Data management can be a challenging task for early childhood care and education (ECCE) agencies. The information they gather and collect is fragmented, making it difficult to access and analyze. To tackle this problem, many ECCE agencies have turned to existing business models, like data warehouses, but these models have proven to be inadequate in meeting their goals. The traditional data warehouse model was designed to protect and hoard data rather than make it publicly accessible and usable.
Thankfully, new solutions are available that can help ECCE organizations achieve their data goals and share information in a more accessible way. This article compares the traditional model for information storage with the optimal public library model and details how your ECCE can leverage data hubs to build a more open information ecosystem for your workforce, clients, customers, and partners.
The Data Warehouse Model
A data warehouse is a system designed to store large amounts of data from a variety of sources and make it easily accessible for analysis and reporting. It is a centralized repository, meaning that data is collected and stored in a single location, making it easier to manage and control access to the information. However, this model has proven to be flawed for early childhood care and education (ECCE) agencies.
The goal of ECCE is to provide publicly available and usable data for all, but traditional data warehouses can limit accessibility and hinder data analysis. These limitations arise from the fact that the data warehouse model was not specifically designed for the unique needs and goals of ECCE. Agencies require flexible and user-friendly systems for managing, analyzing, and sharing their data. Information in a data warehouse is sealed. Ideally, such information would be made available as a public resource and accessible to everyone.
The Public Library Model
The public library model is an alternative approach for ECCE agencies struggling with how to manage and utilize their data. Unlike the traditional data warehouse model, the goal for ECCE agencies in this model is to share data (rather than lock it up in a virtual warehouse). The public library model is built on accessibility and data exploration, with an emphasis on data catalogs and data visualization to assist in the discovery of information. Think of it as a virtual library; a shared resource of boundless information that’s accessible to anyone with a library card (i.e., the right credentials).
In this model, librarians, not analysts, are leveraged to assist in the discovery and understanding of the data. The focus is on data standardization agreements rather than data sharing agreements, but privacy and accessibility must be balanced to ensure that data is available and usable to those who need it. While the public library model is less private, it is more accessible, providing a more open and collaborative approach to data management in ECCE.
Data Hubs: The Foundation of the Public Library Model
A data hub is a centralized platform that aggregates sanitized and refined data from multiple sources in an ecosystem. The primary goal of a data hub is to collect data, catalog it in a way that makes it searchable and discoverable, and make it available to policy makers, researchers, organizers, and the public.
An effective data hub typically includes a user-friendly application layer on top of the data to provide frictionless access for users. These public portals allow anyone to easily search and find information with a few simple keywords. With an accessible interface, data hubs allow for easy integration and connection with new data sources, making it possible to continuously add more information and keep it up-to-date. By providing a single, centralized platform for data collection, cataloging, and accessibility, data hubs help ECCE organizations manage, analyze, and share data more efficiently and effectively.
Choose Data Accessibility First
Although the data warehouse model has been the common approach for early childhood care and education (ECCE) agencies to organize data, it isn’t the optimal solution. Unlike the data warehouse, the public library model focuses on data sharing, data exploration, and accessibility, allowing virtually anyone to access information as a public resource. By integrating a data hub, the library becomes easily searchable, allowing stakeholders to readily manage, analyze, and share information.
When it comes to data sharing solutions, Common Good is one such organization at the forefront. We help other organizations such as ECCE agencies adapt to new technologies, such as the transition to a public library model for data storage. Our childcare registry products automatically include data sharing capabilities and allow for the curation and sanitization of data for export. With an eye toward convenience and ease of use, our solutions essentially function as de facto data hubs for ECCE organizations of all sizes.
If you’re interested in learning more about how Common Good can help your ECCE agency transition to a more accessible data model, feel free to contact us.
