The digital, data and technology team in the Home Office has launched the Analytics Workbench data platform to support data analysis in the department.
It has published an introduction to the platform, saying it provides a “centralised and cohesive environment for data access and management, analysis and collaboration”.
Product managers Stefan Collymore and Annika Toomer said this has come in response to analysts asking for a centralised data hub, updated software packages and data models that are fit for purpose.
The platform has been designed in line with the Government Service Standard and through engagement with potential users, and offers a number of benefits. These include: making it easy to upload data via code or the user interface; industry standard tooling to perform analysis; collaboration with team members on datasets to improve data quality; and the ability to re-use code and packages.
It provides analysts with access to billions of data records and includes tools such as R and Python to help them share code, data and outputs with different teams.
Matching and cleansing
“With automated data management processes in place, users benefit from using the matched and cleansed data with a clear understanding of its governing frameworks,” Collymore and Toomer said.
“For example, Analytics Workbench is helping address complex migration challenges by providing more accurate data and improved analytical outputs, saving operational time and ensuring a higher efficiency of resource deployment.
“The Analytics Workbench enables quicker assessment of test scenarios and options in real time, making the impacts and implications of operational decisions better understood.”
