Understanding Society: how does the study as data infrastructure generate benefits for science, policy, and society?

Abstract

This document provides an outline of the broad ranging activities undertaken by the Understanding Society team and users, and how these are designed to generate benefits for science, policy and society. Using a theory of change (ToC) model it provides a coherent account of how the things we do reasonably might have the effects we want on science, policy and society, and our planned route to such outcomes. Our goal in sharing this working model is to help wide ranging stakeholders - from staff and data users to policy makers and funders – understand how data infrastructure works and the pathways through which the activities carried out by the team can lead to the desired benefits.