From principles to practice: Development Initiatives and Publish What You Fund launch consultation on joining up data standards.

The Joined-Up Data Standards (JUDS) project – a joint initiative between Development Initiatives and Publish What you Fund – has launched a consultation paper to develop solutions to the challenges of data interoperability.

The JUDS project is about unlocking the potential of data to help drive poverty eradication and sustainable development. This is important because, although more and more data is becoming available, the full potential of the information it holds often remains inaccessible due to its publication in different formats or standards.

The problem stems from the incompatible design of definitions and classifications, which prevent data from being comparable and systems from being interoperable. The JUDS Project has explored practical examples of incomparable classifications – such as those involved in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals – and is provoking discussion on what is needed to catalyse interoperability.

Speaking about the consultation paper, Bill Anderson, DI’s Data & Information Architect, said: “We believe that it is time to move beyond recognising the challenge of interoperability and explore what solutions look like. Within the context of the Data Revolution, Agenda 2030 and the Transformative Agenda for Official Statistics, we have a real opportunity.

“We want to see the interoperability agenda picking up pace and bringing about tangible action. We’ve written this consultation paper with the aim of moving the conversation from a discussion of the problems to a search for solutions to the challenge of interoperability.”

Read and respond to the JUDS consultation paper

Read more about the Joined-Up Data Standards project