Open Data platforms were developed during 8th City Phase 1 in Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness, Perth, and Stirling, complementing those previously developed by Edinburgh and Glasgow. This investment enables Scottish cities to work collaboratively – initially supported by the Alliance’s Data Cluster Project Manager – to publish data sets opened for innovation. Working via the 8th City Data Cluster Steering Group, city representatives also worked on data publication standards to ensure quality and consistency.
To maximise the use value of these open datasets – as well as other intra-city data made available via 8th City projects investment – Scottish cities are increasingly engaged in data analytics work; this is an area progressed by Glasgow as a Phase 1 project and further developed by Dundee, Glasgow, and Perth via Phase 2.
Data analytics allows projects to address city challenges through data-driven decision making, combining design, data and innovation to come up with new solutions. These projects aim to enhance outcomes for citizens by generating new insights and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of city services. Data and data science techniques are key elements of this approach.
8th City Data Cluster partners shared information and resources in order to promote partnership working and collaboration on use of data in the public sector. Data Cluster members delivered an event for DataFest 2020 – the Data Lab’s annual event to showcase Scotland’s leading role in data science and artificial intelligence. 8th City partners produced a series of use cases for each city for this which are available here.
Ongoing, it is intended that 8th City projects across Scottish cities will lead to the delivery of up to 420 open data sets made available for innovation. Data-driven work undertaken by the cities has led to improved services in response to child poverty, Covid-19 welfare grants, alcohol and drug support services, cultural tourism, and EV chargepoint usage.
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