The Joined-Up Data Standards (JUDS) project is seeking feedback on a new consultation paper. The paper seeks to collect and draw on solutions to the challenges posed by incompatibility – or interoperability – between different data standards.

Data has immense potential to help drive poverty eradication through efficient and effective programming and funding. However, it remains incredibly difficult to join up data on resources, people and results because it is published in different formats and standards by different sectors, organisations and departments. Overcoming this challenge requires both technical solutions and political will. The challenge facing governments, international institutions, civil society, academics and the private sector alike is how to make sense of the vast quantities of data now being generated in order to create the big picture.

The consultation sets out three preliminary conclusions and recommendations:

1. The international policy environment is favourable to data being joined up – new standards therefore need to be joined-up from the start
2. Turning new principles recognising the need to overcome the interoperability challenge into practice is difficult – this will require joined-up leadership
3. Solutions are demonstrably achievable – it is possible for instance to join-up data on financial flows to development outcomes and results data; this needs to be done urgently.

The Consultation Paper can be accessed here and you are invited to take part in the online feedback by filling out this form.

The JUDS project is a joint initiative between Publish What You Fund and Development Initiatives, supported by the Omidyar Network. Read more about the project here.