In today's data-driven world, where a staggering 328.77 million terabytes of information are created each day, the influence of data on shaping the landscape of global development has never been more crucial. The ability to decipher, analyze, and draw meaningful insights from vast and complex datasets has become a cornerstone in steering policies, initiatives, and strategies toward sustainable and impactful outcomes.
“Data analysis allows us to understand and define priority challenges [and] it allows us to isolate the indicators that are going to move the needle. From there, we can develop a plan or solution to addressing a particular issue,” said Uyi Stewart, chief data and technology officer at Data.org, emphasizing how “data analysis is what empowers the kind of nimble, flexible problem solving that is so desperately needed in global development.”
According to Stewart, there are two main categories of work to consider for a professional interested in data for social impact. “The first is data management. Being able to understand the mechanics of data science and having a handle on the process — from data collection to quality assurance to statistical analysis,” he said.
About the author
Katrina J. Lane
Katrina Lane is an Editorial Strategist and Reporter at Devex. She writes on ecologies and social inclusion, and also supports the creation of partnership content at Devex. She holds a degree in Psychology from Warwick University, offering a unique perspective on the cognitive frameworks and social factors that influence responses to global issues.
