Consumer Data Research Centre - Legacy Status

Our mission is to act as an international beacon for interdisciplinary and data intensive consumer research with real world impact. Specific aims of CDRC-L are to obtain and curate a corpus of novel data sets from consumers and other daily transactions, create and support next generation infrastructures for the analysis of consumer data; promote world-leading and impactful research and innovation with consumer data ; and develop skills in the UK for global competitiveness in data analytics for social research.

Data driven research is central to UK scientific innovation (e.g. Science and Technology Strategy; National Data Strategy). It plays a crucial role, especially in parallel with concurrent developments in AI, to drive transformations not just in the economy but also for environment, health, mobility and in reducing inequalities.

A recent working group has been tasked specifically with the development of Smart Data initiatives and standards for consumer data across government. Multiple related initiatives include the DfT Data Strategy, National Land Data Pilot, Digital Planning White Paper, DLUHC Levelling Up Missions.

Given these trends and imperatives, it is unsurprising that research utilising Smart Data features as a high priority for all UK Research Councils. The associated challenges are global in scope, from North America and Europe to the Far East and Global South. But they are also highly local, for example the University of Leeds (UoL) Strategy, seeks digital transformation across the institution.

The establishment of CDRC-L in 2014 reflects forward-looking investments through the ESRC Big Data Network to build capacity and capability for data intensive research at scale. CDRC-L has led the way through an entirely novel approach in bridging from social research to consumer-facing organisations, allowing the articulation of new value propositions for both academic research (in the exploitation of novel data sources and problem domains) and for real world partners (in access to new skills, expertise and intellectual insights, policy analytics for business and government).

The continuing importance of social data research at scale is recognised in specific investment plans and funding opportunities from starter grants (e.g. Secondary Data Analysis Initiative) to major programmes such as Smart Data Research UK and Understanding Behaviour. Given our track record in pulling together support across multiple sources and initiatives, future sustainability of historic levels of activity in the CDRC is eminently achievable and likely.

Since establishment CDRC-L has pioneered social research with new forms of data in a digital age of changing consumption of goods and services, social interaction and analysis technologies. We have established successful partnerships with many consumer-facing organisations and have established protocols for sharing data safely. We have driven research across priorities in mobility, sustainable consumption and healthy lifestyles and contributed to the development of skills and capacity through short courses, educational programmes, and doctoral training.

In this project we will build capacity for the supervision of postgraduate research projects with consumer data. We will use targeted resources to encourage the production of suitable materials for curation of interesting and valuable work in a variety of forms including case studies, blogs and podcasts. Increased activity will be boosted by the creation of research ready data sets with an emphasis on key themes including mobility, population and consumption.

We will continue with an established collaborative framework for partnership working including an annual Forum to bring together our community for mutual discussion, updates and exposure to the latest research and applied innovations.