As the year comes to a close, the Data Champions Network (DCN) held its final meeting for 2023, showcasing the NSW government's dedication to innovative data solutions and collaboration, featuring two notable initiatives.
Recap of Last Meeting
"Data4me" Platform:
Tom Barrett, Senior Scientist, Science, Economics and Insights, Department of Planning and Environment, introduced the Data4me platform to enable data discovery and knowledge sharing. Data4me enables users to search and connect open data from the SEED portal to new data-driven planning and environmental projects. The team is promoting the platform internally and exploring opportunities to expand collaboration.
NRAR'’s Data Collection Practices, “Smart forms and smart thinking”:
Grace Bennett, Regulatory Intelligence Officer from the Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR), shared insights into maturing NRAR’s data-collecting practices using smart forms. This work aims to lift NRAR’s operational data collection by field staff off paper and onto smart forms that map to the compliance decision-making process, so that each decision becomes a data field. This provides a standard approach for data collection and makes it easier for operational staff to collect the data. Data quality is embedded in the core function of the operational work. Grace shared how smart forms can be used to champion organisational change by showing the value of a Data-driven culture and an example of what this looks like in practice. Key lessons highlighted included the importance of remembering the human aspects of data collection, focusing on the “why” when driving innovation and bringing everyone in the organisation along the journey together.
Why join DCN?
Established in 2018 by the NSW Department of Customer Service, DCN connects data experts and enthusiasts across all government agencies in NSW. Regular meetings facilitate insights sharing on data-informed projects, encouraging a collaborative community to share knowledge and expertise. Joining DCN means actively contributing to a data-informed future for the NSW government and making a meaningful impact through collaboration.
Looking forward to 2024
Thank you to everyone who presented and participated in Network meetings this year.
Dates for the 2024 network will be announced via email, continuing to serve as a vital platform for knowledge sharing, expertise access and community building among data champions in the NSW government.
Join today!
If you are from an NSW Government organisation and would like to participate in the DCN, register here.
If you would like to showcase your team or agency’s data-related initiatives, please contact us via email.