The Government should task the Centre for Digital Built Britain (CDBB) with the establishment of a digital framework for infrastructure data, drawing together key organisations and existing initiatives both large scale (BIM) and smaller scale:
- a. A Digital Framework Task Group for infrastructure data should be established with a high profile chair who can act as a national champion for this agenda.
- b. CDBB should set out a roadmap to a digital framework to develop standards and formats for collating and sharing data.
- c. Key organisations which should be involved in the Task Group and in developing the framework include the Alan Turing Institute, Infrastructure Client Group, Construction Leadership Council, Infrastructure and Projects Authority, Cambridge Centre for Smart Infrastructure and Construction, Project 13, Office for National Statistics, Ordnance Survey, Open Data Institute and the recently announced Geospatial Commission and Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation. Wider consultation input should also be sought from the digital twin working group referenced in section 5.
- d. On standards development, in order to understand the existing standards landscape thoroughly at both a national and supranational level and to ensure agility, CDBB should consult extensively with industry on current behaviours and future requirements for how different infrastructure sectors and sub-sectors use data. CDBB may wish to commission an external standards organisation to conduct some of this work on their behalf.
- e. IPA and ICG should be engaged closely when designing final data standards and performance measures. The ICG amongst others will also be important to consult with respect to appropriate safeguards for commercial confidentiality.
- f. There should also be close collaboration with CPNI and NCSC on security requirements and levels of access and to develop standards for security, consistent with the objectives of the framework and an agreed approach to risk management.
- g. In order to support effective implementation, CDBB should also lead a scoping exercise for a framework to assess industry progress in adopting and using the framework and to measure innovation.
- h. CDBB should complete these actions and provide a public report on progress by 1 September 2018, setting out their recommendations for next steps. The National Infrastructure Commission would assess this as part of its wider role in monitoring progress against its recommendations.
