Data-Driven Development

How Data Is Changing Development

This report is about how the data revolution is changing the behavior of governments, individuals, and firms. Specifically, the report examines how these changes affect the nature of development – economic, social, and cultural. How can governments extract value from data to improve service delivery in the same way that private companies have learned to do for profit? Is it feasible for individuals to take ownership of their own data and to use it to improve livelihoods and quality of life? Can developing-country firms compete with the internet majors on their own turf and even be more innovative in their use of data to serve local customers better? Several potential audiences could therefore benefit from this report:

• The primary audience is government policy makers, though not in a single line ministry, such as information and communication technology or finance, but rather across government, given that data is a multidisciplinary concern

• A secondary audience would be individuals concerned about how their personal data is used and those interested in how the data revolution might impact future job prospects.

• Beyond that, private sector firms, particularly in developing countries, looking to expand their markets and improve their competitive edge will find interesting examples of how other firms are doing that.

• Finally, development professionals should find the report relevant as they seek to use data more creatively to tackle long-standing global challenges, such as eliminating extreme poverty, promoting shared prosperity, or mitigating the effects of climate change.