Sypnosis
The City of Dallas envisioned a transformation to a future-ready workforce; however, it had some challenges. Between its aspiration and its realization existed a divide, a data gap.
The City’s newly formed Data Analytics and Business Intelligence (DBI) unit sought to create a culture of greater fluency in handling, using and communicating about data.
The DBI unit approached Data Society in the fall of 2019 to request a training academy to help guide the City’s workforce toward data maturity.
A City’s Vision for a Data-Driven Future
Ushering its workforce into the data-driven future of city governments, the City of Dallas saw the need to equip staff with the skills to meet the moment. However, the transformation the City envisioned came with challenges common among local governments.
With the evolution of smart cities around the globe, many city halls have long appreciated the potential to positively transform civic services by leveraging data assets. However, between this aspiration and its realization exists a divide. This “data gap” is described in a 2016 study by Bloomberg Philanthropy’s What Works Cities initiative, which noted that “…city leaders nationwide were committed to using data and evidence to improve their residents’ lives but lacked the critical resources and expertise to do so successfully.”
