Visualizing Need: Using Data Visualization as a Decision Support Tool in the Formulation of Social Policy

International social work is facing an exponentially growing number of critical challenges in developing nations in meeting essential social needs as well as the distribution of material goods, social and economic resources and the provision, and effective services delivery to populations of need. There is a need to respond rapidly to populations in need and adapt to quickly changing socio-economic conditions. However, the resources needed to evaluate data and make effective decisions to provide support are often limited by the availability of trained data analysts who can interpret statistical findings and make relevant service delivery decisions for such communities of need. Modern computing technology shows promise of providing a graphical evaluation approach to enriching understanding of the available information. Thereby, the need to make critical decisions is augmented for those decision-makers that are working most closely with marginalized groups. A recent research effort undertaken by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) sought to provide administrators and policy-makers with information regarding the associations between social capital, economic development, and food security in the mountain region of Perú. Survey data collection and descriptive statistical analysis were used to provide information on the relationship between socio-economic development services and the emergence of social capital needed to develop effective human self-support systems. This paper demonstrates how to provide a graphical interface between areas of economic need and development initiatives. A visual exploration of data patterns would serve to inform human service decision-makers as they develop policies and programs. Visualization of data helps to enrich meaning and understanding of core areas of population need. This enhanced information format can identify needs for social policy development and improve the delivery of critical services and resources. This paper will provide a conceptual argument for considering data visualization methods in the evaluation of significant needs for, at risk, international populations. The paper will also present a number of examples for improving data evaluation and the understanding of need through data visualization methods through widely available computing technology. Procedures for graphically representing data will be demonstrated using the Perú survey, and applications for social policy formulation will be discussed.