We live in complicated times (perhaps that’s a statement that has always been true). And we share a common intention to collect better data in these complicated times to make better decisions. To be able to do that we must learn – not just the fundamentals of data collection – but the humanity of centring community in it.

It is also essential to understand bringing a community to selectively convenient parts of a project is not inclusion – something that does happen in the world. Working with the community takes more than that. It requires trust, empathy, flexibility, and willingness to unlearn. Community is a complex word, after all. Does it refer to the intersectional identity-based communities (by ethnicity, race, etc.)? Or is it a more simplistic view by neighbourhood or zip code?

Author Graeme Stuart says, “Communities are not homogeneous nor conflict free, but encompass diversity, competing interests and priorities, and unequal access to resources and influence. It is thus important to think about who is at the table when making decisions. An equity lens and a commitment to social justice mean that collective impact needs to place a priority on ensuring that marginalized or voiceless sections of the community have the opportunity to be engaged. It can even be worth asking ‘who owns the table?’ ”

So, how do we do this – center the voice of this community in our data collection?

In this article, you can find a framework that we can take to answer that question. This framework will evolve over time and our mindfulness to include community will influence it at different points.

Let us start with the approach to the framework. When it comes to including a community in data collection, we must prioritize a strengths-based approach over a deficit-based approach. Deficit-based approach refers to collecting data around the collective community challenges. In contrast, the strengths-based approach refers to collecting data on the community’s strengths to enable individuals to solve the challenges they may identify. It is not a transparent black-and-white distinction as to which approach must be locked with which scenario. It also depends on the context. But, broadly speaking, to enable a community, leveraging a strengths-based approach in data collection allows you to collect data points that can lead to sustainable development and long-term growth.

Here is an example: say you want to collect data from the local community on youth growth and development. You recognize that your local community comprises intersectionality (such as race, ethnicity, nationality, and sexual orientation). A deficit-based data collection would mean asking the community questions about what can be improved in the city for youth development. On the contrary, a strengths-based approach asks what parts of the city and its offerings allow the youth to be their best self. The strengths-based approach focuses on the strengths of respondents, so you don’t create change for them but with them.

Another example would be – say, LinkedIn wants to identify new features for their product to support BIPOC professionals. Deficit-based data collection would ask self-identified BIPOC users to identify specific challenges that can be turned into platform features. On the contrary, a strengths-based approach would ask self-identified BIPOC users about their ways of engagement on the platform that make them feel most accomplished, (professionally) whole, and successful. Features can then be derived based on those identified indicators of success. This way, a change is not just created for BIPOC professionals but with them.

Using that knowledge, here is a starting point, an evolving framework we can use when centering community voice. This model is derived from the core ideas of Strengths-based data collection techniques, Gender-based analysis model, Responsive Research method by Quinless and Corntassel, and some community engagement strategies.

Use your imagination, curiosity, and empathy to refine this framework appropriately.

Let’s hear that community voice, pure and unadulterated, in our data.

Let’s center our community’s voice in our data collection.

Meena Das is the founder, consultant, and facilitator at her practices NamasteData and Data Is For Everyone. Her work is focused on data equity. She leads her work with love for the community, respect for her lived experiences and knowledge from decade plus experience of working with data. She supports fundraising teams in 3 core areas: data collection assessments, community surveys, and staff workshops on improving data equity (through data collection, visualization, human-centric algorithms etc.) Connect with her on LinkedIn at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/meenadas