Bronze
Dan Brickley, Senior Developer Advocate, Google
an ODI Member
“Google are now members of the ODI, building upon earlier discussions and collaboration”
data as culture
We engaged diverse audiences with our art programme
Data as Culture is the ODI’s world-class contemporary art programme, with work by artists who explore data critically and materially.
In 2019, new artworks were introduced as part of the Copy That? Surplus Data in an Age of Repetitive Duplication – the ODI’s research and partnership season for 2019–2020.
Copy That? asks: how ‘true’ is the ‘data you’ and how many versions exist online? From the myth of the perfect digital copy to the benefits and pitfalls of simulation, we question the purpose and trustworthiness of incessantly reproduced data.
We showcased key pieces at the summit, using art to explore and bring to life some of the more complex and thought-provoking elements of data.
EXPLORE
data as culture
We engaged diverse audiences with our art programme
Data as Culture is the ODI’s world-class contemporary art programme, with work by artists who explore data critically and materially.
In 2019, new artworks were introduced as part of the Copy That? Surplus Data in an Age of Repetitive Duplication – the ODI’s research and partnership season for 2019–2020.
Copy That? asks: how ‘true’ is the ‘data you’ and how many versions exist online? From the myth of the perfect digital copy to the benefits and pitfalls of simulation, we question the purpose and trustworthiness of incessantly reproduced data.
We showcased key pieces at the summit, using art to explore and bring to life some of the more complex and thought-provoking elements of data.
EXPLORE
doxbox trustbot
Created by Alistair Gentry, DoxBox trustbot is a hot-pink ‘puppet-robot-hybrid’ who wants to chat. After taking centre stage in the main hall, delegates could visit DoxBox trustbot and decide how much information about themselves they were willing to share.
EXPLORE
Mood pinball
Mood Pinball – co-commissioned by Data as Culture and the University of Southampton Data Stories project.
Produced by BOM centre for art, technology and science, Birmingham, Mood Pinball playfully reimagines how city-wide data might be used by an individual to find their comfort zones, and improve their experience of a city.
EXPLORE
bring me my firetruck
Mr Gee also presented his artwork, Bring Me My Fire Truck, an animation of William Blake’s Jerusalem running through the 24 official languages of the European Union, plus Welsh, via Google Translate.
EXPLORE
data as culture
We engaged diverse audiences with our art programme
Data as Culture is the ODI’s world-class contemporary art programme, with work by artists who explore data critically and materially.
In 2019, new artworks were introduced as part of the Copy That? Surplus Data in an Age of Repetitive Duplication – the ODI’s research and partnership season for 2019–2020.
Copy That? asks: how ‘true’ is the ‘data you’ and how many versions exist online? From the myth of the perfect digital copy to the benefits and pitfalls of simulation, we question the purpose and trustworthiness of incessantly reproduced data.
We showcased key pieces at the summit, using art to explore and bring to life some of the more complex and thought-provoking elements of data.
Created by Alistair Gentry, DoxBox trustbot is a hot-pink ‘puppet-robot-hybrid’ who wants to chat. After taking centre stage in the main hall, delegates could visit DoxBox trustbot and decide how much information about themselves they were willing to share.
We also exhibited Mood Pinball – co-commissioned by Data as Culture and the University of Southampton Data Stories project. Produced by BOM centre for art, technology and science, Birmingham, Mood Pinball playfully reimagines how city-wide data might be used by an individual to find their comfort zones, and improve their experience of a city.
Mr Gee also presented his artwork, Bring Me My Fire Truck an animation of William Blake’s Jerusalem running through the 24 official languages of the European Union, plus Welsh, via Google Translate.
Over the lifetime of ODI, Data as Culture has delivered or commissioned:
104
Works
10
Exhibitions
75
Artists
6
Artist residencies
100,000+
Live visitors to exhibitions
and events
Financials
manifesto
1 Infrastructure
Sectors and societies must invest in and protect the data infrastructure they rely on. Open data is the foundation of this emerging vital infrastructure.
2 Capability
Everyone must have the opportunity to understand how data can be and is being used. We need data literacy for all, data science skills, and experience using data to help solve problems.
3 Innovation
Data must inspire and fuel innovation. It can enable businesses, startups, governments, individuals and communities to create products and services, fuelling economic growth and productivity.
4 Equity
Everyone must benefit fairly from data. Access to data and information promotes fair competition and informed markets, and empowers people as consumers, creators and citizens.
5 Ethics
People and organisations must use data ethically. The choices made about what data is collected and how it is used should not be unjust, discriminatory or deceptive.
6 Engagement
Everyone must be able to take part in making data work for us all. Organisations and communities should collaborate on how data is used and accessed to help solve their problems.
