If you work with data, you’ll inevitable need to do a data assessment at some point. Here are 4 design thinking ways to assess data based on recent client work.
I’m a data consultant, freelance digital asset manager, & indie developer. I regularly conduct and write up data assessments for nonprofits, cultural heritage, film and media, and creatives.
Design thinking is a mindset approach to problem-solving that focuses on users and not the problem.
(1) Understand the problem. This is a chance to comprehend what staff/users need and why. Data problems in assessments are often technical (a field doesn’t display the format we want) or role-related (X department uses the system for this, but Y’s area needs it to do a totally different thing). Staff often don’t know what systems or tools or uses other roles/departments have with data.
(2) Ideate. This is about asking open-ended questions & documenting institutional knowledge about the data. You share what the data/tech says (this metadata field is missing, the taxonomy doesn’t work for these types of assets) and what people say (I need the system to do X). This step produces documentation that’s valuable to future hires, admin, current staff, IT help, vendors, and more.
(3) Prototype or “Sandbox”. Sandboxing is a phrase about play: you’re playing around with your ideas & possible solutions in the form of adding sample data to a new system, changing metadata in one record to see how it looks, and more. The focus is what is sustainable and realistic for staff to do as a solution.
(4) Evaluate & Refine. Data assessments are iterative. Data needs are often tied to business needs, which change over time. New technical standards are also developed making how things were done in the past obsolete. It’s important to future proof so you know where your institution/company’s data has been, why, and how it got to what you see today.
Check out my portfolio for more like this. I’m looking for remote freelance and contract work: https://www.decolfutures.com/