Rehumanising data: Why KPIs are failing citizens with Ron Charlton

How do we make sure the people most in need don't keep falling through the cracks?In this episode, Joe sits down with Ron Charlton, Data and Information Lead at Changing Futures Northumbria. Ron explains why transactional, target-driven public services fail people with multiple disadvantages, and how a relational, human-centred approach can transform outcomes while reducing crisis demand.Drawing on decades of frontline policing and system leadership, Ron shares how rehumanising data, using bottom-up, real-world information instead of abstract metrics, brings leaders closer to reality and enables better decision-making across public services.This is a deep dive into relational practice, systems change, and why traditional performance frameworks often create harm rather than help.In this conversation, we explore: Why referrals and assessments often fail people with complex needsHow relational practice outperforms transactional service modelsWhat “rehumanising data” actually looks like in practiceHow lived experience and shared power change outcomesWhy psychological safety matters for learning and innovationHow relational approaches reduce crisis demand across systemsRather than asking people to fit into broken systems, this work asks a different question: What if we redesigned services around people, not process?This episode is especially relevant for: Public sector leaders and commissionersPolicy and systems-change professionalsPractitioners working with complex needsData, insight and service design teamsStay connected:Follow Joe on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/joseph-badmanRead the latest chapters from our upcoming book: https://relationalservicedesign.comMaster the methodology: https://basistraining.co.uk/Partner with us: https://basis.co.uk