Data Champions are crucial to successful joined-up services
June 16, 2006
Joined-up services will fail without a 'Data Champion', according to David Macken, managing director of System Associates, a web technology organisation at the forefront of joined-up web projects.
"Too many organisations think that they can carry out a joined-up project by simply applying the technology and following standard project management methodologies, but this will not work. There needs to be someone with a strong focus on data collection, management and standardisation," Macken comments.
A Data Champion should liaise with providers, promote the concept, escalate non cooperation, help with technical issues and provide the development team with realistic timescales for obtaining data. All of these things are essential if a project is to get off the ground quickly.
System Associates has been involved in some innovative joined-up web projects including Your London and Local Directgov, all of which have been up and running within six months. David Macken comments, "50 per cent of any joined-up project is about integration, the rest is about data collection, communication, persuasion and a flexible approach".
The advice was given by Macken at a recent webinar, aimed to offer some genuinely useful information about what is involved in delivering joined-up web services. The webinar looked at three case studies, Local Directgov, Your London and the National College of School Leadership and identified common issues that must be overcome in projects involving many organisations.
Macken commented "Typically, data is provided late, is not always up to agreed standards and never has enough detail, so a Data Champion must allow extra time for data delays and data cleaning. There is also a wide range of enthusiasm from data providers, who have a lot of other work pressures on them."
Appointing an effective Data Champion can knock weeks and even months off a project and can help cement relationships with collaborative partners. Macken offered five key points for anyone taking on the role of Data Champion:
- Be pragmatic, realistic and flexible
- Don't insist on technical standards, rather move solutions towards the desired standards
- Be satisfied with 70 per cent of the services or data you want, the rest will follow
- Recruit early adopters who want to see the project succeed and who share your vision
- Remember that technology is not the biggest issue - data and service integration typically accounts for only 50 per cent of project effort