Cross-Government Data Ecosystem

Central Digital and Data Office Jan – Apr 2023 Read in 1 minute

I led prototyping for the CDDO cross-government data catalogue. My dual-track approach — Figma for design, GOV.UK Prototyping Kit for function — used realistic metadata to validate that standardised metadata could convey data quality and lineage. This successful prototyping justified a full project, demonstrating the value of a centralised data ecosystem projected to save significant staff time and reduce public spending on manual data discovery.

The challenge

The Central Digital and Data Office aimed to create a cross-government data catalogue and marketplace to improve data discovery and use. The initial alpha phase tested the core hypothesis: that standardising and sharing quality metadata could effectively convey data quality, usefulness, and lineage. Proving this capability was essential to justify a full project, which would unlock significant efficiencies by saving staff time and reducing public spending.

My role

My primary responsibility was to spearhead the delivery of iterative prototypes. I employed a dual-track approach:

High-Fidelity Design Prototyping (Figma) — Developing detailed design prototypes to rapidly explore user journeys, information architecture, and the overall look and feel of the data catalogue interface, allowing for quick iteration on design concepts and early user feedback.

Live-Data, Technical Prototyping (GOV.UK Prototyping Kit) — Developing functional prototypes integrated with live or highly realistic sample metadata to simulate the catalogue environment as accurately as possible.

The core objective was to test and validate mechanisms for making relevant, high-quality datasets more easily findable by public servants for policy development, service delivery, and operational management.

Impact

  • Validated core hypotheses — Successfully demonstrated the technical feasibility and usability of using standardised, shared metadata to communicate data quality and lineage
  • Informed strategic direction — Provided crucial, evidence-based insights that shaped the CDDO's wider data-sharing initiatives
  • Demonstrated value — Clearly demonstrated the value proposition of a centralised data ecosystem, paving the way for a strategic platform projected to save vast amounts of staff time and reduce public expenditure by replacing manual data discovery