This session as advertised as a think-tank discussion, asking world leading experts how they would overcome the challenges that prevent cycling taking its place in the growing topic of Big Data. ECF’s Development Director Kevin Mayne was joined on stage by Philippe Crist, expert on transport policy and big data at the global economic organisation OECD and Tim Papandreou, leading thinker in the field who worked as head of innovation for the City of San Francisco and for Google X before launching his own consultancy.

Kevin set five challenges for cycling as big data: Emotional, Technological, Industrial, Economic and Political and the discussion set about breaking them down. Philippe strongly emphasised the need to start with “Why do you need the data?” in order to make good decisions about what data is needed. He also gave some excellent examples for built in data bias, such as the different economic profile of owners of Apple or Android smartphones which could distort analysis.

 Tim strongly emphasised the need for cities and advocates to engage with technology companies, to understand their needs and to find ways to share needs. He compared his experience of requesting data from tech companies on behalf of San Francisco to the understanding of data privacy that he found inside Google to illustrate the need for cities and advocates to engage and understand the topic.

The audience was soon invited to share their experiences with the expert panel which enabled a lively discussion including the practicalities of bike sharing data, the needs for inclusion and equity in big data, the culture of engineering led design and the outstanding success of using feedback from over 100,000 citizens to change political opinion.

Kevin closed the session by inviting those engaged in technology and big data to join one of ECF’s networks and stay in the community developing these concepts.

In conclusion? Cycling at all levels has to get into the Big Data space and engage, in order to create data that works for our needs. As Philippe said “Don’t wait to be invited into the room, we have to create our own room where the technology people talk to us”.