Technology for Civic Data Integration

From the author(s): The purpose of this report is to describe key considerations in building and sustaining IDS and the various technology approaches that may be helpful in overcoming challenges in data integration. Sharing, integrating, and using administrative data to inform policy and practice is technically complex, and involves navigating myriad constraints around cost, architecture, storage, access, and staffing—just to name a few. Heterogeneous approaches to data infrastructure, transfer, linking, and security are to be expected in an emerging field, but both established and developing efforts would benefit from cohesive guidance regarding the technical considerations of data integration, as well as a common understanding of the range of options that can be weighed based on context-specific restrictions. The aim of this report is to provide guidance to better equip states, local governments, and universities with technical approaches for data sharing and integration.