Our Approach to Data Democracy

Knowledge comes from choices. Choices about what is recorded, how to analyse it, who interprets the analysis, and what to do about it.

These choices are not neutral. They’re influenced by who holds power and whose voices are heard.

The Status Quo:

The voices being heard are rarely from marginalised communities—particularly under-resourced and racialised communities - who are often excluded from determining the questions, interpreting data, and co-creating the solutions that affect their lives.

We want to change that.

How are we different?

High-quality community-led research that builds capacity in marginalised communities for knowledge production will transform outcomes and long-standing inequalities. By surfacing, centering and applying new approaches, interventions and resources, we create lasting systems change that promotes justice.

How We Work

We work with communities to ask different questions, interpret data together, and create research that drives real change. We do this through four pillars:

Data Carpentry

We transform messy data into clean, useful formats for civic and academic use, and harmonise disparate datasets to produce new insights.

Collective Sense-making

We work with communities to interpret what the data means and identify where change is possible. Data doesn’t speak for itself—it requires human interpretation, and communities bring essential context that researchers working alone often miss. Together, we uncover patterns, challenge assumptions, and pinpoint opportunities for change.

Data Commons

All our data and code are shared openly so others can build on our work, challenge our findings, and adapt our methods to their own contexts. We create compelling visualisations that make complex data accessible, turning numbers into stories that communities can use to advocate for change.

New Knowledge

Through integrating data carpentry, collective sense-making, and data commons, we create original research that fills critical gaps in understanding marginalised communities’ experiences. Our community-informed approach produces insights that traditional research methods often miss, employing rigorous qualitative and quantitative methods guided by community priorities. These findings are published in academic journals, policy reports, and community briefings to ensure they reach all the audiences who need them.