03 February 2022 – South Africa Country Level Event

Part I. Framing & Knowledge Sharing
Welcome by UKBEAG and link to the six key themes of the UKBEAG Capacity Development Programme together with the findings of a Capacity Needs Assessment that was undertaken by City Stakeholders earlier in the year. Ms Shabari Shaily-Gerber, Head of Urban Economic Development at the FCDO in Pretoria, delivered opening remarks. Ms Victoria Delbridge, Head of Cities that Work, International Growth Centre delivered a presentation on the economics of using data/evidence to inform decision making in cities. Ms Mbalenhle Chemane, Senior Specialist, Strategic Urban Planner, City of Johannesburg, offered some reflections, followed by Ms Jashiela Hansjee, GIS Officer, Human Settlements Unit, eThekwini Municipality and Mr Zwelibanzi Gwala, Manager, Spatial Databases, Information Management Unit. Finally, Mr Hugh Cole, Director of Policy and Strategy, City of Cape Town shared some reflections on the work that has been undertaken and the challenges to be faced.

Part II. Workshop 1. Moving from Data to Action
Mr Jonathan Wilson, Consultant, and Mr Ben Snaith, Researcher at the Open Data Institute opened the workshop with a presentation on how open data in cities leads to increased innovation and improved service delivery. They introduced the ODI Open Cities Programme and the concept of open cities (rather than ‘smart’ cities). They presented the case study of Transport for London (TfL) to illustrate how and why TfL’s open data initiative was a pioneer in the delivery of innovative products and services. Later Mr Jonathan Wilson, and Mr Ben Snaith, introduced the ODI’s theory of change unpacking how we move from data fearing and data hoarding to action. They presented case study examples of non-South African global south cities, showcasing the challenges and barriers to data sharing and how to maintain healthy data ecosystems. The ODI also introduced a use-case to illustrate the range of skills needed within an organisation to get the most from data and drive action This was followed by an interactive activity which identified the different types of data skills needed across an organisation to act on data insights. The activity underscored the importance of data literacy across an organisation, and the need to create a personal journey to prioritise necessary training for data skills and literacy. The learning outcomes were to be able to define the difference between data skills and data literacy, and to be able to explain why these are important in the creation of data products and services that create impact (whilst avoiding harm).

Part III. Workshop 2. Delivering Effective Outcomes
Mr Dilhan Perera, Senior Research Advisor and Ms Rachel Machefsky, consultant, The Behavioural Insights Team delivered a presentation on how behavioural science can be used to deliver more effective outcomes. They introduced case studies from different sectors and geographies that demonstrated real data-driven impact. They also introduced the EAST framework, (Easy, Timely, Social, Attractive) and how the methodology might be applied to a range of real-world issues. This was followed by an interactive activity encouraging participants to work together to develop a new solution to an existing problem. The learning objective was to understand the principles of behavioural science, how they are applied, and how they can deliver value for a city.

Key Takeaways:

• Incentives for sharing data are important. Generally, people are not interested in sharing data unless it directly and immediately benefits them. At the same time, sharing can come with costs, such as threatening the perceived power of holding the data or exposing the poor quality of the information. However, there is much be gained from sharing data beyond its intended purpose. Often people are not aware of who they can share data with, or the extent of the potential mutual benefit. Creating a data-sharing city requires strong change management and specific benefits need to be made clear to data ‘owners’.
• City-data should be seen as an economic asset for the creation of public goods, as well as an engine to propel the local tech industry in innovative product development. This value needs to be demonstrated quickly. Pilot projects, or a modular approach to solutions, can provide valuable insights for learning and adapting while showcasing value.
• Procurement processes hold several challenges when it comes to data. Cities are often limited to technology that is already offered by companies.
• Vendor reliance and lock-in are important issues. It can become very difficult and expensive to negotiate different terms once contracts are in place, new suppliers may be unable to support other vendors’ systems, and in-house capacity may be insufficient to manage purchased systems. It is important to consider how data ecosystems will be managed without the implementing vendor at the very start of a project.
• The past matters. Path-dependence of technology can be a challenge. In Cape Town, the strong Information Systems & Technology (IS&T) department, which has underpinned much of the technology and data maturity in the city, while a great asset in the early 2000s, has also limited further growth and flexibility to employ more modern technologies or engage with external vendors. In many cases, a novel approach to data requires both unlearning and relearning.
• In South Africa, cross-city learning is facilitated by groups such as the South African Cities Network and the National Treasury City Support Programme. To be effective in the future, forums and meetings need to be translated into action, and exchanges need to be held on very specific shared interests, where the details of different approaches can be discussed. There is also a strong need for these to be shaped by the cities themselves and for them to engage in forums beyond South Africa as well.