Looking at ‘Data-Driven Government’ from Inside City Hall

"Metrics" has become a buzzword in local government, but how do municipalities actually harness data to improve city services, operations, and accountability?

Eventually, we’ll shift people away from saying, "When I get back the staff I had in 2007, I will be able to do the job I was doing in 2007." We’ll move them forward to, "How am I going to use the resources I have now to do a better job in the year ahead?"

I think the next frontier is comparing data across cities. It is one thing to compare our data to past performance. It’s another thing to look at a much wider dataset from similar cities. When we begin to meaningfully access how we’re doing in comparison to other cities, I think that’s going to be the revolution. Clearly that’s created a revolution in education. But we are still in the "every city left behind" category.

Data that doesn’t get utilized, that isn’t embraced, and that isn’t understood is not particularly helpful data. If we want to actually improve performance and use data to solve problems, we need partners who embrace it, rather than outsiders or supervisors imposing it.

Full Story: http://www.planningreport.com/2014/10/08/data-driven-governance-rick-cole-stephen-goldsmith-opine-citylab-2014