Big data for government and policy: Research opportunity and roadmap

Abstract

Current decision-making processes are far from optimal to represent best interests of the public and stakeholders as contemporary policy domains are very complex, high-dimensional and include a large dose of uncertainty. The massive amounts of data captured in our physical world through sensors, social media, blogs, and electronic devices (big data) provide substantial potential to aid these processes. Effcient procedures to draw links between large-scale data-processing technologies and expert knowledge in major policy domains would make policy development processes more citizen-focused. Theycould take into account public needs and preferences and be supported by their actual experiences of public services.