Communicating Data…“Exploring how the use of business intelligence software can help

tell the public health story in Dorset.”

David Goswell

Public Health Analyst

Public Health Intelligence Team

• Growth in data visualisation generally.• New audience in the local authority.• The need to translate masses of health data into a

coherent stories that can influence decisions.• Working more efficiently and be more versatile• Tableau is free to use and can be used together with

other products

Why?

What?

How we got to this point:

• Encouraged to communicate differently• Learning new techniques and creating new ideas• Online training is free• Wide range of examples online• Putting this into practice (4 pieces of work)

1. Health checks.

Pros:

•Use of infographic to summarise data.•Easy to identify poor performance and drill down further.•GPs could see how they fared.

Cons:

•Data behind Tableau incomplete.•Logistic regression performed outside and brought in – not efficient.•Filters not synched.

1. Health checks.

1. Health checks.

1. Health checks.

2. Tobacco control.

Pros:•Directed the discussion to debate future commissioning.•Brought context to our analysis.•Enabled us to query data within the meeting

Cons:•Design could be improved.•Adding to the story has meant it is less fluent.•Unhappy with 4 week quit as key outcome

2. Tobacco control.

2. Tobacco control.

2. Tobacco control.

3. Sexual health.

Pros:

•Refined paper based documents.•Good use of filter to show differences.•Brought in wider determinants.

Cons:

•Some calcs not working as we would want (Pan Dorset avg).•Do bubbles work in this context?•Asset map a struggle!

3. Sexual health.

3. Sexual health.

4. Health inequalities in Boscombe.

Pros:

•Hosts a lot of data•Use of filters to show differences between practices•Highlights performance in Dorset

Cons:

•Filter for population pyramids not ideal•Too much data?•Is the variation in size misleading?

4. Health inequalities in Boscombe.

4. Health inequalities in Boscombe.

What have we learnt?

Positives• Greater efficiency in handling data• Creation of coherent stories• Providing health data for different audiences• Scope for further development

Difficulties• Potential barriers (time, style over substance)• IT (web browsers, internet connection, installation)• Information governance

What next?

Short-term (next 6 months)• Develop greater competency• Better data warehousing• Development of tableau principles and usage

guidance• Integration with R and GIS software

Long term• Website to host visualisations• Data blending software

Links:https://public.tableausoftware.com/profile/dgoswell#!/vizhome/HealthchecksinDorset/HealthChecks

https://public.tableausoftware.com/profile/dgoswell#!/vizhome/SmokeStop/SmokingServices

https://public.tableausoftware.com/profile/dgoswell#!/vizhome/SHtest/Story1

https://public.tableau.com/profile/lee.robertson#!/

Lee Robertson, Senior Public Health Analyst

L.Robertson2@dorsetcc.gov.uk

David Goswell, Public Health Analyst

d.goswell@dorsetcc.gov.uk

Contact: