Introduction to Data Sharing and Integration 2.0

At AISP, we believe that the development of public data infrastructure will be the defining public works project of the 21st Century. It is critical that data infrastructure is constructed collaboratively and thoughtfully. Administrative data—the data collected and maintained by the government and other organizations during the routine process of administering programs—when repurposed, can provide valuable insights for improving programs, services, and ultimately the lives of residents. Despite the promise of cross sector data integration and some notable successes, strong coordination and data sharing across government agencies in the U.S. is still the exception rather than the norm.

This resource is intended to help partnerships, collaboratives, agencies, and community initiatives build a foundation for sustained administrative data sharing geared toward improving individual and community outcomes. We generally refer to these efforts as integrated data systems (IDS), but they have other names, including data hubs, longitudinal data systems, data collaboratives, and data intermediaries.

Whatever you choose to call your effort, development requires defining and articulating your purpose and identifying your partners and roadblocks. Once you have laid the groundwork, we recommend developing IDS quality across five components: governance, legal, technology, capacity, and impact. The work of designing an IDS is developmental and will change shape over time. As you move through this document, use what is helpful, leave what is not, and return to concepts you are not yet ready to address. Ideally, this will help you find a place to start that is aligned to your unique context.