Data Visualization and Power of Evidence-Based Policymaking in Countries in Transition

• Activity Number: 425
• Type: Topic Contributed
• Date/Time: Tuesday, August 2, 2016 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
• Sponsor: Social Statistics Section
• Author(s): Giang Nguyen* and Ariel Lee* and Igor Barahona* and Star Ying* and Hannah Cho*
• Companies: University of Iowa and ISR Center for Science Diplomacy and Mathematics Institute of the UNAM and U.S. Department of Commerce and ISR Center for Interdisciplinary Research
• Keywords: data visualization ; evidence-based policymaking ; Korea ; social statistics ; survey methodology ; sustainable development

Abstract

The purpose of the paper consolidating talks presented in an ASA panel is to investigate merits and drawbacks of data visualization and power of evidence-based approaches to addressing policy issues in countries in transition. We discuss overarching analytical problems and the value of using data visualization when it comes to addressing policy issues of public health, economics and education in developing countries in particular. The paper demonstrates case studies of how data-poor countries can address national problems by leveraging multiple sources of data, vitalizing data visualization and supporting evidence-driven policy development. Case studies utilize the UN Millennial Development Goals data, UNICEF and WHO data, and survey and census data collected from developing countries, including Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK, also known as North Korea).