Introduction

Transformative technologies are fundamentally reshaping the societal landscape, driving institutions

(governments, business, HEI’s etc.) to consider or reconsider their digital maturity levels and

implement processes that will facilitate optimum utilisation of the affordances of these technologies

in support of their respective mandates (be that service delivery to citizens, developing new

products and services for business etc.).

DATA is one of the key drivers of digital transformation and innovation. David Rogers (2016, p.4)

states that “Digital technologies have changed our world perhaps most significantly in how we think

about data”. Data is being generated at an unprecedented rate – by almost everybody – and the

challenge is to change data into valuable information.

Critical Questions

Within this context, it is of critical importance to reflect on the complexities of the DATA discourse.

Issues that come to mind are: Who owns the data? How do we protect privacy? Is DATA for good or

for profit? What are the ethical considerations of the “black box”? How do we skill and upskill for

data literacy and/or data experts? Open data for democratizing innovation? Many questions can be

formulated.

Objective of the Round Table discussion

The objective of this round table discussion is to leverage the visit of our international partners from imec-mict-Ugent (a research group at the department of Communication Sciences at Ghent University, and part of the digital research institute imec ), Vrije Universiteit Brussels (VUB) and Studies in Media, Innovation and Technology (SMIT) as an opportunity to share and discuss “DATA related” insights, concerns, questions, challenges and lessons learned.

On a very pragmatic level, the current national and provincial discourse requires of the CoLab partnership to give input into the DATA thinking-process of senior government officials. Solutions are not expected but rather the sensitisation in terms of potential pitfalls, opportunities and challenges in view of phrasing guiding principles for facilitating a responsible, fair, ethical and

inclusive approach.

Format:

Each group can potentially provide a perspective on (i) the changing role of data in their context, (ii) responses to the impact of these changes and (iii) “take forwards” for decision makers

Participants in the Discussion:

Belgium Participants:

Leo van Audenhove Data literacy VUB/SMIT

Ilse Marien UX (people interface) VUB/SMIT)

Lieven De Marez Metrix imec-mict-UGent

South African Participants:

Renette Blignaut Skilling/ collaboration UWC

Neil Hoorn/ Open data CoCTCity of Cape Town e-Government perspective

Wesley Diphoko/ Open Data (IEEE)

Active participation from the floor