Project Granite is coming to an end. It’s been great working with Scotland’s open data to take a closer look at communities. We have gained a lot of insights, but these were not always what we expected.

One of the previous blog posts in this series addressed the abundance of data-driven asset mapping projects in Scotland. We are still hearing of new projects and updates to current projects.

For example, New Philanthropy Capital have updated their interactive databank on charities and Covid-19, renaming it as “Local Needs Databank”. The databank now includes more data for Scotland, and it seems like it will be regularly updated as more data becomes available. 

Another new project is the Office for National Statistics’ subnational indicators explorer. This tool allows users to view a range of open data about local authorities. The tool splits data into three main categories  - ‘boosting living standards’, ‘spreading opportunity and improving public services’, and ‘restoring local pride’. They have framed these categories in terms of improving or shifting them rather than classifying places in terms of negative factors.

Projects like these are great for showcasing data and working towards stronger communities, but building a robust open data strategy is really important too. We can have better and more accurate tools with better open data.

Thanks for following along with the project, and thank you to everyone who has provided support and suggestions along the way. We will be releasing area insight profiles based on the data analysis and community conversations that we had as part of the Action Project soon.