Connecting Society: How everyday data can shape our lives

Evaluation is often seen as a neutral and technical process: collecting data, measuring outcomes, and judging whether a policy or programme “worked”. But what if the way we evaluate is shaping - and sometimes harming - the very systems and communities we’re trying to improve?  
Dr Luke Roberts is a complexity theorist and evaluator who argues that traditional approaches to policy evaluation do not account for the complex, adaptive systems that underpin society. From inequality and public services to technology adoption and the future of work, change doesn’t happen in neat, linear ways. Yet, evaluation methods often impose fixed timelines, rigid metrics and narrow perspectives that can risk missing what really matters.  
In this episode, we’ll explore Luke’s provocative claim that evaluation can be a violent act. His work invites us to consider how researchers can think differently about intervention-based policy and how it’s evaluated. We’ll discuss how alternative approaches to evaluation could transform how we use data, involve lived experience, and design policies that help people and systems thrive. 
Want to know more about administrative data? Visit: adruk.org  
Connecting Society is presented by Shayda Kashef and Mark Green, our producers are Eleanor Collard, Holly Greenland, Laura Mulvey and Shayda Kashef. 
This podcast is brought to you by ADR UK (Administrative Data Research UK), a partnership transforming public sector data into research insights and policy evidence to improve lives. We are an investment by the Economic and Social Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation.

Good health is something we all need – but it doesn’t simply start and end with the body. Increasingly, we’re beginning to understand how different parts of our lives and circumstances can combine and interact to shape our health, including from before we’re even born. Economic circumstances, social inequalities and childhood experiences all have a role to play in public health.   
Because administrative data contains a wealth of information about these different areas of our lives, it can be a valuable tool for research to help us understand and improve wellbeing. By linking this data together, we can build a better picture of how different aspects of public life affect our health.  
In the first episode of series 2, co-hosts Shayda Kashef and Mark Green are joined by Helena Benes Matos da Silva. Helena is an epidemiologist working with the Nutrition Group at Cidacs, the Centre for Data and Knowledge Integrations for Health in Brazil. The conversation draws on her varied career to explore the complex human experiences underlying our health, and how data can shed light on these connections. 
Want to know more about administrative data? Visit: adruk.org. 
Read more about the work of Cidacs here: cidacs.bahia.fiocruz.br   
Co-host Shayda Kashef mentions the ECHILD dataset; read more about the data and how to access it here: adruk.org/data-access/flagship-datasets/education-and-child-health-insights-from-linked-data-england 
Connecting Society is presented by Shayda Kashef and Mark Green, our producers are Eleanor Collard, Holly Greenland, Laura Mulvey and Shayda Kashef. 
This podcast is brought to you by ADR UK (Administrative Data Research UK), a partnership transforming public sector data into research insights and policy evidence to improve lives. We are an investment by the Economic and Social Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation.

Time flies - and yes, we have returned with another festive episode. After a hiatus, hosts Shayda and Mark return for a one-off Christmas bonus ahead of Connecting Society series two launching in 2026.
This episode flips the format and hands things over to you. Shayda and Mark answer listener questions and some of the most common queries that come up during ADR UK’s public engagement work, from favourite administrative datasets to data security, skills, and how the public can get involved in research.
A festive, long-overdue catch up, a behind-the-scenes look at administrative data, and a warm lead-in to series two.
We'd love to hear from you! If you'd like your question answered in a future episode, send us an email or a voice note with your question to [email protected]. 
If you're a member of the public looking to get involved in research, take a look at the ADR UK Working with the public page, or check out these opportunities with our friends: Join HDR UK Voices - HDR UK and Our Data, Our Say - DARE UK.
Connecting Society is presented by Shayda Kashef and Mark Green, our producers are Eleanor Collard, Holly Greenland, Laura Mulvey and Shayda Kashef. 
This podcast is brought to you by ADR UK (Administrative Data Research UK), a partnership transforming public sector data into research insights and policy evidence to improve lives. We are an investment by the Economic and Social Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation.

On the first day of Christmas, your producers sent to thee… a bonus episode of Connecting Society 🎁

Mark and Shayda are coming together in person for the very first time to bring you this special festive episode. They answer some burning questions, including: what actually is their favourite statistic? Can we ever agree how to pronounce data? What are some surprising facts about the holiday season? And does Santa use administrative data for his naughty/nice list?
 
Grab a warm drink, settle in, and join us for an episode full of revelations, anecdotes, and behind-the-scenes secrets.
Connecting Society is presented by Shayda Kashef and Mark Green, our producers are Eleanor Collard, Holly Greenland, Laura Mulvey and Shayda Kashef. 
This podcast is brought to you by ADR UK (Administrative Data Research UK), a partnership transforming public sector data into research insights and policy evidence to improve lives. We are an investment by the Economic and Social Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation.

In a data-driven world, administrative data holds the power to tackle society’s toughest challenges - from improving healthcare and education to boosting the economy. But how do we ensure this data is used securely, ethically, and for the public good?
Featuring Nikhil Harsiani, Data Ethics Policy Advisor at the UK Statistics Authority, and Mhairi Aitken, Senior Ethics Fellow in the Public Policy Programme at The Alan Turing Institute, this final episode dives into how legal safeguards and public engagement combine to protect privacy while demonstrating trustworthiness. Discover trusted research environments, the Five Safes framework, and how involving communities makes research more transparent and impactful.
This conversation unpacks how strong protections and meaningful public dialogue are building a system where data serves as a force for public good, delivering solutions that are as fair and trustworthy as they are effective.

Wondering what administrative data is? Visit https://www.adruk.org/our-mission/administrative-data/.

If we used any terms you're not familiar with, check out ADR UK's glossary at https://www.adruk.org/learning-hub/glossary/.

For information on legal frameworks: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2017/30/part/5/chapter/5, https://www.adruk.org/fileadmin/uploads/adruk/Documents/The_legal_framework_for_accessing_data_April_2023.pdf, https://www.adruk.org/learning-hub/skills-and-resources-to-use-administrative-data/accessing-data-for-research/.
Learn more about ethical data use and the public good: https://www.adruk.org/our-mission/ethics-responsibility/, https://uksa.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/publication/guidelines-on-using-the-ethics-self-assessment-process/, https://uksa.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/publication/considering-public-good-in-research-and-statistics-ethics-guidance/pages/1/.
Discover approaches to public engagement: https://www.adruk.org/our-mission/working-with-the-public/, https://www.adruk.org/fileadmin/uploads/adruk/Documents/PE_reports_and_documents/ADR_UK_OSR_Public_Dialogue_final_report_October_2022.pdf, https://uksa.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/publication/considering-public-views-and-engagement-regarding-the-use-of-data-for-research-and-statistics/pages/1/.
Connecting Society is presented by Shayda Kashef and Mark Green, our producers are Eleanor Collard, Holly Greenland, Laura Mulvey and Shayda Kashef. 
This podcast is brought to you by ADR UK (Administrative Data Research UK), a partnership transforming public sector data into research insights and policy evidence to improve lives. We are an investment by the Economic and Social Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation.