Our Work
Data governance and digital strategy are complex challenges, and every context is unique. Open North works alongside each of our partners to discover, develop and deliver unique solutions. We create the conditions for technology and data to meaningfully advance the common good – that means we deliver products, design processes and build capacity.
Our approach
We work alongside each of our partners to discover, design, and deliver unique solutions that create the conditions for digital technology and data use to meaningfully advance the common good.
Discover
We start by understanding your unique challenges and opportunities and work with you to define the common good you are working toward.
Design
We use proven frameworks to cocreate data governance and digital strategy solutions that fit your goals and context.
Deliver
We support your project implementation by creating a sustainability model that ensures your organization can maintain — and scale — the work we do together.
More broadly, we act as a connector across organizations, sectors, and jurisdictions, encouraging and enabling knowledge sharing and collaboration with real immediate and long-term positive effects.
Our Areas of Expertise
Building ethical frameworks for shared data
Prioritizing the common good in a digital era
For organizations across all sectors and sizes to make informed decisions and achieve their goals, having timely access to relevant and actionable data is key. The absence of a consistent framework governing the creation, management, sharing, and use of data can result in missed opportunities, inadequate sharing of benefits among stakeholders, and harms to individuals and society at large.
An effective data governance framework is grounded in a clear set of values and explicit goals for data use. It mitigates risk and promotes responsible outcomes by defining decision-making processes, assigning key roles, and establishing accountability throughout the data lifecycle.
Key Elements
Fit-for-purpose data governance frameworks
Effective data governance requires a customized and adaptable approach that considers the unique goals, needs, ethical values, and contexts of each organization or initiative. We work closely with our clients and partners to develop and implement fit-for-purpose data governance frameworks through a flexible and iterative process that reflects their specific relationships between people, institutions, and digital technologies.
Exploring impacts of emerging digital technologies
Whether your organization is using legacy technologies or is considering adopting automated decision-making systems and diverse artificial intelligence applications, decisions about the platforms, algorithms, and data inputs will require strong data governance based on principles of accountability, transparency, and respect for human rights. We recognize that data impacts larger systems and engage with political economies to develop comprehensive strategies that create tangible community benefits and build public trust.
Supporting sustainable and inclusive data partnerships
Based on years of research and practical experience, we help develop sustainable data partnerships for the common good, from creating a shared vision that will mobilize stakeholders and identifying high-value use cases, to designing an ethical business model and improving each partner’s data practices. We engage deeply with stakeholders, especially those who face systemic barriers or exclusion and who are most vulnerable to risks. The ultimate goal is to develop a collective vision rooted in their legitimate concerns and priorities, establish democratic leadership, build trust, and mitigate harmful outcomes resulting from neglected data governance.
Learn more about our Data Governance work
Digital technology has become a fundamental part of our society, but many organizations struggle with how best to leverage its benefits while also mitigating risks. Developing an effective digital strategy can help your organization to access the opportunities that digital technology brings as well as addressing the challenges and risks.
Our approach to digital strategy is based on deep research and practical experience and begins by asking “how digital do you need to be?”
Key Elements
Enabling organizational learning and individual capacity building
Digital strategy is not simply about layering new digital technology on top of existing systems. Our approach looks beyond your technology stack, assessing opportunities for growth in your organizational culture, practices, and capacity. We help you create an enabling environment and develop the skills, processes, and structures you need to sustain digital modernization.
Human-centred, participatory design
We involve stakeholders and the public in cocreating your digital vision, ensuring that it reflects their needs and aspirations. This approach is particularly important in the public sector, where digital services need to be accessible and inclusive for everyone, regardless of their socioeconomic background, ability, or digital literacy. Grounding digital strategy in these principles acts as a multiplier, leading to positive step changes both within organizations and across systems and helping enable them to thrive both now and in the future.
Context-specific, non-linear approach
We recognize that each organization’s digital journey is unique and requires a tailored approach. We develop context-specific goal-setting, theories of change, process models, technology tactics, evaluation, and sustainability models to ensure your digital strategy is effective and adaptable over the long term.
