Chapter 1: Data Literacy
Chapter Overview
According to Jackson and Carruthers (2019), data literacy is the ability to understand and communicate data as information. It has a wide spectrum, from the data scientist who can take datasets and create insight or information, to the data citizen who can understand and act on those insights because they have an appreciation as to where these insights come from. In an increasingly data-driven world, it becomes increasingly important that everyone – citizens, businesses, and governments – become data literate. The shift to data-driven transformation has happened so quickly that huge parts of society have been left behind in the comprehension of the power of data.
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Define the terms ‘data’ and ‘data asset’;
- Describe the concept of ‘data literacy’;
- List core data literacy competencies;
- Describe the ‘data journey’ and the specific action(s) required at each step; and
- Examine key data roles in organizations and describe individual responsibilities.
The ability to understand and communicate data as information (Jackson & Carruthers, 2019).
