Data literacy

Definition

Data literacy is the ability to think critically about data in different contexts and examine the impact of different approaches when collecting, using and sharing data and information. It goes beyond the technical skills involved in working with data.

Basic data literacy requires some knowledge of data uses, some ability to assess the quality of data and its application, and the skills to conduct basic analysis.

Purpose

Improving data literacy hones your decision-making skills. You learn to ask the right questions of your data, interpret your findings and take informed action.

We need a foundation of data literacy across DWP Digital Health and Disability so we can engage critically with data and use it to make effective decisions.

The Open Data Institute (ODI) says there are other overlapping literacies that are often conflated with data literacy, but they are different and data literacy is foundational to them. For example, digital literacy, analytical literacy, evaluation literacy, AI literacy, statistical literacy, and literacy and numeracy in general. In Health, we’d add “query literacy”, which is the ability to ask the right questions in the right way.

Synonyms

None yet defined

Parent terms

Data

Child terms

None yet defined

Source

ODI report on data literacy and the UK government; National Data Strategy; Developing a data literate workforce, p3 (PDF available from Data Literacy Project)

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