Asbjørn M. Pedersen and Claus Bossen’s paper “Data Work Between the Local and the Global: An Ethnography of a Healthcare Business Intelligence Unit” was just published in the proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction.

The paper explores the intricate landscape of data work within a healthcare Business Intelligence Unit (BIU) through an ethnographic lens. Delving into the challenges and efforts involved in repurposing, standardizing, and utilizing healthcare data for various purposes, the paper aims to address gaps in existing research by focusing on third-order data workers (data workers who re-use healthcare data), particularly BI developers, and their collaboration with domain experts.

The primary objective of the study was to analyze and describe the various facets of data work conducted within a centralized healthcare BIU. The paper identifies four distinct ways in which BI developers (BIDs) engage with data: consolidating standards, creating order in messy data, engaging with healthcare professionals, and negotiating data and conflicts.

1. Consolidating Standards: The BIU acts as a bridge between the local and global contexts by consolidating standards and facilitating the flow of data between different levels of the healthcare system. This process involves aligning reports with local needs while ensuring compatibility with global standards.
2. Creating Order in Messy Data: BIDs play a crucial role in integrating and organizing data to make it comprehensible and actionable. By transforming data into standardized reports, they facilitate decision-making at both local and global levels.
3. Engaging with Healthcare Professionals: Collaboration with healthcare professionals is essential for understanding the context of data production. BIDs work closely with domain experts to ensure that data products meet the needs of end-users and reflect the reality of clinical practice.
4. Negotiating Data and Conflicts: Resolving conflicts and ensuring data validity require continuous negotiation between BIDs and healthcare professionals. These encounters highlight the importance of aligning perceived reality with registered reality, emphasizing the need for transparent data work processes.

The findings of the study underscore the complex nature of data work in healthcare BIUs and healthcare. While BI developers are not typically classified as data scientists, their role in managing and transforming data is indispensable. Collaboration between BIDs and healthcare professionals is paramount for bridging the gap between standardization and local work practices.

Find the article in the latest proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction.