DataKC is excited to share our 2020 Annual Report, detailing the many projects our office tackled last year (COVID-19 and otherwise). Our introductory letter to the report is below:
2020 was a stress test.
Over the past decade, DataKC has honed an approach that uses data to drive innovation and engagement for the City. We believe that data can help reshape an organization in the face of adversity, by providing a bedrock for foundational change and organizational resiliency. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic tested the City’s dedication to data, innovation, and engagement — during a time of crisis, could we adhere to these principles?
The answer has been a resounding “yes.” At the request of and in partnership with City elected officials, appointed leadership, and department staff, DataKC applied our data and performance tools to a myriad of COVID-19 issues, including communications (random control trial of messaging), public engagement (COVID-19-focused resident surveys and dashboard development), and operations (telework policy development and employee engagement on workplace safety).
While addressing the City’s COVID-19 needs, we also continued to receive and respond to (non-pandemic) data projects from departments, including surveys, technology implementations, and data visualizations. We improved our resident survey to align with current priorities and increased our public reporting, restructured our employee engagement to align with national benchmarks, and added new automated datasets to Open Data KC.
DataKC certainly faced challenges in 2020. Several longtime staff who helped build our team moved on to new opportunities. We also put our Data Academy and Process Improvement Academy training on hiatus due to the extended teleworking period.
But overall, the challenges and successes of 2020 showed us that we are realizing our vision:
To embed a culture and model for sustainable, data-driven, continuous improvement into the organization’s values and operations.
We want to express a deep appreciation for our partners who make this vision possible:
- the City’s leadership, who have continued to embrace a data-centered approach to City governance and operations;
- our external partners — other jurisdictions, universities, best practice organizations, and community institutions — who share ideas, collaborate on research, and push us toward what’s next;
- and especially, the City’s workforce, who make all of this work possible through their new ideas, dedication to serving the community, support for one another, and commitment to excellent work.
We’re entering 2021 with optimism for what comes next.
If you would like to learn more about DataKC and our 2020 projects, please check out our Annual Report.
