A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog called “Mind the gap between the truth and the data”.

The blog argued that, in thinking about how to use data and technology to solve social challenges, the most important thing to consider is not what is there, but what is not.

It suggested that each data or tech-for-good project should begin with:

• a reflection on absence – who, or what, is missing from the project;
• consideration of what the implications of those gaps are; and
• a discussion about what steps might be taken to address the gaps.

While the blog appeared to resonate with a lot of people, it occurred to me that it might not be all that useful in supporting people to actually approach projects differently.

And so, I asked Kelly Duggan, a Learning Experience Designer in Nesta’s Innovation Skills team, whether she might help convert the blog into a practical tool that people can use to convert the ideas outlined in the blog into practice.

Today, we’re pleased to present you with “Map the Gap”

This tool has been designed to support people working with data to think through: what data is missing? Whose voices are missing? What untested assumptions are being made, and how might these assumptions be obscuring other truths?

The tool highlights many fantastic resources (most of which are not our own!) which can support this process.

We hope this tool will be shared, printed, stuck on walls and used to inform projects and thinking.

We also hope this tool will be interrogated, tweaked and added to. We know there are almost certainly gaps within our gaps and we see this tool as a work in progress. We welcome feedback and suggestions for improvement – please comment here, or on twitter @theasnow.