Bringing Data Anonymisation to Life: PegAnon at Research Matters 2024
At this year's Research Matters event in Spring 2024, we had the pleasure of, PegAnon, an interactive game we developed that brought the concept of data anonymisation to life in a fun and engaging way. The game proved to be a hit among attendees, sparking lively discussions and deepening understanding of our Barts Health Data Platform.
PegAnon's simplicity belies its effectiveness in conveying complex ideas. Players were given wooden pegs and asked to scribble something identifiable on them before dropping them into a large jar. Once all pegs were in, we gave the jar a good shake and challenged participants to find their own pegs within a time limit - without tipping the jar over, of course! The game brilliantly illustrated how individual pieces of data can become 'anonymised' when mixed with a larger dataset.
As players struggled to locate their specific pegs amidst the jumble, they experienced firsthand the challenges and importance of data anonymisation in research. What truly made PegAnon a success was how quickly attendees grasped the concept.
The physical nature of the game, combined with its clear parallel to data management, helped drive home the principles of anonymisation in a way that lectures or presentations alone simply couldn't match.
Perhaps most importantly, PegAnon served as a conversation starter. As players compared strategies and discussed their experiences, questions naturally arose about our Barts Health Data Platform and how we handle data anonymisation.
These discussions allowed us to address concerns, explain our processes, and build trust with our community in a relaxed, informal setting.
The enthusiastic response to PegAnon has encouraged us to consider how we might incorporate similar interactive elements in future events. It's clear that hands-on activities can play a crucial role in demystifying complex topics and fostering meaningful dialogue about our work.