Tracking the data revolution
We’re creating a new resource to support research, practice, and national actions on data for the public good.
The Global Data Barometer will fill critical knowledge gaps on how data policy and practice are unfolding in different sectors, regions, and countries around the world. Building on the Open Data Barometer study, which has been used to drive policymaking, advocacy, and academic research across the world, we are creating a new global benchmark that tracks the extent to which data is governed, shared, and used for the public good.
Our story
We started developing the Global Data Barometer in 2019 in response to demand expressed at the 2019 Open Government Partnership summit for updated, in-depth, country-level insights on data governance and availability. Throughout 2020 we’ve been consulting on the study design and building a broad community of regional research hubs and thematic partners.
In 2021, the Global Data Barometer survey will generate data on more than 100 countries, leading to a new research-ready open dataset, in-depth analysis, and country and sectoral profiles.
We’re building a long-term study; our aim is to put the Barometer on a sound footing for the next decade, in order to consistently power policy and research on data for the public good.
Building on the Open Data Barometer
Our goals
A global study
Rooted in the Data for Development network, the Barometer seeks to attend to diverse regional and cultural settings to provide comparable metrics that respond to different local contexts.
A collaborative, open project
We’re working in the open as much as we can: sharing our methods and data under an open license and consulting widely on study design. Our network of regional hubs will become centres of excellence on data for the public good, involved in collecting and communicating Barometer data.
A survey that is more than the sum of its parts
The evidence we gather through our peer-reviewed expert survey will furnish a macro view of national policy and practice around data for the public good. At the same time, the many variables that come together to form this big picture will provide actionable insights on how data is working in specific sectors. By collaborating with thematic partners, we will maximise the value of the data we collect—supporting spin-off reports, follow-up research, and digital tools driven by our data.
Driving data for development
We will provide evidence that advances the governance and use of data as a tool to deliver the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, ensuring that no one is left behind.
Powering critical research
Our predecessor project, the Open Data Barometer, has been cited more than 1200 times; it has provided the data for critical comparative studies, country reports, and hypothesis-testing research. Our global dataset will drive improvements in research on data governance, capability, availability, and use, and will support the creation of hundreds of new research papers and reports.
Our team
The Global Data Barometer will be co-created by a network of over 100 researchers, led by a small global team and coordinated through regional hubs. Additionally, we are supported by a community of expert advisors.
The global team includes:
Silvana Fumega
Nicolás Grossman
David Zamora
Fiona Chawana
Our partners
The Barometer is being built through the combined efforts of organisations and people working on data for public good all around the world. We have established an international network to share knowledge, to refine our methodology, and to strengthen institutional relationships that will support the Barometer for the next 10 years and beyond. Every member of the Barometer community is as important as all of us together.