The data knight rises - and our society depends on it

WE LOVE superheroes. They have become an integral part of our culture, with the likes of Black Panther, the Avengers and Deadpool - just to name a few - continuing to make the world a safer place. But while those characters' actions are limited to our screens, a new superhero is emerging, one which can make a real impact on our lives: the data knight.

He fought chronic diseases and provided better patient treatment in hospitals. He distributed more than 100 million pounds of food in disaster areas, to those who needed it the most. And he caught a serial killer who had been on the loose. However, the data knight is not this one guy protecting the world - it is a concept describing every single person who uses data to make a difference.

Case in point: The Swedish police force made a breakthrough on the hunt of a serial killer when it used a technology capable of analysing 10 years' worth of crime records - or two million files - and cross-referencing those with tips submitted by citizens. With this approach, they identified the killer, putting an end to a high-profile crime case which lasted more than a year.

Yet, it is not as simple as shining a bat signal or sounding the Avengers rally call - because these data knights do not come to the rescue as often as we need them. Our recent data literacy survey, in which we interviewed more than 5,000 full-time workers across Australia, Singapore, India, China and Japan this year, found that almost 90 per cent of workers in Singapore are not data literate - or confident in their ability to read, understand, work with and challenge data. This number is higher than the APAC average, where around 80 per cent of employees struggle to deal with data at the workplace.

To change this situation for the better, everyone must get involved - individuals, organisations and the government. And we cannot start too early. That is why I welcome the Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA)'s Data-Driven Innovation Challenge, for instance, where students were tasked to develop data-driven solutions that impact everyday lives. It is a great platform to promote data literacy early on.

PREPARING FOR DIGITAL ECONOMY

Nanyang Technological University in Singapore has even introduced an innovative undergraduate degree programme in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence earlier this year to prepare students for the new digital economy. However, it will take time for these programmes to bear fruit - our data literacy survey also shows that 89 per cent of graduate-level employees in Singapore currently do not see themselves as being prepared to deal with data at the workplace. That is worrying, considering that close to two-thirds (65 per cent) of employees feel that they have to deal with a higher volume of data now than three years ago.

The government is joining the cause, too. Its SkillsFuture for the Digital Workplace scheme is the largest national training effort focusing on instilling digital skills, which include the ability to use, create and share digital content responsibly. But the underlying factor is data literacy itself. Because at the end of the day, how far can one go with digital literacy, if they do not know how to make sense of and question the data that they are exposed to in the first place?

To help society become more confident with data, organisations need to implement learning programmes with certifications that are comprehensive yet easily accessible and affordable for everyone. Culture change is key when it comes to improving data literacy within organisations, so these programmes should also help employees develop soft skills to help foster collaboration and a fluid exchange of ideas.

As data continues to permeate every aspect of our lives - at home, work or school - the potential of putting it to good use seems endless. And while the technology for collecting and analysing data will become more widespread, one thing remains that cannot be automated: our human ability to make sense of what we see on our screens.

As Spiderman's uncle already knew - with great power comes great responsibility. And that is why, starting today, let us interrogate the plethora of facts and figures that we are provided with. What are the next steps? How can we benefit from this information? In what way can it change our lives?

This way, we can all be a hero to someone. One who relies on real skills as opposed to mutant superpowers or fancy gadgets. Data knights, assemble!