Much of the discussion around Smart Data focuses on data portability, interoperability and the economic benefits of enabling data to move more freely between organisations. These are important objectives. Better use of data has the potential to unlock innovation, improve services, increase competition and drive economic growth. But for Smart Data to fulfil that promise, it must land meaningfully for millions of individuals, households and the organisations they interact with every day.

This is a real photo, taken recently by one of our team, of their vehicle’s infotainment screen. It’s asking them to review updated terms. On a screen that size. In a car. And like most drivers, they’ll click through — because what’s the alternative?

Are we about to build twenty smart data schemes… when what we really need is one smart data network?

Twenty ways to fragment the same underlying problem.

What’s needed is not twenty schemes.

It’s a single, interoperable smart data network that can support all of them—and many more.