Learnings

Outcomes

Phase 2 has seen a massive leap forward in both the technical abilities of the tool and the potential that it now offers for collaboration and insights. Therefore in phase 3 we want to focus on realising that potential by creating a data community built on trusted sources and partners. We are not trying to create new datasets or replicate other initiatives such as creating a central PSR. We are offering a platform and a place where data can be visualised and shared - such as the PSR - and used in conjunction with other relevant data - such as third sector service user data - to create a more complete picture of an area. We want to cross boundaries and to be interdisciplinary with the data. We want partners to learn from each other and follow each others’ lead in finding ways to use and share data, through sharing machine learning models and by leveraging combined influence with the regulator to allow the use of data. We want third sector and delivery partners to work together in the same way to help unlock efficiencies in how they target and operate across GDN and DNO regions. We want to unlock these insights for other innovation projects to make them as successful and as efficient as possible to ensure they are having the biggest impact possible. Finally we want to move data discovery and modelling forward in the tool. We will not only build more data models using machine learning but also investigate ways of using generative AI to make interacting with the data and the tool easier. For example by allowing users to ask questions to the tool rather than finding and selecting filters. This could take the form of a chat window where the user gives commands like “Show me where people have low income and cold homes” and the system would show properties with EPC levels of D and below, where Universal Credit claims are high and where income is low. The user could then chat with the tool to then refine the data, asking it to export the data for their region at the end. No app is ever finished and so this work will happen along side the constant development of the app interface and the updating of the underlying public datasets. We have requests for new types of data and functionality every week and our user testing has given us a list of defects and enhancements to keep us busy for some time. We will continue to work with Google wherever possible to ensure best practice and to keep the app secure.

Lessons Learnt

The phase 2 project has been immensely popular with the stakeholders we have engaged with. We have not needed to do any marketing other than the events we have been invited to by our project partners and have been so inundated with access requests it has at times been hard to keep up with. For this we are very grateful to all the partners who have supported us and for us to maintain that pace we will require dedicated resource to manage our wide user base. We have also found some resistance to the Google platform. Some organisation have found it difficult to adopt Google accounts due to IT policies, including a number of Local Authorities. However, the technical benefits and support Google have brought us certainly outweigh these small number of issues. Lastly it is clear that very few users identify the tool as 3D and the branding has not been strong enough to make it sticky for users. Therefore, we will need to undertake more communications and marketing activities to help create more impact on individual users. Having the tool referred to as the Vulnerability Visualisation Tool, or the Mapping Tool has been fine but does not adequately communicate the aims of the project and does not hold enough weight to make it easily identifiable when users are discussing it with other partners.