Reflections from a communities of practice gathering
At the start of February, Zoe Davies, our Digital, Data and Technology Community Manager joined colleagues at the Centre for Digital Public Services (CDPS) communities of practice (CoP) gathering at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff.
As a member of the Data in Wales CoP and someone currently developing a digital, data and technology community of practice specifically for social care, I was particularly interested in how an event like this could support its members. It also offered a valuable opportunity to explore the data landscape across public services with people who share the same curiosity and commitment to improving outcomes.
Around 120 members attended from a wide range of organisations, representing six CDPS communities: Data in Wales, Automation and AI, Service Design Cymru, Communicating Digital, User Research in Wales and Content Design Cymru. It was a rare chance to connect with specialists from different disciplines, all united by a passion for improving public services. The purpose of the day was clear: share experiences, set community priorities for 2026, and collaborate across communities on real-life challenges.
Social care does not exist in isolation; every service intersects with others. To understand how data can genuinely enhance the lives of people who need care and support, we must understand the wider ecosystem they rely on. This gathering offered exactly that broader context.
Morning sessions: Community time
After a Traitors-style icebreaker led by the poets in residence, Aneirin Karadog and Rufus Mufasa, we split into our individual communities. The data community session was co-chaired by Lee Coates from Cardiff Council and Imran Roper from Shared Resource Service. Lee opened with a presentation on the Single View of a Child project, explaining how bringing together information from multiple services can support better, more timely decision making.
We then moved on to setting our three priorities for 2026:
- Engage with data professionals in North Wales through roadshows.
- Create a culture that encourages ‘silly’ questions, including opportunities to ask anonymously.
- Promote information governance as an enabler, debunking myths and removing blockers so people feel confident using data effectively.
A phrase that kept resurfacing throughout the session was: “We don’t know what we don’t know.” By having more of these conversations and sharing our experiences, we felt confident that we could start to identify gaps and improve how data is used across public services in Wales.
Afternoon: Cross-community collaboration
After lunch, we moved into cross-community groups to work on shared problems. This offered a useful insight into how other professionals think, what constraints they work within, and what they prioritise in their roles. It highlighted the breadth of expertise required to design and deliver public services that genuinely put users at the centre.
The day was wrapped up by the poets with an impressive performance that captured the themes and conversations of the day. It was a unique and lively way to summarise our time together which we all really enjoyed.
Key reflections
A strong theme throughout the day was the appetite for more in person events. Meeting people who face similar challenges and who are equally committed to improving public services was energising. I left feeling more connected not only to the data community, but also to the wider digital and technology landscape. Meeting people who face similar challenges, and who are equally committed to improving public services was energising.
The gathering helped me identify gaps in my own knowledge and sparked ideas for future collaboration. It reinforced my belief that a dedicated data community of practice for social care, spanning direct care staff through to data specialists is essential. Only by working together can we ensure the data we collect, share and report truly contributes to better outcomes for the people who rely on care and support.
If you want to talk to me about our social care focussed digital, data and technology community of practice, email me at zoe.davies@socialcare.wales