About the project

The Digital Good Network, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), is building a research community focused on what a good digital society should look like and how we get there. Birmingham Museums is represented on the management team through Sara Wajid who is the Communities and Cultural Engagement Lead. The network is supporting activities which explore the following societal challenges:

• How can we make sure digital technologies contribute towards a more equitable society?
• How can we make the digital future more sustainable?
• How can the digital world be shaped to ensure that digital technologies enhance wellbeing in the face of challenges such as pandemics, political conflicts, natural disasters, misinformation, and online hate?

Digital Good Index

The Digital Good Network is working with Birmingham Museums staff, volunteers and users to co-design and test the Digital Good Index (DGI), a mechanism for evaluating whether digital tech benefits people and society. The DGI prototype will be tested with BMT over 2026, helping to ensure our use of digital technology is fair, ethical and equitable. The DGI initiative is funded by the University of Sheffield.

Digital Good Network Fellow, Dr Lauren ‘L’ Vargas

Birmingham Museums worked with Dr Lauren ‘L’ Vargas (Principal, Your Digital Tattoo and Head of Research, Future Museum Project) to facilitate strategic foresight workshops with colleagues and communities. Dr Vargas works to support mission-based organisations worldwide to courageously acknowledge and work through and within continuous change.
 

Links

• New £4 million Digital Good Network aims to ensure technologies are beneficial for societies with Birmingham Museums Trust as a partner | Birmingham Museums