DATA

When the pandemic began, every state began publishing figures on cases, testing and vaccination rates. Some states used established systems to quickly compile and share their latest data with the public on freshly designed websites, while others developed new systems and tools to gather and report data. Eventually, governors across the country were presenting data in their daily press conferences and using data to make decisions in real time. There’s no reason states can’t apply this approach to other critical issues.

As states look to ahead to what’s next, they can learn from the difficulties of the past three years and build on what’s working in states and cities across the country to:

Answer critical policy questions. Do workforce training programs result in higher wages? How well aligned is the secondary education system with the needs of employers? Which programs are most effective at reducing recidivism? Integrating data across programs and services makes it possible to get answers to critical policy-related questions.

Make state government operations more efficient and effective. Data and analytics allow states to process permits faster and more effectively. Businesses can get started faster, back office processes can be automated, and costs can be reduced through access to timely and accurate data.

Allow government to be outcome- rather than process-focused. Data can help states better understand whom they are serving and whether they are serving them well. 

Increase trust in the government. Residents often ask why they need to enter the same data in multiple places to access services. Others might want to know how their tax dollars are being spent. Prioritizing data access and integration can reduce the frustration of interacting with government services.

This memo lays out actions states can take in the first 200 days of 2023 to gather data to shape policy that answers residents’ needs and build programs that are responsive to future crises. 

SUMMARY OF OPPORTUNITIES

Build a team of data experts in critical areas, and use contractors wisely 

Though outside contractors can help states build databases and the tools to use them, they must be guided by government data experts and steered by clear handling processes. State staff must know why data is important and how to assess whether data systems are effective. While these steps can’t be finished in 200 days, states can begin by focusing on one or two priorities. 

Emphasize data-driven decision-making

State leaders should be explicit that data will be used to drive decision-making. Being clear about which policy areas, departments and programs are a priority will bolster a state’s efforts and provide clarity to the staff who will be involved. It’s likely a state already collects much of the data necessary to answer critical policy questions, yet it is spread across multiple departments and programs. This upfront clarity will help agencies mobilize the staff necessary to support these efforts and aid in coordination. State leaders can drive this home by publishing performance data on top programs, releasing data publicly and developing better tools for understanding what the information means.

Focus on a specific problem while building long-term data projects

Setting broad and ambitious data goals is important, but so is using the information a state already has in a timely way. Governments should build technology systems in steps, focusing on projects for which resources and momentum are available. Money from federal pandemic relief programs offers states a chance to use existing data to attack current problems.

Prioritize data quality and protection 

Many state data systems have evolved over a series of decades. These systems were initially set up to administer a specific program or service, and did not have the benefit of foresight into how these systems and programs related to one another. The result is that many of these systems lack consistency of quality control and standards for how they can interact. Acting early to control, protect and improve the quality of data is crucial to ensure data across systems can be efficiently integrated and analyzed.

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When the COVID-19 pandemic began, every state began publishing figures on cases, testing and vaccination rates. Some states used established systems to quickly compile and share their latest data with the public on freshly designed websites, while others developed new systems and tools to gather and report data. Eventually, governors across the country were presenting data in their daily press conferences and using data to make decisions in real time. There’s no reason states can’t apply this approach to other critical issues important to an administration, like measuring the number of homeless youth or tracking households without high-speed internet access.

Data can help states understand the people, communities and businesses they serve and who they are leaving behind. From education to workforce development to social safety net programs, data can measure progress and evaluate if programs are achieving their goals. Managers with comprehensive, quality data can make informed decisions that help frontline workers deliver seamless services. 

States gather huge amounts of facts and figures, and their usage can be the foundation for sound policy decisions and efficient operations. But during times of stability, the quality of states’ information systems can gradually decay. Duplicative, ineffective processes combined with a lack of quality control can make data hard to access in a comprehensive way. This can hinder a state’s ability to serve its people.

As states look ahead to what’s next, they can learn from the difficulties of the past two years and build on what’s working in states and cities across the country to:

Answer critical policy questions. Do workforce training programs result in higher wages? How well aligned is the secondary education system with the needs of employers? Which programs are most effective at reducing recidivism? Integrating data across programs and services makes it possible to get answers to critical policy-related questions.

Make state government operations more efficient and effective. Data and analytics allow states to process permits faster and more effectively. Businesses can get started faster, back office processes can be automated, and costs can be reduced through access to timely and accurate data.

Allow government to be outcome rather than process-focused. Data can help states better understand whom they are serving and whether they are serving them well. States can use this information to put processes and policies in place that will address real problems and improve the constituent experience.

Increase trust in the government. Residents often ask why they need to enter the same data in multiple places to access services. Others might want to know how their tax dollars are being spent. Prioritizing data access and integration can reduce the frustration of interacting with government services.

States can take important steps in the first 200 days of 2023 to gather data that will let them shape policy that answers residents’ needs and build programs that are responsive to future crises. 

FEDERAL DOLLARS CREATE A TIMELY OPPORTUNITY FOR SUCCESS OR FAILURE

Funds from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, aimed at helping the country cope with the pandemic, can help states bolster their data infrastructure. The money can be used for staff and technology upgrades to systems that support pandemic response and economic recovery. 

The law gives states $195 billion in COVID-19 recovery funding.^[1] From one fund totaling $25 billion, each state and the District of Columbia can receive at least $500 million. The remaining $170 billion is allocated based on each state’s and the District of Columbia’s share of unemployed workers during the last three months of 2020.

The program is flexible; states can use the money to modernize data systems and improve cloud computing, data security and the delivery of constituent-facing services, like unemployment insurance.

Rhode Island used this funding to make improvements to its call center data system after the pandemic caused a surge in unemployment insurance claims. This cloud-based system upgrade allowed them to move from concurrently answering 75 calls to 2,000. The new system provided staffers with real-time data that let them analyze how well claimants were being served. Rhode Island’s experience illustrates how states can use data to identify urgent issues and use technology to solve them.

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Below are meaningful steps that state leaders can take at the beginning of 2023 to improve their data practices  and help government deliver services more effectively. In the first 200 days:

1. Build a team of data experts focused on critical areas and use contractors wisely;
2. Emphasize data-driven decision-making;
3. Address immediate priorities while working on long-term data improvements;
4. Invest in data quality and protection.

BUILD A TEAM OF DATA EXPERTS IN CRITICAL AREAS AND USE CONTRACTORS WISELY

State data is often stored in aging, siloed systems with few data quality controls. This makes it difficult for leaders to access the information they need to accomplish top policy priorities and manage operations effectively. While states can bring in vendors to help build databases and visualization tools, contractors should be steered by officials who are technology and policy experts and by clear government decision-making and data control procedures. In the first 200 days of 2023, states can take concrete action to build the teams and expertise they need to use data well. 

Appoint a chief data officer

A chief data officer (CDO) drives data strategy and manages data assets, building access to high-quality insights that help state officials do their jobs well. An effective state CDO is an active partner to a state’s program and technology leadership teams. When paired with a strong chief information officer and/or chief technology officer, a CDO can help a state build a data-informed technology roadmap. A CDO informs how data is used for policy and operational decision-making and may also be responsible for data oversight, sharing and governance. Ideally, a CDO’s priorities are aligned with the state’s major policy goals.

Based on a Beeck Center survey in June 2020, 28 states have a chief data officer. Their roles are usually chiefly strategic or operational:

These insights are summarized in the Georgetown University Beeck Center’s Framework for the Evolving Role of CDOs and Tips for Creating an Effective CDO Position. 

Effective chief data officers are experienced in managing data, setting strategy and creating ways to use data smartly. They should have experience delivering software products and designing how data systems are built. Since they often work with antiquated systems and build support in agencies to modernize them, they have experience in upgrading technology and are willing to focus on small wins. 

Some chief data officers work in the governor’s office, while others are in a state’s centralized IT agency. Regardless of where they sit, best in class CDOs:

Train state staff in data fundamentals 

Many state officials already work with data regularly, but are likely not using it to its full potential. This can keep states from taking advantage of opportunities to streamline program administration and build policy that solves real world problems. Having program staff who understand data fundamentals may feel aspirational, but is an achievable priority to set in the first 200 days. 

States can empower and resource their CDO to help program staff build data basics, including understanding:

The key is to start small and train staff in program areas that are a priority for an administration. This will not only help make the goal of training staff achievable, but ensure that program data delivers clear value, quickly. 

States could start by deciding which agency teams are needed to achieve one or two top priorities and work with the chief data officer to create a training plan. Oregon is one example of a state that has prioritized building a data-informed culture in its 2021-2023 Data Strategy. 

There are a number of organizations providing support to states as they build out their data strategy and increase their internal expertise. In the first 200 days, states can engage with organizations working on state data governance and use, like:

While the areas of expertise and partnership opportunities within these organizations are different, they are all committed to helping states better leverage data to positively impact the lives of people the government serves.

Encourage data sharing among agencies

State agencies collect large amounts of data to administer specific programs, but often encounter challenges when trying to share it with others. Yet sharing data across departments and programs is one of the most effective ways to streamline administration and improve the customer experience. Combining workforce development and benefits data, for example, can help states identify residents receiving benefits who are eligible for jobs programs and help them get back on their feet faster.

Obstacles to data sharing among states often arise due to unique systems, data quality and legal interpretations of rules and policies. States need support from top officials, funding and expertise to overcome these obstacles. 

At least 36 states are currently working on projects for sharing data among agencies. Combining data across agencies can present privacy concerns, and states need to consider ways to improve data governance and management to address them. Agencies can safeguard data they are publicly sharing by only releasing aggregated data and individual data as needed, including robust consent processes, consulting the public and allowing individuals to opt out of data sharing. 

EMPHASIZE DATA-DRIVEN DECISION-MAKING

Data usage has the best chance for success when it is aimed at achieving a state’s priorities. The goal is to focus on solving problems for residents and staff, not report on everything a state or agency does. State leaders who use data for important decisions send a message to staff that data is valuable and should be collected consistently and responsibly. It can also encourage agencies to focus on technology upgrades that have the best chance at designing better services, increasing efficiency and strengthening protections for important programs. 

Some states have been recognized for building secure yet transparent data systems for decision-making. States listed in this Results for America What Works 2022 survey demonstrate that data can help achieve policy goals. In 2023, states can take the following actions to improve their ability to make decisions with data. 

Use key indicators to identify priorities for action 

Data focused on how processes are working can help states identify problems and improve how agencies work, thereby better serving constituents and reducing the burden on staff. 

States can look to examples like Code for America’s Safety Net Scorecard, which provides a model for evaluating how well a state delivers digital benefits. The scorecard focuses on data in three categories: equitable access, effective delivery and compassionate integrity (meeting people where they are). States could start by selecting one or two items from the scorecard to measure how well agencies are performing, such as average days to process an application, percent of applications that are denied for procedural reasons, and level of churn (movement of people in and out of programs over a short period of time).^[2]

Indiana and Oregon are among the states leading the way in building reliance on data by centralizing how they manage it. Indiana’s Management Performance Hub, an agency responsible for collecting and analyzing the state’s data, has led the way by working with other agencies to provide technical assistance. The Hub recently launched a cloud-based centralized data repository called the Enhanced Research Environment. Projects like this help agencies easily contribute data to state projects and let independent researchers and outside organizations access information securely.

While it is not possible to set up a performance management or research hub in 200 days, the state chief data officer can set goals and provide resources for initial steps. 

Invest in a robust open data program 

Open data is information that is publicly available without fees or other restrictions. This can let states work with public and private partners to solve problems. 

Governments with open data programs work to ensure the information is well documented and accessible online. It can be downloaded by researchers and used in different formats. Research shows that when open data practices are robust and states publish the data users want, governments save time and money on public record requests. 

Open data programs like those in Virginia and California have policies that require disclosure of nonsensitive information. States can set priorities for what data will be made public and create tools for helping agencies provide it. These can include detailed maps of local jurisdictions, which the public and state agencies could find helpful. 

States can find information on open data in the Beeck Center’s Open Data for Economic Recovery guidebook, which lists the top 20 fundamental and critical datasets to publish for economic recovery, basic information on open data and examples from states. While publishing open data in structured, easily downloadable formats is helpful, states may also provide the information in PDF or other forms, or other ways that are less user-friendly. The Center for Democracy and Technology has produced guidance on how to navigate these constraints responsibly when publishing government data. Because government data comes from individuals, states should ensure that sharing data publicly does not violate personal privacy.

The State Chief Data Officer Network has compiled this catalog of open data portals in states, along with information about software used for each portal. Nevada is the only state without a statewide open data portal. States can track data downloads, monthly views and third-party data uses to assess how their open data programs are working.

Redesign data management to ensure equity 

Unlike the private sector, governments have a mandate to serve all constituents. Ensuring that government programs work for everyone takes commitment from executive leadership. Utah’s “Striving Toward Equity: Utah’s COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Roadmap,” developed with input from community-based partners, outlined equitable vaccine distribution by collecting racial and ethnic data. As a result, missing race and ethnicity data was reduced by 50% and vaccination rates improved for specific communities. The vaccination rate among the Hispanic population increased by 463% at the same time it grew for the white population by 262%. 

States have tried to embed equity into statewide data operations beyond their pandemic programs. Oregon’s statewide 2021-2023 data strategy outlined a vision for more ethical data use (called data justice) that included changes in data collection and use, community engagement and transparency.

Governments are working to protect constituents from the unintended consequences of new technologies like artificial intelligence. The Urban Institute, a D.C.-based think tank, has provided recommendations for how governments can publish helpful data while protecting privacy and preventing bias. 

Identifying and mitigating data bias requires strong documentation on how data is collected and requires responsible and transparent data oversight so residents can hold governments responsible when data is used inappropriately. Redesigning procedures to reflect equity for different communities can help states protect personal data and ensure it is used responsibly. By starting with executive or legislative policies that prioritize collecting and sharing data on equity, like Indiana and Illinois have done, states can incorporate equity into training and data collection efforts.

MATCH PRIORITIES TO TIMELY OPPORTUNITIES FOR QUICK IMPROVEMENTS

While many states are setting ambitious data goals, states have to make day-to-day decisions that would benefit from smart data usage. Government has a long history of launching technology projects that fail because they are too big, aren’t focused on real people’s needs and rely on outdated systems. Governments can incrementally approach building technical capabilities and focus on projects for which they already have resources and momentum. States that have established successful data programs typically start with a single issue they are seeking to address. Indiana’s Management and Performance Hub began with a single use case of working to reduce infant mortality. Indiana has used critical data to reduce infant mortality to the lowest rate since 1900.^[3] Virginia started by trying to gain better insights into the opioid and overdose epidemic.^[4] Both states have since scaled these efforts across a number of critical policy areas.

Implement data drills or other emergency response tests 

Like natural disaster drills that states have conducted for decades, data drills are a best practice for helping governments use data effectively during emergencies. They can help agencies understand what data they might need on short notice and how they would use it.

New York City piloted its first drill in 2015, modeling an extended power outage affecting 97,000 residents.^[5] The exercise helped identify gaps that might exist in a real emergency, and allowed the city to train workers to move quickly and use data to respond in such a crisis. Best in class leaders use data during emergencies and make data a cornerstone of their efforts to overhaul their information systems. 

State leaders can use money from the American Rescue Plan to train data staff to respond to emergencies and to create regularly used pathways for data sharing in states. This is one way leaders can ensure their teams are ready for the next disaster. 

Incorporating data into emergency response goes beyond commissioning online dashboards. 

Focus on data that supports economic recovery 

In the wake of the pandemic, many states are still focused on the economic damage caused by COVID-19. States can use federal programs to build data systems that help encourage recovery. The Beeck Center’s report on Leveraging Data for Economic Recovery in States identifies how states can improve data systems to do just this. The report focuses on workforce and education, health and benefits, neighborhood well-being and budget reallocation. 

Several states also participated in the Data Labs program, an incubator housed at the Beeck Center for state data and policy leaders which catalyzed new data projects around housing, higher education and other key policy priorities. 

Before making specific big-ticket investments for data, states can get input from community members to better understand their needs. Many states struggle to engage with people on issues like education, as outlined in this report by the Center for Democracy and Technology. Issues that directly support economic recovery, such as sharing data, are ideal candidates for data improvements.

INVEST IN DATA QUALITY AND PROTECTION

States that prioritize data quality and protection when building new software or upgrading IT systems are more likely to deliver successfully. This means ensuring that data definitions are documented and that data is handled consistently across programs and within systems. Rather than approaching data documentation as a standalone project, for example, best in class states incorporate it into the design and implementation of technology upgrades. This helps direct the states’ energy toward improving data in areas that will have human impact. 

Additional best practices a state can use in the first 200 days of 2023 are:

Strengthen documentation of critical data sources

Strong data quality starts with documentation. Documentation includes how data is defined, where it comes from, who has access to it and how it connects to other data sources. This is the least glamorous work related to data, and therefore has historically gotten the least attention, yet it is the equivalent of establishing a strong foundation. To improve data quality, states can assign workers to document where data is stored and how it is managed. 

Listing sources of data and building the documentation to accompany this data (definitions, data owners, etc.) is not possible in 200 days. Despite this, states can decide which data inventory efforts should be top priorities so leaders have information they need to make decisions. In the long term, this also helps simplify the data-sharing process, reduce duplicative data collection, and provide greater insight into which types of analysis are possible.

Build and strengthen data governance 

Data governance refers to the standards and processes states use to protect the quality and security of data.^[6] This often includes:

Data governance varies widely among states, and it takes time to create strong systems. But states can act quickly in 2023 to understand what data controls already exist and have their chief data officer begin improving them. The IT Modernization Centers of Excellence at the General Services Administration has one model states can use to strengthen their approach. 

Build cybersecurity into data management practices 

As online security threats increase, states like Maryland, New York, Florida and Ohio are spending more on cybersecurity capabilities and investing in the workforce they need to manage cybersecurity threats. 

Major initiatives like cybersecurity centers can help states focus attention and resources on cybersecurity, though this is only one piece of the puzzle. Some states have internal cybersecurity experts and chief data officers who together conduct risk assessments of data systems. 

States can also spend money on training staff, improving processes and taking other steps to keep data and systems secure. This includes accelerating cloud adoption, implementing multifactor authentication and running incident response drills. More information on early actions states can take to improve cybersecurity can be found in the cyber security memo.

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The first 200 days of 2023 will be critical for states to showcase data priorities, make ambitious investments and achieve quick wins that build momentum. Hard work throughout the year will lay the groundwork for important, longer-term improvements in data systems.

CONDUCT DATA INVENTORIES STARTING WITH KEY PRIORITIES

Starting with an administration’s key priorities can help officials stay motivated while conducting data inventories, which are efforts to index the information they keep and its sources. Starting with key priorities can also show leaders and staff clear examples of data inventorying before doing it themselves. Once states are set up to conduct inventories, they can document how agencies collect, store and share data. 

Comprehensive data inventories can be difficult because some data cannot easily be tracked across agencies. But data inventories don’t have to be perfect and comprehensive to be effective. Partial inventories can focus on specific agencies with especially important data and help them catalog that data over time. These inventories form a foundation for good data management, letting officials document systems and find ways to share data or open it to the public.

The State Chief Data Officer Network has a working group that is conducting data inventories in their states. The District of Columbia has a unique data policy that requires departments to conduct “enterprise data inventories” in which they must classify each dataset by how sensitive its data is. The data officer can then review datasets that are considered ready and decide whether to publish them publicly. 

The organization Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy at the University of Pennsylvania helps state and local governments use data sharing between agencies to learn about the benefits of using data to make policy. The center works with 36 data-sharing efforts across the country. This includes 27 sites where state and local governments routinely integrate data across agencies to improve services for residents. In a project with North Carolina, data officials at their Department of Health and Human Services used their inventory of data-sharing processes to launch a Data-Sharing Guidebook for North Carolina DHHS internal and external partners.

Review integrated data systems and recommit to long-term impact

Beeck Center’s Leveraging Data for Economic Recovery: A Roadmap for States identifies common integrated data systems, which combine data from more than one source. These include databases that track health care claims; case management systems for Medicaid, food assistance and other benefits; students’ performance over time; adult and juvenile correctional data and unemployment insurance information. These are just some areas where states have made the biggest investments in data infrastructure. 

Forty states currently connect data between at least two of four core educational data systems — early learning, K-12, postsecondary and workforce. Longitudinal systems tracking data on individuals over time are core parts of states’ data infrastructure. But as many states’ systems age, leaders can seek federal grants to support their data programs and develop plans for long-term sustainability. 

State legislatures have struggled to adapt these systems over time, at times opting to discard them or divest from them completely. Residents are increasingly concerned that these decisions might result in their private information being released. State leaders focused on best practices can consider how to upgrade these systems for the future and use data transparently and with input from community members. 

Consider restructuring innovation and data management functions

States should decide how to restructure data and innovation teams by reviewing centralized data and innovation functions and understanding how they work for agency-level data stakeholders. As previously noted, chief data officers can take strategic or operational roles in managing data. While both can be helpful, most data and innovation offices were established when states were still learning about how these functions would look in government. 

State leaders who want to learn about data and innovation structures can speak to data leaders and agency-level stakeholders to explore how to create a more data-informed culture statewide. Most data teams are understaffed and under-financed for handling the task of working across policy areas and different agencies. Geographic information systems leaders in different states have noted that providing general fund support for these systems could help states level up their use of mapping and better meet the needs of key stakeholders across government. Data teams were essential in supporting the recent Census, yet many geographic information systems are in agencies that don’t facilitate the most effective statewide collaboration and reach. 

California recently merged the state’s data analytics department with the Office of Digital Innovation, the state’s digital service team. The new Office of Data and Innovation has focused on strengthening the state’s digital services and helping agencies launch new technology projects and conduct data and technology initiatives. This formalizes California’s commitment to imagining how data and technology can improve everyday governing processes on a comprehensive scale.

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State Chief Data Officers

Data as Critical Infrastructure

General Data Innovation Resources

Privacy & Legal Data Sharing Considerations

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