Supporting a people-focused and question-centred approach for working with data... that leads to doing
What do we do?
Data for Action supports and connects people, projects and ideas around the use of appropriate data or insight as the direct response to natural and meaningful questions. We centre everything on social purpose and a core aim: what does this mean we can (all) do next?Most of the work we do includes one or more of the following five types of work…1) Working alongside people, teams and organisations to unpick their insight- and/or question-based challenges;2) User research;3) Designing and prototyping services or tools;4) Data design and analysis;5) Developing infrastructure and ecosystems around people and/or ideas that enable action.
Some recent examples of our work...
Prototyping insight infrastructure for the charity sectorMapping the neighbourhoods of SheffieldLocal Needs DatabankPrototyping a self-assessment tool for Wildlife Trusts’ Evidence Competency Framework
How do we do things?
We pride ourselves on our approach to the work we undertake and the relationships we build as a result.Social purpose is a tricky concept. It’s subjective and different people will have varying definitions of what it means to them. We are no different: we use our gut on a case by case basis to determine whether working on a project or with an organisation constitutes social purpose for us.We don’t believe that working within a particular sector determines social purpose alone. We will work with people from a range of public, private and civil society organisations if:- We think it will have broad social value or positive impact;
- It aligns with our guiding principles (see below);
- It adds value to us and our way of working.
Our guiding principles
Open by Default: We advocate for making resources, information, tools and data openly available by default, rather than keeping it hidden or restricted. We need to have a good reason not to make it open. We believe in contributing to the commons because we think transparency helps better decision making and improves what we (all) do.Be positive, proactive and purposeful: We are interested in purpose over sectors, and relationships over skill sets. We aim to make a positive difference. We identify what is needed next, for whom and in what circumstances, and then get things done. We will instigate new ideas when we see a need.Approach over outputs: We believe in focusing on the process and approach used to achieve a goal, rather than fixating on the end result or output. We are always learning, experimenting and developing what we do. We don’t have all the answers. We are happy to have our assumptions challenged and to change course.Connect and join up: We aim for our work to connect into and across the wider ecosystem to break down silos. Human relationships are vital so we connect people and ideas around purpose.Reuse, repurpose, reimagine: We encourage the use of existing resources where possible, building upon them rather than creating new ones by default. For us this can mean using open-source software, repurposing existing data, or building upon existing ideas and projects. We encourage others to reuse and repurpose our work through Creative Commons licences.No bullshit: This means in the language we use, the relationships we hold and the work we do. Honesty, transparency and constructive challenge are at the heart of our approach.Different views, better work: We think that everyone's contributions are vital to good work. We believe that we should involve people with differing skills, job titles and perspectives.Focus on sustainability: We will always make decisions on where we spend money and who we work with based on positive contributions to sustainability in all its forms. We will always think about how best to sustain the work for the commons, even if that means giving it away.
Who are we?
There's just two of us: Tom Watson and Tom French. We've been working together for a number of years and set up Data for Action as a company together in 2023. Between us we have over 25 years of experiencing working with charities, voluntary groups, social enterprises, community businesses and projects focusing on social purpose.
Tom French
Tom Watson
Shall we have a conversation?
We're always up for having chat so feel free to get in touch!Email us at hello@dataforaction.org.uk.Alternatively, send us a message through LinkedIn, Instagram or Bluesky.
