C Core Skills

Core skills

Data literacy guide

Learning guide

Effective leadership Diverse workforce Capable organisations and workforce Employee conditions APS Values

Contact and acknowledgement information

Enquiries or suggestions about the learning materials are welcome and should be directed to: coreskills@apsc.gov.au

Production team

This learning material was developed on behalf of the Australian Public Service (APS) by the Strategic Centre forLeadership, Learning and Development in collaboration with the APS Core Skills Reference Group.

Commonwealth of Australia July 2016Except where noted otherwise, this material constitutes Commonwealth copyright administered by the Australian Public Service Commission (the Commission) on behalf of the Australian Public Service. The Commission reserves the right to set out the terms and conditions for the use of such material.

Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, all other rights are reserved.

Enquiries

For enquiries concerning reproduction and rights in this material, please contact communicationsunit@apsc.gov.au

Version control

Version

Date

Author

Description

1.0

30 August 2016

Centre for Leadership and Learning (APSC)

As released

Data literacy learning guide

Contents

Data literacy4

Why data literacy?4

What is data literacy?4

The APS data literacy program5

Which learning option is right for me?6

Using this guide6

Document information7

Providing evidence for decision-makers9

Learning need9

Undertaking research12

Learning need12

Using statistics15

Learning need15

Visualising the information18

Learning need18

Telling the story21

Learning need21

Using data in the APS24

Learning need24

Data literacyWhy data literacy?

As outlined in the Public Sector Data Management Report, Data can enable government to improve public services and policy design, bringing wide-ranging social benefits to citizens and improvements in how parts of government are delivered (p. 12). Developing the capability of the APS to collect, analyse, prepare and present data will realise the following benefits for Australia:

the development of smarter, evidence-based policy

the delivery of better, citizen-centric services

an increase in public sector efficiency and reduction in overheads

an increased ability to evaluate the outcome of programs and services.

In order to ensure the APS has the capability to maximise the opportunities presented by the increasing amounts of data and to remain competitive in a growing digital economy, all APS employee require a foundational level of data literacy.

What is data literacy?

The term data literacy refers to the ability to identify, locate, interpret and evaluate information in an ethical manner and to then use that information to answer or respond to a specified question or issue. In the APS, we use data to answer questions. These questions may relate to any of the following:

how something is performing

whether something is likely to work

what the possible consequences are of something

who should be targeted for something.

Irrespective of their level or role, a foundational level of data literacy enables APS officers to do thefollowing:

ask the right questions to solve a problem or issue, seek out the right people or information sources to answer those questions, and then question the accuracy of information provided

know when and how to question the validity of data when presented as evidence

read, comprehend and use statistical information ethically

use data to generate new ideas, innovative ways of doing things, and new ways of understanding the world

represent information visually, and then communicate it to a target audience.

It should be noted, however, that as the digital and data environment evolves in response to technological advancements, the nature of what it means to be data literate will also develop. Thus, the APS needs to be forward thinking in its capability development and not only up-skill its workforce to meet current requirements, but regularly re-evaluating core capabilities such as data literacy regularly. Consequently, this guide will be regularly reviewed.

The APS data literacy program

The APS data literacy program aims to ensure all APS officers have a minimum foundational level of data literacy. The program has six elements:

Figure 1: The six elements of the data literacy program

Which learning option is right for me?

The most effective way to develop capability is when a range of different learning approaches are combined, including formal learning, relationship-based learning and learning from experience.

The APSCs A guide to learning on-the-job in the APS can help you to identify how you can best determine your needs and implement the suggested work-based opportunities.

The APSCs Learning and Development Calendars feature a range of learning programs designed to develop foundation, core and management skills of for APS, EL and SES employees.

To view the calendar, enter the following URL into your web browser:http://www.apsc.gov.au/learn-and-develop/national-learning-and-development-calendars

Ongoing development

Given the constantly evolving nature of data literacy, it is important to maintain a contemporary understanding of the latest industry developments. To maintain the currency of your knowledge and skills it is recommended that you:

familiarise yourself with the range of reference material, guidelines and tools relevant to your work

actively scan information sources for the latest news and developments in your field

regularly talk to your manager and colleagues to identify and share any findings.

Using this guide

This guide is designed around the principle that workplace learning is an ongoing process that does not finish with the completion of one training course or workshop. As professional public servants, we learn as a part of our day-to-day work activities, from our colleagues, supervisors and mentors as well as through structured, formal learning programs.

This learning guide has been designed as a dynamic resource to support your learning. The learning options in this document will be updated and revised regularly, so printing is not recommended.

The learning options presented include government and non-government sources. Some of the options require a fee or subscription. Some learning options have been obtained under a licencing agreement. The conditions of use are listed below.

Every effort has been made to present a range of relevant, effective learning options. If you have suggestions for inclusions into future versions of this learning guide please provide them. If you would like to provide feedback on the effectiveness of the existing learning options, or you find a broken link please let us know by emailing: coreskills@apsc.gov.au.

Document informationProduction team

This document was developed on behalf of the Australian Public Service (APS) by the Centre for Leadership and Learning in collaboration with Data61, Australian Taxation Office, the Australian Bureau of Statistics, and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Enquiries or suggestions about the development options presented in this document are welcome and should be directed to: coreskills@apsc.gov.au.

Disclaimer

The APS Data Literacy Learning Guide is presented by theAustralian Public Service Commissions Centre for Leadership and Learning (the Centre) for the purpose of sharing information and learning resources relating to data literacy.

The Centre selects the information and learning resources relating to data literacy and updates the learning guide as required.

However, theAPSC on behalf of the Australian Governmentdoes not guarantee, and accepts no legal liability whatsoever arising from, or connected to, the accuracy, reliability, currency or completeness of any material contained in the APS data literacy learning guide or on any linked site.

It isrecommended that users exercise their own skill and care with respect to the use of the APS Data Literacy learning guide and that users carefully evaluate the accuracy, currency, completeness and relevance of the material on the website for their purposes.

The material in the APS data literacy learning guide may include the views or recommendations of third parties, which do not necessarily reflectthe views of the Commonwealth, or indicate its commitment to a particular course of action.

Links to external web sites

The APS data literacy learning guide containslinks to websites that are external to the Australian Public Service Commission. The Australian Public Service Commission takes reasonable care in linking to websites but has no direct control over the content of the linked sites, or the changes that may occur to the content on those sites.

It is the responsibility of users to make their own decisions about the accuracy, currency, reliability and correctness of information contained in linked external websites.

Links to external websites do not constitutean endorsement or a recommendation ofany material on those sites or of any third party products or services offered by, from or through those sites. Users of links provided by the APS data literacy learning guide are responsible for being aware of which organisation is hosting the website they visit.