I have been in a lot of meetings recently about data. Some of them have been about how we use data and evidence better to deliver cost-effective services. Others have been about how we save money by collecting less data. Spot the paradox?
Actually, I think there are ways of doing both. At one recent meeting, when asked about what should be future priorities for national research, several people asked for useful intelligence that is already in the public domain.
Clearly there is a need to be more pro-active in disseminating useful research to the sector. That's why we launched Audiences News in March and we're delighted so many people are finding it so helpful. But we realise giving a weekly round-up doesn't satisfy the needs of most people running cultural businesses or making investment decisions about public funding.
A couple of people have independently suggested to me 'we need to place all this information in one place'. This was one of the main drivers behind the CASE programme. They've done a brilliant job in pulling huge amounts of intelligence together, but several intelligent colleagues have told me they find the collective mass of information impenetrable.
For me, there is still a huge need for skilled human intervention. Managers of cultural organisations should not be expected to be experts in use of data. But they should understand its value and have the ability to pick up the phone to an expert who can guide them to the evidence and answers they need.
In many nations and regions Audience Development Agencies are providing this service. This is a good example of investing in economies of scale. We need to fund front-line services, but we also need to save money by investing in shared expertise, and in the next few years we need to put more emphasis on using the intelligence we have more effectively than gaining new insight.
David Brownlee, Chief Executive, Audiences UK
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