However, the document also lists challenges associated with this data led approach, acknowledging that not only will legislative changes be needed, but mind-set changes too.
“Increasing data sharing between Public Bodies will be facilitated by new legislation as well as a robust, secure and standardised method for data management and governance. Coupled with this is the requirement for a mind‐set change and willingness from Public Bodies to share data when a valid business need exists and within the confines of statutory obligations.”
Five elements
Delving further, the strategy document says that there are five key elements to this, beyond these issues: a common data model, data management, data infrastructure, data insight and data protection.
However, the strategy then says “This will be driven through the OGCIO with the engagement of the CIO Council and Data Protection Commissioner”.
Looking back to the earlier commonly agreed functions of the CDO, outside of the technology, it looks as if all of this is taken care of, bar the pure usage element.
That would lead one to ask if there is enough meat in that role to justify it. If the CIO council, the government CIO and the Data Protection Commissioner can ensure an infrastructure, a policy and a governance system, then there is not much left for a CDO. Each government department that will be using the digital first, data-enabled shared services that will be able to offer and take advantage of open data, will surely feature those internally who can envisage how better access to more, shared data can enhance what they are doing themselves? Do they really need a national level CDO to tell them what to do with it all?
In this context, perhaps not. It may be the case that, in the future, when the strategy has been implemented, and all of the obvious wins in terms of data usage have been achieved, that some evolution of the role may necessitate creating a government CDO. For now at least, or for the period of implementation of the strategy, we don’t perhaps need a CDO.
That said, one thing we do need is for the daft pre-fix of “interim” to be dropped from the current government CIO’s title. The current holder of that role is not only qualified to do the job, but by the quality of said strategy document deserves the opportunity to see it implemented.
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