Deliberating with the public: An agenda to include stakeholder input on municipal “big data” projects

The meteoric rise in the use of big data by corporations, governments, and institutions has rarely been augmented with public consultation on how big data is being used or ought to be used. Part of this absence is due to the difficulty in engaging with the public and stakeholders on a complicated topic in a meaningful and accessible way. This chapter provides a framework for consulting with citizens and stakeholders on the use of big data by the municipality in which they reside based on a three-day symposium that featured speakers, round-table discussions, and participants of all levels of governance in the community. Based on the results of this symposium, we recommend situating big data within governance structure and existing knowledge and identifying key stakeholders for participation while also integrating members of the public, providing an accessible forum for public participation, and mobilizing resources to ensure an effective and productive session while abiding by ethical considerations.