We’re living in a digital age and a time of rapid technological advancements. It’s reaching into all aspects of everyday life, changing expectations and shaping how we live, work, interact, play and access information and services.
Innovation doesn’t require a digital element but, in some contexts, digital can be a key driver of innovation. Digital technology, solutions and data can play a key role in helping leaders and their teams to innovate and find new and effective ways to tackle inequalities and meet the priorities of Uniting the Movement.
Embracing the power and opportunities associated with digital technology, solutions and data can offer significant and exciting opportunities. However, it’s important to remember that, like other tools, they need to be used with clear intention, understanding and for a specific purpose. They must also be right for your intended audience and your organisation.
When considering your approach to digital, there are some important factors you can champion as a leader. These include:
Digital exclusion
When working to tackle inequalities, it’s essential to remember that not everyone has the same access, skills or confidence to use the internet and benefit fully from digital technology in everyday life. Digital exclusion is an issue experienced by millions of people across the UK. Many leaders feel pressured to ‘digitise’ their operations, but it’s important to use your role to ensure that any digital initiatives are designed with digital inclusion in mind; to avoid unintentionally excluding key audiences from what you offer.
Find out more about the relationship between digital exclusion and physical activity here
Digital maturity
It’s important for leaders to understand their organisation’s capabilities, culture, processes, systems, services and experiences relating to the use of technology and data. Understanding these gives a sense of your organisation’s current digital maturity level and readiness to implement digital solutions.
The Digital Futures Survey is a tool that helps leaders assess their organisation’s current digital maturity and effectiveness. It also benchmarks your score with the sector, offers a recommendations report to support your digital transformation journey and enables you to track progress.
Open data
Research from Sport England shows a lack of online data is a barrier to participation. One fifth of adults have been put off doing a physical activity because it was too difficult to find or book online. Leaders can play a pivotal role in improving this by helping to raise data standards across the sector.
OpenActive can help you standardise the data you have about physical activity opportunities (including the time, place, description and cost) and publish it openly to ensure it can easily be used by innovators, platforms, apps and developers to drive more awareness of your offer.
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