Federal CDO Council preparing 10 data science training program use cases
The Federal Chief Data Officers Council plans to release 10 data science training program use cases soon in a sign of the agency collaboration to come, according to Chair Ted Kaouk.
Each use case will feature a different agency like the Department of Health and Human Services‘ Data Science CoLab or the Air Force‘s data governance certification program.
The use cases were compiled by the council’s Data Skills Development Working Group, which aims to bolster agencies’ data workforce.
“We have an opportunity to accelerate that learning because we can learn about what others are doing — what’s worked for them,” said Kaouk, who primarily serves as CDO of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, during an ACT-IAC event Tuesday. “And I think that crosses the data skills domain; that crosses data sharing.”
The use cases come shortly after the joint hiring announcement for data scientists issued by 10 agencies in January, a project led by the U.S. Digital Service in partnership with the Federal CDO Council.
Meanwhile, the council’s COVID-19 Data Coordination Working Group has developed a number of prototypes addressing data-sharing challenges between agencies.
“That’s really focused on working with HHS to facilitate broader access to key public health data across internal agencies and developing decision support tools that are primed to be shared across agencies,” Kaouk said.
The council is similarly working with the Census Bureau to improve agencies’ access to its American Community Survey data.
And Kaouk anticipates agencies will create their first artificial intelligence inventories later this year, once the council releases the guidance it’s developing with the Federal Chief Information Officers Council. The inventories will detail each agency’s existing and planned AI use cases for everyone’s benefit.
The council is developing a framework for coordinating with the other Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act councils geared toward evaluation officers, statistical officials and privacy officials. And it’s updating existing guidance to reflect the Biden administration’s priorities.
Those priorities include better data management, skills and infrastructure; racial equity; and analysis of data collection practices and privacy protections for COVID-19 data in particular.
The council has about 80 member agencies currently.
This story was featured in FedScoop Special Report: Government Powered by Data - A FedScoop Special Report
