How is data visualization used in government? They gather massive amounts of information on almost everything, from the price of housing to crime, and budget reports. To be transparent, these statistics must be accessible.
Fortunately, the government’s data is open and available at the click of a button. The tough part is sifting through the piles of information they possess and understanding it. That’s where data visualization turns the tables.
There are many ways the government uses data visualization. Let’s unpack what they are, their benefits, and how to do it effectively yourself.
What is data visualization?
Simply put, data visualization is a graphical representation of information. It takes statistics on almost anything and portrays it using graphs, maps, or charts.
Data visualization plays a huge role in making information more accessible. Today, if you ask the government about their tax-spending habits, they’ll likely hand you an infographic detailing everything.
The primary objective of data visualization is communicating information in an unambiguous and effective method. It turns complex statistics into images that are easy to access, understand, and use.
Many industries employ data visualization. Businesses use it to communicate information between departments. The government uses it to present information to you more clearly.
Organizations from various sectors use tools to help make visualizations with their data. Datylon is one of these platforms that helps you create stunning designs to communicate information. It helps you get the data you need quickly to make informed decisions.
So, how is data visualization used in government to achieve this transparency?
How is data visualization used in government: use cases
Several state and federal institutions in America started developing open data policies in 2006. In 2009, Office of Management and Budget Director Peter R. Orszag issued an open government directive on behalf of Obama.
In 2013, an executive order initiated a more explicit definition of the policy on open governance. It led to a streamlined, open-source Data.gov site, which now holds over 291,000 datasets.
Since these open government developments, many states have started realizing the importance of data visualization. They’re using it to inform the public, speed up decision-making, and see where counties are spending money.
Data visualization also benefits the government internally. They use it to apply for and report their use of funds for various federal allocations, like infrastructure.
Here are two examples of how data visualization is used in government by various US states, cities, and counties:
The City of Chicago
The City of Chicago, Illinois quickly understood the necessity for data visualization in educating the people. They’re using it to keep the public informed and sway their favor.
May 2010 saw the creation of Chicago’s Data Portal. It hosts three main dataset formats: tabular spreadsheets, GIS (map views), and API for software development.
After Rahm Emanuel’s inauguration, this database expanded to house information such as building permits and budget and finance records. Later in 2011, Chicago released data on crimes going back to 2001.
The interactive visualization for Chicago’s crime data is in-depth and effectively showcases the number and nature of reports. You’re able to view a wide range of information covering various periods from 2001 to today.
Chicago’s crime data isn’t just helpful to the public, but also to the police department. It enables them to focus resources on high-risk areas.
The interactive map of Chicago’s crimes has some limitations. The larger the period you view, the fewer data you’re able to zoom in on. A key characteristic of effective visualizations is that there’s no hidden information. It ensures you have access to everything related to the topic in one place.
Chicago’s crime map may benefit from highlighting the number and nature of incidents with different colored or sized dots. This feature would show you precisely where the high and low crime-rate areas are and the danger to expect.
Chicago’s Data Portal currently holds over 1,000 datasets organized into 16 categories including, transportation, sanitation, and public safety. It mostly uses a variety of bar charts and maps to visualize this information.
Unfortunately, many of the datasets don’t have visualizations, or the graphics are inefficient, cluttered, or unclear. The portal needs more diversity in its graphical representations.
Datylon’s Illustrator plugin is the perfect tool to help you present data more effectively. Its platform offers support and onboarding to ensure you achieve the visualization’s goal.
Redwood City
Redwood City is a small town in California that’s using data visualization to get more economic opportunities. It posts economic, business, and budget data in a static dashboard to foster transparency, attract trade, and assist local businesses.
Thanks to former city officials setting up a user-friendly tool, the public is able to view Redwood’s financial status. It helps them see where revenues come from and what services they pay for.
Redwood City’s economic indicator dashboard showcases datasets that include city revenue, sales tax, commercial property vacancy, and employment opportunities.
Redwood’s dashboard was a popular visualization on its webpage, leading to the city expanding the site. It now incorporates many more visualizations, showcasing zoning, major development projects, and allocation toward housing needs.
The city is still learning what works best and which visualizations are clear and understandable. Datylon is a robust platform for chart design. It’s user-friendly and helps you tell engaging stories with your data.
How is data visualization used in government to benefit agencies?
There are many answers to how data visualization is used in government. It presents statistics for the public to stay informed but also helps state officials generate funding.
Applying for federal funding isn’t the only benefit governments get from using data visualization. Here are four other advantages they have:
Boosting worker productivity
Data visualization helps you see and understand complex information when done properly. Most solutions are self-reliant, putting real-time data into internal knowledge workers’ hands. Strategic decision-makers don’t need to ask IT for help with questioning or identifying patterns.
Workers have access to the data they need to voice their questions, view findings, and explore the right follow-up questions.
Data visualization eliminates interdependency, a major bottleneck in public-sector agencies. It achieves this by reducing the plan-to-action time and giving ownership of learning and creating information caches.
Telling visual stories using dashboards
Government agencies collect data from various sources, compile them thoughtfully, extract relevant metrics, and place them in a single portal. A dashboard achieves this goal and ensures information provides value to its audience.
Possessing massive amounts of data is a small step toward empowering society with knowledge. You must be able to understand the information as part of greater socio-economic contexts for it to have value.
Dashboards merge various charts and graphs into one visualization to tell the organization’s story effectively. It helps you reach insights quickly by showing you data instead of making you read it.
This visualization type draws you in with the promise of knowledge you didn’t even know you wanted. It invites you to evaluate the data independently.
Portraying data as metrics on a dashboard helps government organizations collaborate with citizens. It promotes trust toward reaching goals and unlocking return on investment (ROI) from taxes.
Showcasing meaningful metrics
Governments around the world struggle with open data losing value due to vast and unorganized resources. Information that diminishes in worth also reduces people’s faith in the agency that publishes it.
The public only cares about useful and actionable results. Information that’s important to leaders, constituents, consumers, journalists, and citizens. It’s difficult to portray such logical insights since it requires data from multiple sources to convince them.
Data visualization simplifies presenting incomprehensible data so that it makes sense.
Creating a culture of collaboration
Governments must collaborate with academia, nonprofit organizations, the private sector, and the public to maximize their mission outcomes. Operating in a bubble doesn’t work, and it’s not as transparent as it sounds.
Data visualizations make sharing information and insights between teams easier. It allows them to uncover useful and actionable knowledge.
A collaborative culture helps to improve people’s data skills, which leads to more knowledgeable individuals. As more people learn to understand and visualize data, sharing and creating it becomes easier.
Use data visualization effectively in your agency
Public sector agencies worldwide are implementing data visualization in significant ways. This advancement is reshaping how they engage with their citizens. It’s making communication and decision-making easier, and providing people with more useful and actionable knowledge.
Data visualization is an important and creative method of data expression. Follow these six steps to ensure you convey your information’s meaning effectively:
Step one: Identify your data
Knowing what data you have is the most important step when creating effective visualizations. You need to recognize existing patterns and identify insights your audience may extract. It helps you define and tell the story you intend to share.
Step two: Create a storyboard
Once you understand the data you possess and want to share, you must decide how to present it. A storyboard helps you compile your preferred metrics and choose the visualizations you want to use. It helps guide the storytelling process.
Step three: Know your audience
You need to know your audience and their goals. Determine what they wish to gain from this data and whether it’s useful to them.
Ask yourself these questions to better understand your audience:
- Who is your audience?
- What is their level of knowledge and access to IT?
- What is their level of understanding of data?
- What knowledge of your agency and its data do they have?
- What do you want your audience to know about your agency and the problem you’re trying to highlight?
- What are the best metrics to use?
Step four: Evaluate your resources
Determine what resources you have available at your agency once you’re acquainted with your data and understand your audience’s objectives.
Find out if you have any staff experienced in data visualization, analysis, or graphic design. Determine if anyone is willing to learn or if you need to hire someone. Collaborate with other agencies to see if they’ll help and share knowledge or resources.
Step five: Choose a data visualization tool
Experiment with the tools available online before you settle on one to use. Remember that professional results don’t require overly sophisticated or expensive software.
Refer to your resource analysis to determine your budget for software. Datylon is a perfect example of an affordable, user-friendly tool that produces fantastic visualizations.
Step six: Start visualizing your data
- Make your development, presentation, and visualization equally creative.
- Remember to tell a story. Incorporate data, analysis, and design to improve user understanding.
- Try different visualizations to familiarize yourself with the process. Decide which options you prefer and which are ideal for the final presentation.
- The first time doesn’t have to be perfect. Keep it simple and add more elements to your design over time.
- Request feedback from users and staff to determine what works and what doesn’t. Be open and flexible to make changes.
- Ensure you add disclaimers for your data.
- Once you have your ideal visualizations, make use of automated reporting if you want use them recurringly.
Frequently asked questions
Here’s a list of frequently asked questions relating to how data visualization is used in government:
How do government agencies ensure data security and privacy when utilizing data visualization?
The United States has several regulatory frameworks to address the privacy of its citizens. They include the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA).
What are common challenges government organizations face in implementing data visualization solutions?
The major challenges include the following:
- Data quality and availability
- Data complexity and diversity
- Data ethics and transparency
What measures are in place to maintain data integrity and accuracy in government data visualization projects?
They employ data governance, multidisciplinary collaboration, transparency, best practices, and monitoring to maintain data integrity and accuracy.
How does data visualization improve transparency and public trust in government actions?
Data visualization makes it easier for the public to understand the data the government gives you access to. It also shows a willingness to be transparent.
Are there specific regulations or standards that government agencies must adhere to when implementing data visualization solutions?
Yes, there are various regulatory frameworks that government agencies must adhere to. For example; the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
Can you provide examples of successful data visualization projects within government agencies?
Yes, aside from Chicago and Redwood, several other cities and states successfully implemented data visualizations. Data.gov has a database packed with examples.
How does data visualization support evidence-based decision-making in government policymaking processes?
It provides facts that are easy to understand and use to make informed decisions.
Use Datylon to drive your agency with data
The government collects troves of data daily and dealing with that information effectively is a challenge. Data visualization is integral to communicating these complex metrics and statistics and helping agencies tell a meaningful story with it.
So, how is data visualization used in government? The answer is simple: it promotes transparency, makes open data more accessible to the public, and improves internal operations.
Spread your agency’s message, foster public relations, and streamline internal operations with Datylon. Create stunning report designs and keep them up-to-date with automated reporting.
Want to learn more about automated reporting? Book a demo and see how Datylon works.
Additional Resources
What is automated data reporting? A complete guide
Climbing the Ladder of Automated Reporting Solutions with Datylon
The Great Report Debate: Manual, Automated, or Interactive?
Automated reports: Defining Data Resources, Data Extraction and Transformation Options
Mastering Versioned Stand-Alone Reports
Building an automated reporting solution with Datylon Report Server
Automated Data Visualization Trends: What to Look for in Report Server Tools
Automated reporting for various industries:
Revolutionizing Marketing and Media: The Power of Automated Reporting
Automated Reporting in Asset and Wealth Management: Trends and Best Practices
The Power of Automated Reporting in the Pharmaceutical Industry
Why embedded reporting is a game changer for SaaS companies
