Big Data for Small Places

Our research in rural municipalities and community-based organizations revealed challenges about data.

What we heard:

  • Many government sectors and agencies are implementing Open Data initiatives
  • Volume and variety of data sources and formats makes data access and analysis difficult
  • Funding agencies increasingly require data-based evidence for grant applications and progress reports
  • Few small municipalities or rural organizations employ data analysts
  • Even where data analysts are employed, these experts are often burdened with data reporting and are rarely able to facilitate data literacy across their organization
  • Rural staff who would like to build their data-related knowledge and skills find it challenging to focus on this at the same time as they perform their regular duties

 

What we did:

The Big Data for Small Places (BD4SP) program was designed to address these issues. BD4SP was developed with the support of the Rural Ontario Institute, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs, Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Valley Heartland Community Futures Development Corporation as well as instructional design and data analysis experts. It was then tested in several municipalities and organizations in Eastern Ontario.

 

The BD4SP program is:

  • Not a course, but a capacity-building process relevant to a wide variety of topics
  • Not time away from work, but time spent focusing on a significant issue and accessing a wide range of resources to address a specific challenge
  • A collaborative team effort, with teams from within or across organizations

 

The BD4SP program content includes:

  • Five approaches to determining community need. and selecting the best fit for your issue

  • Tips for reviewing community profile data to quickly identify areas of concern

  • How to tap into local and national networks to enhance community data utilization

  • How to balance hard data with local knowledge

  • Easy methods of data visualization and tips for communicating data-related insights

 

The BD4SP approach has been used to address issues such as:

  • Rural transportation issues and options

  • Rural broadband and mobile services

  • Local economic development and labour markets

  • Community assets: rural schools, housing, trails, parks, recreation facilities

 

The BD4SP process includes:

  • A half day consultation session focused on clarification of focus and team formation

  • Three in-person full day workshops featuring subject matter experts, relevant data and analytics resources, networking and coaching

  • A half day facilitated session to assist with the transition from analysis to action.

 To learn more about how BD4SP can help your community to understand and take action on improving community well-being and prosperity, complete the Contact Us form and we will get back to you as soon as possible. We look forward to hearing from you!

To receive your free copy of the Big Data for Small Places Workbook (BD4SP) 2nd edition, please complete Community Ingenuity’s Contact Us form with a message requesting a free copy of the BD4SP Workbook.