In policymaking, time of response and timing of response are both critical. Ground situations change rapidly, especially during crises, and policy responses must keep pace. An intervention too soon or too late is most likely an ineffective one. And we believe that novel data can provide critical insights to aid policymaking by informing it with real-time and timely information generated on ground. Information that comprises such datasets that are de-identified and aggregated and based on underlying transactional data.

The Novel Data For Policy microsite is our endeavour to demonstrate how novel data can be used for designing appropriate and timely policy responses. Also, how to make more novel data available. We want this microsite to become a platform that brings together technologists, social scientists and policymakers to achieve these ambitions. With initial support from Facebook, we welcome partnerships with likeminded individuals, institutions and organisations to enrich this microsite.