Training activity information
Details
Analyse an existing operational data set to determine the original sources of data and present this information in a diagram
Type
Developmental training activity (DTA)
Evidence requirements
Evidence the activity has been undertaken by the trainee.
Reflection on the activity at one or more time points after the event including learning from the activity and/or areas of the trainees practice for development.
An action plan to implement learning and/or to address skills or knowledge gaps identified.
Considerations
- Data flows in the NHS and social care and support landscapes
- National and local data sets
- Data integration
- Data flow diagrams
Reflective practice guidance
The guidance below is provided to support reflection at different time points, providing you with questions to aid you to reflect for this training activity. They are provided for guidance and should not be considered as a mandatory checklist. Trainees should not be expected to provide answers to each of the guidance questions listed.
Before action
- Consider why it’s important to establish the source of the data in an operational dataset?
- What is the existing operational dataset? What information do you have about its potential sources? What methods are appropriate for presenting this information in a diagram?
- What insights do you hope to gain about the flow and origin of health data within an organisation? How will this inform your understanding of the health data landscape?
- Will you review any documentation related to the dataset? Will you discuss potential data sources with colleagues? What tools might you use to create the diagram?
- How do you feel about analysing this dataset and presenting it visually? Are you confident in your analytical and diagramming skills?
In action
- How are you approaching the analysis of the dataset to identify its sources? What steps are you taking to trace the origins of the data? What method are you using to create the diagram? Why did you choose this method?
- Are you finding the data sources easily? Are there any unexpected complexities in the data or its documentation? What are you learning about the data landscape as you perform this analysis? How does this analysis relate to your understanding of data management?
- If you are struggling to identify a data source, are you considering alternative ways to investigate (e.g., looking at different fields, seeking help from colleagues)? Are you adjusting your diagramming approach if the initial method isn’t effectively representing the information?
On action
- What were the main data sources you identified? What challenges did you encounter while trying to trace the origins of the data? What were the key features of the operational dataset? What form did your diagram take?
- What did you learn about the structure and documentation of this operational dataset? Did you discover any unexpected data flows or dependencies? How effective was your method for analysing the data sources? What skills in data analysis or data management did you develop? How did your in-the-moment decisions about how to analyse and diagram the data influence the final output? How does understanding data sources relate to ensuring data quality in a healthcare setting?
- How will you approach analysing data sources in future projects? What improvements could you make to your methodology for tracing data origins or presenting this information visually? Do you need to learn more about specific types of operational data or data management systems? What are your next steps to further develop your skills in this area?
Beyond action
- Looking back at your analysis of the operational dataset and the diagram you created, how does your current understanding of data governance and data lineage compare? Have you encountered other operational datasets since this training activity? How does your approach to analysing their sources compare to your initial experience? If you discussed this training activity with peers, has their perspective changed your understanding of the challenges involved in tracing data origins? Revisit your reflect-on-action notes for this training activity. What aspects now seem more or less significant in light of subsequent learning?
- How has your ability to identify data sources influenced your approach to subsequent data-related tasks or projects? Have you applied your understanding of data flow and dependencies gained from this activity in other areas of your training or work? How did this initial experience of data source analysis prepare you for understanding the complexities of health data landscapes, as mentioned in the learning outcomes of the module? Has this experience informed how you evaluate the reliability and validity of data you encounter?
- What transferable skills, such as analytical thinking and attention to detail, did you develop through this training activity that will be valuable in future data science or engineering roles? What actions will you take to further develop your skills in data source analysis and documentation in the future? How might the ability to effectively map data origins contribute to your ability to curate datasets for novel information generation in the future?
Relevant learning outcomes
| # | Outcome |
|---|---|
| # 1 |
Outcome
Appraise the health data landscape, articulate how different data sets relate to each other and curate a data set to generate novel information. |